“We tried to leave,” recalled Susan Reinecke as she arranged brightly colored pendants in a display at Studio 54, a combination stained-glass studio, art gallery, and retail business located in the Incubator at the corner of Main and Highway 54. “But we couldn’t,” she continued. “This is home.”
They tried to leave, but couldn’t. Not even a trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina to look at possible new locations could get the Reineckes to move. “It was beautiful, Susan said,” but it wasn’t home.”
So now Scott and Susan are back in Greensburg with a new house close to completion and a business that has taken off in ways they never expected. “It’s already too small,” said Susan referring to the Incubator space filled with her original fused glass jewelry and Scott’s stained glass pieces as well as other gift items they retail.
And sales are good. In the first two weeks their store was open, they sold half of their original work. “There was no way to keep up with the demand,” said Susan. “We had to expand our inventory.” In addition, they have brought in Renee McVey to apprentice their work and help out with sales and service. The plan is for Renee to learn every aspect of the business so they can get away and still remain open seven days a week.
Scott’s custom-designed stained glass artwork is in demand for private homes, businesses, and churches. Not only has he repaired the window salvaged by the Baptist Church that now hangs between the sanctuary and the fellowship hall, he has also completed a large cross for the communion altar of the Mennonite Church.
Down the road, Scott says they will let the business guide them. One day they may build their own studio and gallery, but they will not make any decisions about that soon. Right now, they are expanding their business on the web, doing jewelry shows—one is planned in conjunction with the Hutchinson Car Show in October, and getting ready for their Christmas Open House in November.
(Read this story in its entirety in the Sept 9 edition of The Signal now in print and on sale.)
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“We tried to leave,” recalled Susan Reinecke as she arranged brightly colored pendants in a display at Studio 54, a combination stained-glass studio, art gallery, and retail business located in the Incubator at the corner of Main and Highway 54. “But we couldn’t,” she continued. “This is home.”
They tried to leave, but couldn’t. Not even a trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina to look at possible new locations could get the Reineckes to move. “It was beautiful, Susan said,” but it wasn’t home.”
So now Scott and Susan are back in Greensburg with a new house close to completion and a business that has taken off in ways they never expected. “It’s already too small,” said Susan referring to the Incubator space filled with her original fused glass jewelry and Scott’s stained glass pieces as well as other gift items they retail.
And sales are good. In the first two weeks their store was open, they sold half of their original work. “There was no way to keep up with the demand,” said Susan. “We had to expand our inventory.” In addition, they have brought in Renee McVey to apprentice their work and help out with sales and service. The plan is for Renee to learn every aspect of the business so they can get away and still remain open seven days a week.
Scott’s custom-designed stained glass artwork is in demand for private homes, businesses, and churches. Not only has he repaired the window salvaged by the Baptist Church that now hangs between the sanctuary and the fellowship hall, he has also completed a large cross for the communion altar of the Mennonite Church.
Down the road, Scott says they will let the business guide them. One day they may build their own studio and gallery, but they will not make any decisions about that soon. Right now, they are expanding their business on the web, doing jewelry shows—one is planned in conjunction with the Hutchinson Car Show in October, and getting ready for their Christmas Open House in November.
(Read this story in its entirety in the Sept 9 edition of The Signal now in print and on sale.)
