Business showcases artisans at mall store
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — Local artisans now have a unique way to promote their wares at the Aroostook Centre Mall and across the state, with the opening of Meet the County: People, Places, Products.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
MEET THE COUNTY officially opened its doors at the Aroostook Centre Mall with a ribbon cutting on Friday, April 29, hosted by the Presque Isle Area Chamber of Commerce. Pictured in front from left: PIACC members Floyd Rockholt and Billie Brodsky; Co-owners Patrick Patterson and Sandy Gibson; Sonja Watson, Patterson’s mother; Gail Clukey, PIACC member; and Theresa Fowler, executive director, PIACC. Second row: PIACC members Stacy Shaw, Jim McKenney and Bonnie Pack; and Nola Farley, past president, PIACC. The store features the work of Aroostook County artisans, from paintings to hand carved wooden bowls and more.
The business, owned and operated by Patrick Patterson and Sandy Gibson, has been a year in the making. The owners are hoping Meet the County will allow the public to do just that, by promoting County artisans, taking their works to markets beyond their hometowns.
“In August 2010, Patrick found himself in a unique position to explore alternative options for building upon his career. Natalia Bragg, of Knott II Bragg Farms, became aware of Patrick’s position and, understanding his natural marketing and sales ability and gift of gab, she approached him with an idea to market Aroostook County,” said Gibson.
Gibson continued, “As a County boy, Patrick was already fully aware of the ‘two Maines’ concept; it was clear to him there was a need here in the County that he could fulfill. That’s when he introduced me to the idea.”
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
OPENING DAY — Friday marked the official opening of Meet The County at the Aroostook Centre Mall, with several people taking the opportunity to stop in to see the fine workmanship of County crafters on display. Pictured from left are: Patrick Patterson, co-owner, explaining a handcrafted peg game, to 5-year-old Chase Boyd, of Mars Hill, and Boyd’s grandmother, Janice Jordan, of Westfield. Looking on behind Boyd is Sandy Gibson, co-owner.
The pair immediately began to build on the seed Bragg had planted – to form a business that not only distributes and markets product to southern markets but also introduces the story behind the people, their craft and the area from which the product is produced. What they’ve come up with is a concept that represents the people, places, products and traditions of Aroostook County.
Patterson said most artisans work at their craft after already putting in eight hours or more a day at a job, since most don’t rely on their artwork to make a living. Meet the County provides the marketing opportunity for crafters, without tying up their time.
“Most crafters work a 9 to 5 job. They come home, cook dinner and take the kids to the basketball game, etc., and work throughout the night preparing for the next local craft show, with hopes of covering the expense of their space and cost of materials. Meet the County is in the position to take a crafter’s product to the next level, further establishing their brand, marketing and introducing their product to larger markets that they wouldn’t normally reach on a consistent level,” said Patterson.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
FINE WORKMANSHIP — Handcrafted wooden pieces like those pictured can be found for sale at Meet The County, located at the Aroostook Centre Mall. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on April 29 to mark the opening of the business at the mall, which serves as a distribution/display site for items created by Aroostook County artisans. The business is owned by Patrick Patterson and Sandy Gibson.
To better serve their clientele, Patterson and Gibson decided, in addition to marketing items by traveling to venues across the state, it was time to establish a home of sorts, opening a store at the Aroostook Centre Mall.
“Most recently, back by popular demand, Meet the County is filling the same need on the local front at the Aroostook Centre Mall with a weekend retail outlet that doubles as a clearing house for distributing the same products outside of Aroostook County,” said Patterson.
Meet the County is more than just a consignment shop. Unlike the traditional consignment shop or craft fair, crafters benefit most from Patterson and Gibson’s marketing knowledge, vision and ability to promote Aroostook County artisans’ and crafters’ work to larger retail and online markets.
“Doing so, we’re putting the County back on the map, cash in pockets and directly impacting local economic development opportunities within Aroostook County’s cottage industry,” said Gibson.
The facility features a wide array of items from across the County, from sculptures to woodwork, paintings and more. Some of the items currently on display include: Lost Wax bronze sculptures by Dave Hentosh; vintage photography by world-renowned photographer, Voscar; award-wining artist Gert Thibodeau’s paintings; Judy Sherman’s paintings; wood carvings by Tom Cote and Dan Bell; Traci Stone’s crocheted blankets and one-of-a-kind jewelry; Knott II Bragg Farms, Aroostook County’s oldest apothecary; Mike’s Maine Pickles, canned pickles; Bouchard Family Farms – ployes, gift basket and hand-painted glassware; Heather Bessey, pottery; Fern Thibodeau, snowshoes; and many others.
“There is a market for most handmade products, provided it is packaged and priced right. However, we tend to carry the higher-end artisans’ or crafters’ work. We look for unique, quality, out-of-the-ordinary pieces where often the story behind the person creating the product is as interesting as the item itself,” said Patterson.
While some crafters juggle a full-time job in addition to working their passion, part of their goal is to earn a living doing what they love most.
“That’s where we come in. Experience has taught us that the average hobbyist cannot keep up with the level of demand the market wants. We strive to find a happy balance between market demand and the production capabilities of our clients. Not all products lend themselves to markets outside Aroostook County. However, the product may be a match in our retail outlet at the Aroostook Centre Mall,” said Patterson.
Meet the County is currently showcasing dozens of artisans from Aroostook County.
“We’re also host to 36 or so other artisans and crafters from Island Falls to the Allagash, with products ranging from hand-turned bowls (by Hank Lemerise and Craig Dubay) to unique hand-turned pens (by Dale Brown, including his latest lobster and black bear pens). Most recently, we’ve added a new local artist, Randy Plissey, who will make his debut at the Aroostook Centre Mall in coming weeks,” said Patterson.
A ribbon cutting, hosted by the Presque Isle Area Chamber of Commerce, was held at the store on April 29.
For more information, you can find Meet the County online.
“Feel free to explore our website at www.meetthecounty.com or check us out on Facebook,” said Gibson.
“We can also be reached via e-mail at Patrick@meetthecounty.com,” said Patterson.
Store hours are: Friday, 3-8 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, 12-5 p.m.; and Monday-Thursday, by appointment.
