ERIEVILLE — In June, The Shoppes at Johnny Appleseed, Erieville’s co-op style artisan marketplace, will celebrate five years of business.
Located at 3402 Old State Road, the 20,000 square foot store is home to over 55 local artists and vendors who offer an eclectic selection of items, including jewelry, glass, women’s clothing, candy, toys, cat and dog products, vintage housewares, artwork, antiques, furniture, garden items, and vinyl records.
The vendors lease space in the store but are not required to be present to sell their goods.
“This makes being a vendor at Johnny Appleseed easier and more accessible for the enterprising individual who is still working a traditional job but wants a creative outlet for their product,” explained Erica Gilmore, who owns the business along with her husband, Patrick Gilmore, and mother-in-law, Florence Gilmore.
According to vendor Pamela Sadlon-Clements, who owns and operates The Lucky Lab, The Shoppes was the first venue to showcase her work.
“Being part of the collective allows me the exposure I need at a great value,” she said.
Sadlon-Clements now sells her Labrador Retriever-themed apparel and accessories at more than seven Central New York locations. She also offers personalized made-to-order embroidery.
On weekends, Patrick, who is the youngest of the eight Gilmore boys, runs The Apple Kitchen, an on-site eatery that serves a selection of homemade soups, grilled sandwiches, and desserts, like carrot cake and apple crisp.
According to Patrick, some of the most popular menu items are the Monte Cristo sandwich and the soup specials, like turmeric coconut chicken over rice, or, on hot weekends, gazpacho with homemade croutons.
The eatery also offers New York State craft brews and Finger Lake wines.
Visitors to the store and eatery are also invited to take a walk along the farm trail that encircles the family’s 80-acre property.
Florence and her husband, Owen, originally opened Johnny Appleseed in the 1960s as a working apple orchard. Eventually, they added a furniture store to the site to diversify the business.
The family-run store was a Madison County fixture and a shopping destination for customers throughout the northeast for decades before closing its doors several years ago.
After sitting empty for three years, the store reopened in June 2017 with a new name and a vision of providing a space for a like-minded community of creatives to market their unique wares.
“Looking back to that first day, it feels surreal but also satisfying to know how far we have come and all that has been accomplished in five short years,” said Erica.
According to Florence, the most satisfying part of running a business is seeing an idea take shape.
“When we opened, we had just four vendors,” she recalled. “Over the course of the next year, it increased to 24, and by the end of our second year, we had over 50. We have seen so much improvement in the merchandise, and we have a better idea now of how we want to appeal to our growing demographic.”
This year alone, The Shoppes has added more jewelers, fused and stained glass artists, and a furniture manufacturer from Syracuse.
“To have someone come into the store and say, ‘Do you have kitchen tables?’ and to be able to reply, ‘Yes’ is very gratifying, considering furniture is what we were once known for,” said Florence.
The Gilmores are continually striving to evolve and expand their business and offer more to the community.
“Our vision for the future involves watching The Shoppes continue to reshape and flourish with each new and different vendor,” said Patrick. “We plan to utilize the Apple Kitchen for parties, banquets, and catering opportunities. The Apple Kitchen is an indoor/outdoor eating space with spacious seating and a fantastic country setting that can accommodate up to sixty people.”
The Shoppes is celebrating its fifth anniversary with an open house, June 11 and 12, featuring storewide sales, live music outside the Apple Kitchen, and free gift raffles.
The Shoppes at Johnny Appleseed is open Wednesday through Sunday and is wheelchair accessible. The hours and a list of current vendors are available at johnnyshoppes.com.
