Aside from teaching hundreds of people to unleash their inner designer, the owner had done all kinds of fundraising for girls' schools in Africa.
So it was more than just a place that sold pretty things.
This is the second bead store - among the five I've frequented these past few years - to close in six months.
While I realize that paying for gas and food takes priority over baubles, I still think it's a shame that small, local businesses - and those that inspire creativity - are among the first to suffer in a poor economy.
Please remember them when you're shopping for holiday gifts this year.
Buy local. And support the artisans in your neighborhood.
For more on Village Earth Bead Market, see their website.
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2 comments:
well, that's the thing. Artistic expression is a luxury and will be among the first to go.
The whole thing is depressing and scary.
It's sad, really, because already there's little wide-scale appreciation for artisanal craft and beauty. Everything's about cheaper-faster-easier.
Ah, well. Maybe the pendulum will swing back soon enough.
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