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Bringing the Community Together

Country Grannie’s Play House now serves the Inola community from a new location.

By: Cassie Woods | Category: Retail | Issue: January 2014

Owner Carolyn Dormier shows a small sample of the large ­selection of yarn that is available for purchase at Country Grannie’s Play House in Inola.

Owner Carolyn Dormier shows a small sample of the large ­selection of yarn that is available for purchase at Country Grannie’s Play House in Inola.

At Country Grannie’s Play House in Inola, rescued and handcrafted items are the specialty. Owner Carolyn Dormier loves to bring life back to nostalgic pieces she has collected along the way, as well as create new items using the crafting supplies found in her store front.

    The store was recently relocated to its new location on Broadway after Dormier found the perfect little house she could transform into her thrift store paradise. Having purchased the new property just a few months ago, she and her husband have been cleaning and remodeling it room by room to expand on the vision for Country Grannie’s Play House. “We were very excited that we were able to obtain this property at a fairly low cost,” said Dormier. “I expect the business to grow as we continue to refurbish the rooms in the house.”

    Customers will find lots of rescued thrift store type items as they browse through the rooms of Country Grannie’s Play House. A staple in the store, and one of the things it is best known for, are the popular, hand-crafted sock monkeys available for purchase. They can be fashioned from socks of all sizes and patterns and make great gifts. “I really enjoy teaching others to make the sock monkeys,” said Dormier. “Individuals or groups are welcome to stop by anytime for a lesson in how to put one together. The instruction is free and the material cost is minimal.”

    For those customers who may want to try a hands-on project, but aren’t completely sure of themselves just yet, Dormier offers the option of finishing a sock monkey from partially constructed patterns. Customers can pick out an unfinished sock monkey body and Dormier will teach them how to fill it with stuffing and stitch up the openings. She can even do the final sewing for them.

    Monkeys created by Dormier range in price from $10 to $25, and come in a variety of sizes, depending on the sock size. For specialty monkeys, there is a two-week notice requested to give time to order the socks. There is also a variety of clothes available for the cute, button-eyed animals, or Dormier can teach customers to make those as well.  

    Fabrics and yarns are available for purchase in the store for only 25 cents an ounce. Dormier also offers doll clothes, quilts, some crocheted items and hand-made reusable shopping bags. She offers the green shopping bags at a discounted rate for groups to use as a fundraising project, and she can teach customers how to make them as well. “The reusable shopping bags are very popular right now,” said Dormier. “I have tons of fabrics to choose from here in the store, so I think it’s a great way to give back to the community by creating something everyone can use. The students or civic groups can get them at a very low cost and then re-sell them to make money for their organizations.”

    Dormier also takes consignments on other handcrafted and rescued items. Consignments are done on a percentage basis for a limited number of items, or in exchange for crafters working in the store. Vendor booths are also available. Additionally, Country Grannie’s Play House will begin holding yard sales every weekend in the spring.

    There is also a room in the back of the house that is available for members of the community to reserve for parties. And there will soon be kitchen facilities available for those who reserve the room. “I would love to see people bring their friends in for crafting parties, as well as using the space for birthday parties or family reunions,” said Dormier. “We really just want it to serve the community’s need for a meeting space for whatever they may have going on.”

    She also has added TVs and Wi-Fi to the craft room with the hopes of appealing to a younger audience. Vendors who may not want to set up a booth are welcome to drop in and use the space to list their items on eBay and Etsy free of charge. “I really like to think of this business as a service to the community,” said Dormier. “My goal is to get the younger people in the community to come in here and use the building.”

    Country Grannie’s Play House is a great place for just about anyone. You can simply browse Dormier’s thrift store finds, check out made-in-Inola handcrafted items by other vendors, pick out the perfect sock monkey for a gift or learn how to craft something yourself. Dormier also has games that can be played in the store to keep little hands busy while mom is working on her project.

For more information, contact

Country Grannie’s Play House

135 N. Broadway
Inola, OK 74036
(918) 543-8687

www.facebook.com/ICSockMonkeys


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