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I felt like a stunned audience
member of a critically acclaimed play as I witnessed an
entire family excitedly exit an older model minivan
parked at the end of the driveway. The object of their
affection? An impoverished, black, velvet, 3-seater sofa
I had hastily shoved to the curb, with a sign that read
FREE propped up against it's worn and torn back
cushions. They all took turns sitting on it and looked
at one another smiling as they began loading up their
furniture find. My curbside nuisance of a couch I had
desperately tried to get rid of the entire weekend, was
a treasure this young family needed. This exchange had
brought me humbly to tears although I hadn't realized it
until I inadvertently wiped one away on the sleeve of my
orange, Detroit Tiger's sweatshirt. In this moment the
idea for "Relaced" consignment and coffee shop was
originated.
Meeting people where they are at in life is a practice I
have held as important since I was a young gal but I
wasn't fully aware of how I could use this as an adult.
This is where meeting myself in regards to who I am
fuses my creative gifts professionally (aka to make a
living) will allow me to give back to others. Renewing,
repurposing and/or reselling clothing, furniture and
household items has become a passion of mine. I enjoy
the creative process as well as the satisfaction from a
need being met.
Community involvement is very important. How to
accomplish this? By building relationships with the
school's programs including painting, sculpting, wood
working and writing. On the other end of the age
spectrum, I'd like to incorporate activities geared
towards the senior citizen community. In addition, I'd
like to allow mental illness support groups and
freelance writers to use the proposed space for
meetings. The plan is to bring people together by
displaying their creative works and letting particular
groups use the location's unique atmosphere for their
needs.
The
idea is to forever etch your generosity into the
interior and exterior of "Relaced" location by engraving
each donor's name and short message into either a 4 x 8
brick or an 8 x 8 brick. To make each one of you a part
of the history and future of the shop's permanent
landscape. Monarch butterflies are endangered and both
myself and my 5-year-old daughter have a love for
butterflies. The outdoor garden/seating areas out front
will include the pondless water feature (attracts
dragonflies as well as butterflies) but will also
include plants and flowers which do the same. Milkweed
seeds will be planted in designated areas for the
purpose of attracting the beautiful monarchs.
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