GREENVILLE – Main Street Greenville’s First Friday event, October 6, featured live music from several musicians, including Noah McCabe, who sat outside of Chillz Frozen Yogurt on S. Broadway Street.
“Our live music events are always extremely popular and well-attended,” said Executive Director of Main Street Greenville Crysta Hutchinson. “Our events are created to bring people to the downtown district to help support our local small businesses. They are a nice boost for their sales and overall exposure to the community.”
Some vendors sold handmade items during the event. “The Happy Lark” owner Mindy Steyer, of Greenville, makes necklaces, bracelets and rings. She also sells her jewelry at Sadie Grace and the Greenville Farmers’ Market.
“I have always made jewelry for myself and as gifts for friends,” she said. After selling some items at a Christmas bazaar, it felt really good. I thought I would start making some more stuff to sell. They are all original designs.”
One of her necklaces, “message in a bottle” features a little tiny glass bottle with a quote inside, such as “fill my soul.” Her bracelets also have messages, such as “you are loved.” For more information, visit facebook.com/onehappylark
Renee Hale, of Greenville, owner of “Home Again,” opened her store for the First Friday event in the historic Palace Building, on S. Broadway Street. Her official opening day is Wednesday, October 11. She previously owned “Home Again Country Store” on N. Broadway Street. This is a scaled-down version of that store, featuring home decor that is up-cycled, recycled, re-purposed and handmade. She keeps her inventory local, she said. Even the wood for her signs comes from the area.
Some of her inventory includes: body products, light boxes with messages, hand-crafted pictures made by her friend Jayni Snow and wooden signs with messages. Her hardwood signs are embossed creating raised prints. Many of the messages include song lyrics, bible verses and other inspirational messages. Hale said the idea for her business came from her dad.
“My dad said, ‘Find that signature thing that will come to you in the middle of the night, that nobody else is doing and that everybody loves – and you will never feel like you are working’,”Hale said. “And I haven’t worked in months. I just get up, and all I want to do is this. It is very healing.”
For more information, visit facebook.com/Renee Hale
Ted Mangen, of Ansonia, offered folks some goodies with “Ted’s Tasty Treats” a division of “Ted’s Best of Everything.” He sells: cupcakes, pumpkins, some produce and honey.
“I have my hands in a lot of different things,” he said.
Some of those things include 10 bee hives. He said he gets stung more than he would like.
“It started with a need for pollination,” he said. “I grow three acres of pumpkins, and if you want pumpkins, you have to have pollinators. Bees make honey, so after giving it to friends and family, I started selling. The bees do all the work. I just steal it from them in the summertime, when there are a lot of flowers and a lot of nectar flow. They can fill a super in about a couple weeks, which holds about two-and-one-half gallons.”
He said his brother-in-law eats a teaspoon of honey every morning for his allergies. The honey has to be local, as it contains the pollen from everything around here, he said.
“It is a very addictive hobby, because once you start with one hive you get two, and the next thing you know you have ten,” Mangen said. “I am looking at expanding further than that. Even with the stings, it is something I enjoy.”
For more information, visit facebook.com/Ted’s Best of Everything, Ted’s Tasty Treats
The October First Friday event was sponsored by Second National Bank.
