Businesses moving, but still in business | Vernon

VERNON — Two local businesses have relocated in town, and another will move into a new building next month, with all three expanding into larger locations.

Primitive Renditions, a specialty home decor shop currently located at 309 Talcottville Road, has experienced a boom in business during the pandemic despite briefly closing last year when the novel coronavirus first hit Connecticut, owner Lisa Stevenson said.

Stevenson, who worked as a dental assistant, started the businesses in her home about five years ago as a hobby before expanding Primitive Renditions and opening the Talcottville Road location. Customers bring their furniture to Stevenson, who paints the pieces to make them look “old and rustic.”

The furniture aspect of the businesses is still prominent, Stevenson said, but she also sells handmade home decor items including soaps and candles from local vendors and furniture made by Amish crafters in Pennsylvania.

In the past several months, Stevenson said she has seen an uptick in customers and realized she needed a larger space.

“People were home, they weren’t going on vacation, and they were doing home projects,” she said. “I have people coming in saying, ‘I need a pick me up.’”

Stevenson said her business will begin moving into the same Hartford Turnpike plaza as Rein’s Deli next month before reopening March 1, a move she is excited to make. In addition to being larger, Stevenson said she believes the new location will bring in more customers.

Stevenson said her business brings people into town who would not otherwise visit, including people from outside Connecticut, and she is glad to recommend local restaurants when they ask where they can grab a bite to eat.

“We try to support local when people ask us what there is to do around us,” she said.

John Thomas Treasures, a thrift store that was open for 11 years at Courthouse Plaza in downtown Rockville, is now operating at 500 Talcottville Road. Formerly known as Three Crazy Ladies, the business has gone by its current name since being purchased by John Thomas about four years ago.

Thomas said he initially closed the business for several months after the start of the pandemic and was unsure if he would be able to reopen, but he said he “took a chance” on his new location, 500 Talcottville Road.

John Thomas Treasures also has a newly created website for online shopping, Thomas said.

Overall, business has been slower than it was prior to pandemic shut down and reopening, but Thomas said customers are slowly finding the store at its new home.

“So far so good, but who knows what tomorrow will bring,” Thomas said, adding that he is concerned about more stringent rules being reapplied to businesses in the state in the second wave of virus infections.

Ray Page Plumbing, which was founded in 2007 and employs 15 people, also reopened this month at 400-5R Talcottville Road, not far from its previous location, also on Talcottville. Colleen Faircloth, operations manager, said the business now includes a parts store for bathroom amenities like toilets and sinks.

Faircloth said business was initially “quite slow” last year during the initial stages of the pandemic, but Ray Page Plumbing “is still going strong” and had the ability to expand its profile. Faircloth noted that New Shepard Supply, a plumbing supply store in town, recently closed, and Ray Page Plumbing is ready to fill that void.

Owner Ray Page said today that the business is still adapting to its new location, but is open and ready to serve customers.

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