Saturday, Oct. 14 will mark the fifth anniversary of The Good Supply, a housewares and gift store in Pemaquid that represents 90 Maine makers. The public is invited to join staff and artists at a day-long event to be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14 at The Good Supply’s post-and-beam storefront, located at 2106 Bristol Road, Pemaquid (Bristol).
The event will include an open house for Maine Craft Weekend, a trunk show featuring local eco-fashion by Luksin, a 4 p.m. hand-craft demonstration by Kenneth Kortemeier of the Maine Coast Craft School, and The Good Supply’s first-ever Fall Sale.
Catherine McLetchie, the business proprietor, reflected on the milestone: “It’s an honor to represent such remarkable local talent and to have developed a truly enthusiastic clientele. This accomplishment speaks to the robust arts culture in our region. We could not be more grateful for the support we have found in this community from artisans and patrons alike.”
In 2012, The Good Supply opened in a small building behind its current barn storefront with a stated mission: “To cultivate community. To support those who make by hand.” The barn, a timber-frame structure, was nearly rotted beyond repair, and neighbors were surprised at the ambition to restore the building let alone build a business within its walls.
During the course of 18 months, those same neighbors and friends watched and helped as the nearly 150-year-old barn was lovingly revived. One corner of the barn was raised 16 inches using wood purchased from late timber-frame expert Huston Dodge, and a new roof and floor were installed to complete the restoration.
The number of handmade wares offered slowly increased over the years as The Good Supply grew. In the beginning, the local small business represented 16 local artists and fellow small businesses. Today, 90 artists and small businesses are represented in the unique barn storefront as well as on a constantly developing website, thegoodsupply.org, which evolves much like the barn itself.
The anniversary celebration marks the last weekend of the 2017 season. The store will reopen for holiday shopping hours during weekends following Thanksgiving. For now, the public is invited to come celebrate the achievements of some determined individuals in this very artful neck of the woods!
