Business & Tech

Groton Bookstore Pulls In 50 Artists To Sell Work

Store Expands By Tearing Down A Wall, Then Inviting Local Crafters And Businesses To Rent Display Space

A Groton bookstore has expanded its business by pulling in more than 50 local artists to rent display space in the store and sell their work.

Cornerstone Bookstore has been a bookstore and gift shop for 19 years, first on Bridge Street, then in Groton Square Shopping Center, now in Groton Shopping Plaza on Long Hill Road.

The store used to sublet space to CareNet Pregnancy Resource Center, said the nonprofit organization moved to New London in September.

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Bookstore owner Dennis McGee said the vacancy allowed the store to double its size.  He tore down the wall separating the two spaces, and hired Christine Mikkola to reach local crafters and expand the gift shop part of the business.

Mikkola formerly ran Salt & Light Stitchery, a gift shop on Thames Street that closed in August.

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She started with the artists she knew and McGee reached out to people, too.

Then word spread.  The store now has 55 artists, crafters or small businesses renting space to display and sell their work. 

The artists represent 12 towns, including New London, Ledyard, Montville, Waterford, Norwich, Putnam, Westerly, R.I. and Colchester. They pay to rent wall, shelf or display space, then create the displays themselves in the store.

“It grows weekly,” said Mikkola.

The goal is to draw 100 crafters, she said.

With the exception of jewelry, the store allows only one artist of each kind to display and sell a given craft: for example, Frank Brancato sells walking sticks and canes; Theresa Goodrich offers handbags and accessories. Others sell watercolors, hand-dipped candles, syrups, painted dolls and frames.

The bookstore has also started offering classes on crafting to draw in customers who want to learn a skill like knitting, jewelry-making or scrapbooking,

For more information about the store, displays or classes, call (860) 448-3730.


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