Hillsboro Book and Bible promotes local vendors' goods and services

Carmen and Rodney Newman have been selling Bibles, inspirational greeting cards and gifts, Christian fiction, and other family friendly items for years at Hillsboro Book and Bible, but the economic recession and the ever-increasing unemployment rate in Highland County have inspired them to take other action at their store.

For approximately a year, Chuck and Elaine Volk of Country Springs Woodcrafts, a Hillsboro-based business, have been selling handmade

wood signs, gifts, and other decorations at the Hillsboro Book and Bible. The success of the Volks' line of products, coupled with the Newmans' desire to help stimulate the local economy, led the Newmans to invite other craftsmen from the region to sell their products at the store.

In just a few months' time, Carmen Newman says that they have gotten a huge response.

"It really surprised us how many people we're getting so quickly," Newman said.

Local products sold at the store have to be "high-quality and wholesome," said Newman, who looks for products that either fit the

spiritual theme of the store or are inoffensive products such as baked goods or crafts.

"We're making a conscious effort to bring in Highland County products and keep our business within Highland County and Highland County

entrepreneurs," said Newman. "That's how this country became great. We're just trying to support our country."

In addition to selling locally made products, Newman said that she and her husband try to sell as many products made in the USA as possible.

A wide variety of local products can be found at Hillsboro Book and Bible. A line of baked goods was recently introduced, for sale three days a week. Newman said that these homemade products have been so popular that they may extend the line to every day. Jamie and Tim

Patten of Sycamore Tree in New Vienna bring in freshly baked bread made with hand-ground wheat on Tuesdays. Other baked goods brought in by the Pattons and other vendors include homemade pies, cookies and doughnuts. Yoder's Cashew Crunch and peanut brittle made by Lois Tong are also for sale.

For those who prefer to do their own cooking, beautiful cutting boards made by local craftsman Steve Williams from Highland County wood are

sold "for half the price you'd find at other stores," according to Newman. The Zink family of RZ Distributing, LLC of Hillsboro, sell a variety of spices for local chefs to try.
 In addition to baked goods, the Pattens of Sycamore Tree also sell a line of skin care products, including lotions, balms, and soap. Their products, along with additional information, can also be found online at their website, www.stgeneralstore.com.

In addition to the beautiful signs by Country Springs Woodcrafts, Nick Birkhimer sells hand-crafted wooded signs that Newman said he cuts

with a utility knife.

Newman and her friend, Janet Epley, have co-designed capes for women, which Epley sews for the store. The capes are reversible, and matching Bible covers are also available. Newman said that the capes, which are available in small and large sizes, are very popular.

"I've been selling out of the large ones about as quickly as I'm getting them in," said Newman.

A variety of hand-crafted quilts are also available from Rose Thompson and other quilters.

Newman even sells books written by Highland County authors, including a book by C. Lee.

The Newmans previously had not been open to consignment, but now they want to expand this venture.

Newman said that new entrepreneurs looking to sell their goods at the store should make sure that their items are tasteful or Christian in

nature and that they are not selling something that is exactly the same as another local vendor's items.

"We wanted to try to help out people in our county, so we decided this is what we needed to do," said Newman. "For our entire country, help

starts at home. I know what we're doing is just a drop in a bucket, but if everyone put a drop in the bucket, it wouldn't take long for the bucket to fill."