Lid Closing On Landmark Basket Store
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/mar/29/me-lid-clo [2008-7-4]
Tag : nantucket basket
After 54 years of selling Shaker baskets, Nantucketbaskets and all kinds of decorative items to go in them, thecountry's oldest handmade basket company is closing its Venicestore.
Basketville, on South Tamiami Trail, used to be a retail outpostfor all things wicker. In an aluminum, barnlike building on thesouth side of the city, it developed a cult following amongtourists and crafty decorator types when nothing else was outthere.
Now there is a Pier One, a Wal-Mart and a collection of strip mallsin one of the most congested areas of south Sarasota County.
Company president Greg Wilson did not return calls and put a gagorder on Venice employees, so it is hard to know why the store isclosing or even when.
The Venice Basketville's closing shutters the last store outsidePutney, Vt., where founder Frank Wilson started his basketmakingempire in 1941. He acquired a basket and bucket shop that had ahistory dating to 1842.
Much has changed in Venice and in basketmaking since Wilson, nowdeceased, decided to expand his craft to his winter home in Venicein 1954, where he once lived behind the store.
Baskets that used to be hand-crafted at Basketville's Putney plantnow are made in China, the Philippines and Eastern Europe.
Basketville, a privately held company, once had seven retail storesbut a few years ago the company closed all but the Venice andPutney stores.
The Putney Basketville is still open on State Route 4, north ofBrattleboro, just outside the heart of downtown, where Sackett'sBrook meanders through the village.
The town of 3,000 attracts writers and artisans and is known forits small colleges and back country hiking and skiing.
Basketville used to be the second biggest employer next to PutneyPaper, which makes recycled products and employs about 40, saidtown manager Chris Ryan.
Basketville was one of the last traditional New England-stylebasket manufacturers when, in 1996, it closed its Putney plant andshipped 40 jobs and its patterns to China.
"It was a tough decision," Wilson told the Brattleboro Reformer in1996. "I think that we're probably the last holdout in thatindustry, in a sense. It's kind of the last of the cornerblacksmiths closing up shop."
Basketville's former manufacturing plant sits vacant and for saleacross the street from its retail store.
Ryan did not hear about the Venice closing and did not knowanything about the Putney store's future.
The weekend before Easter, the Venice Basketville was crowded withshoppers looking for bargains.
"I've come here quite a bit over the years," said Joanne Schillerof Venice. "Gifts, artificial flowers.
"I thought I'd make a last stop over to see if there's anything Ican't live without."
Stephanie Figula, a teacher and 20-year customer from Hercules,Calif., stocked up on small baskets for her students' craftprojects.
"We bought oodles every year," Figula said.
Some of the walls and shelves were bare and, on others, there werebaskets for toting garden tools, baskets for cats or dogs, basketsto store mail and even a wicker basket bike frame.
All the Nantucket baskets, laundry baskets, tote baskets and silkflowers are on sale. When the inventory is gone, the store will be,too.
Four Basketville employees rang up purchases and chatted withcustomers about the store's closing.
"It's a landmark here," said one employee, who would not give hername per corporate instructions.
"I've worked here for 19 years. It's been a wonderful place."
After 54 years of selling Shaker baskets, Nantucketbaskets and all kinds of decorative items to go in them, thecountry's oldest handmade basket company is closing its Venicestore.
Basketville, on South Tamiami Trail, used to be a retail outpostfor all things wicker. In an aluminum, barnlike building on thesouth side of the city, it developed a cult following amongtourists and crafty decorator types when nothing else was outthere.
Now there is a Pier One, a Wal-Mart and a collection of strip mallsin one of the most congested areas of south Sarasota County.
Company president Greg Wilson did not return calls and put a gagorder on Venice employees, so it is hard to know why the store isclosing or even when.
The Venice Basketville's closing shutters the last store outsidePutney, Vt., where founder Frank Wilson started his basketmakingempire in 1941. He acquired a basket and bucket shop that had ahistory dating to 1842.
Much has changed in Venice and in basketmaking since Wilson, nowdeceased, decided to expand his craft to his winter home in Venicein 1954, where he once lived behind the store.
Baskets that used to be hand-crafted at Basketville's Putney plantnow are made in China, the Philippines and Eastern Europe.
Basketville, a privately held company, once had seven retail storesbut a few years ago the company closed all but the Venice andPutney stores.
The Putney Basketville is still open on State Route 4, north ofBrattleboro, just outside the heart of downtown, where Sackett'sBrook meanders through the village.
The town of 3,000 attracts writers and artisans and is known forits small colleges and back country hiking and skiing.
Basketville used to be the second biggest employer next to PutneyPaper, which makes recycled products and employs about 40, saidtown manager Chris Ryan.
Basketville was one of the last traditional New England-stylebasket manufacturers when, in 1996, it closed its Putney plant andshipped 40 jobs and its patterns to China.
"It was a tough decision," Wilson told the Brattleboro Reformer in1996. "I think that we're probably the last holdout in thatindustry, in a sense. It's kind of the last of the cornerblacksmiths closing up shop."
Basketville's former manufacturing plant sits vacant and for saleacross the street from its retail store.
Ryan did not hear about the Venice closing and did not knowanything about the Putney store's future.
The weekend before Easter, the Venice Basketville was crowded withshoppers looking for bargains.
"I've come here quite a bit over the years," said Joanne Schillerof Venice. "Gifts, artificial flowers.
"I thought I'd make a last stop over to see if there's anything Ican't live without."
Stephanie Figula, a teacher and 20-year customer from Hercules,Calif., stocked up on small baskets for her students' craftprojects.
"We bought oodles every year," Figula said.
Some of the walls and shelves were bare and, on others, there werebaskets for toting garden tools, baskets for cats or dogs, basketsto store mail and even a wicker basket bike frame.
All the Nantucket baskets, laundry baskets, tote baskets and silkflowers are on sale. When the inventory is gone, the store will be,too.
Four Basketville employees rang up purchases and chatted withcustomers about the store's closing.
"It's a landmark here," said one employee, who would not give hername per corporate instructions.
"I've worked here for 19 years. It's been a wonderful place."
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