Oct 12, 2007

Cottage Market to be expansion of Essie’sBy Andrea BrunerGuardOnline.com

This little store went to market.

Three cottages are already in place at Cottage Market at the corner of St. Louis Street and College Avenue, and more are planned.

In other words, Essie’s Gift Shop, in business here for more than two decades, is expanding.

“We’re overflowing at the seams here,” co-owner Mandi Kelley said. The rooms at Essie’s are filled with gifts, decor, totes, toys, food stuffs, candles — and now Christmas trees, trimming and a variety of other holiday decorations — leaving just enough room to walk around and look.

Since Kelley’s always on the lookout for new and interesting items for Essie’s, she eventually realized it was time to expand. But that building had its limits, so Kelley began thinking of other ways to reach her goal.But, she said, she refused to give up the irresistible charm she sought by erecting a standard building.

The new store, which is an expanded portion of Essie’s, started out as one shop and one building, but as Kelley decided to expand, the shops grew. Named after Kelley’s great-grandmother, Ollie Haley Brewer, Ollie’s will be the first business there.

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