Glenn Thompson and Cathey Means have breathed life into the former Donegal Glass warehouse and factory. The pair have turned the once empty brick building into an emporium of sorts, where flowers, vegetable plants and herbs offer color and an unusual ambience.
Thompson is the owner of Buddy's and Means is the manager of the new venture, which opened on May 1.
'We have 6,000 square feet here and about 5,000 of that will be dedicated to crafters,' said Thompson. 'We want to have between 75 and 100 crafters.'
Each crafter will have his or her own area in which to set up a booth. In addition, Thompson and Means will have a work and storage area set aside for the crafters.
'We are looking for unique crafters; those who offer something different in crafts,' said Means, who used to be in the craft business.
So far, 15 crafters have signed up to display and sell their wares at Buddy's, including a local man who creates handcrafted, sport-themed coffee tables and a woman who makes specialized denim shirts for teachers.
'Everything is locally grown and completely organic,' said Thompson. 'If someone comes in and we don't have what they need, I'll try to get it for them.'
BUDDY'S FUTURE
In addition to flowers, plants and crafts, Buddy's will feature a farmer's market and sidewalk exhibitions, such as a chainsaw artist and ice sculpting.
'We want to have something every week to invite the people in,' said Thompson. 'This is a place that should draw in people from the city's four parades, the wonderful restaurants we have in the city and the Antiques Mall and Glass Museum. Buddy's will have something for everyone.'
One future highlight of Buddy's will be the indoor waterfall and koi pond, situated in a cozy corner of the crafts area. Koi, Japanese goldfish, are known for their beauty and ability to take food out of a person's hand.
'We're going to have a sitting area around the pond where people can relax and feed the fish,' Thompson said.
KRS Landscaping of West Newton will construct the waterfall and koi pond that will also feature exotic plants.
'This is just another way to bring the community in,' Thompson added.
Exterior painting and interior work are now in progress. Flats of flowers and hanging baskets line the sidewalk along the front of Buddy's, providing a brilliant dash of color to an otherwise average-looking city block.
Thompson and Means also want to install a large awning over the windowed showroom. Their aim is to make Buddy's as friendly and inviting as possible.
The building's overall atmosphere of high ceilings, hanging lights and boarded up windows, will remain.
'We're going to have scenes painted on the boarded windows,' said Thompson.
'We want it to be a family environment,' said Means. 'When we first moved in here, the ideas were just flowing. We envision niches in here so we're more than just a craftiques place.'
Their ideas, like flowers, have developed and flourished.
'We'd like to have a kids' crafts corner and get the children from area day care centers and schools involved,' said Thompson. 'The kids' crafts would be sold and the proceeds would go to Special Olympics and other children's charities.'
'We've also thought about doing Jeannette historical tours,' Means added. 'Especially around Christmas time, when the old Victorian houses in the city are decorated.'
NOT JUST A BUSINESS
When it came time to name the business, Thompson didn't hesitate.
'Buddy was the name of my father,' he said. 'He raised nine children and we all grew up with good morals. He stood for his principles.'
Buddy Thompson died last summer.
'This place isn't just a business, it's a journey,' said Thompson. 'There's something new and exciting every day.'
Glenn Thompson and his wife, Dawn, along with their five children, have lived in Jeannette for 10 years. Means and her husband, Jeff, have been Jeannette residents for about five years. Both believe in the city and its people.
'We want people to come and revisit Jeannette,' said Thompson. 'See what the city has to offer.'
Buddy's grand opening will be held in July. For more information, call Glenn Thompson or Cathey Means at (724) 523-2335.
