In Dana Grace’s world it could be Christmas all the time.
That’s the idea for Grace as she recently opened The Christmas Shop in Old Appleton.
“I just love Christmas,” she said. “Of course, it’s about the birth of Jesus Christ and that’s very important, but there’s just something about that time of the year that’s very special It brings hope and there’s a lot of things about it that people enjoy.”
The Christmas Shop, located at 418 Appleton Main Street, has been a labor of love for Grace and her daughter, who purchased an old mercantile building in Old Appleton.
“No one is expecting a store here again,” Grace said. “When we first looked into purchasing this place it was a lot to take in. There was just a lot of work that we had put into it. We were able to use the original fixtures that were here. The only new fixtures were some gray shelves that we had brought in.”
Grace and her daughter run a Hallmark store in Cape Girardeau, and looked into several possibilities of businesses that would work in the building.
“She hit on the usual ideas such as a bar, and I wasn’t sure that would work,” Grace said. “The one thing I could see people driving out of the way to do was a Christmas store. I do that all the time. Christmas is the one holiday that people love so much that they will go to, no matter how far it is. For Christmas I always make that detour. When we go on vacation we always bring back a Christmas ornament. This holiday is the one thing we have always loved together.”
The Christmas Shop is open Wednesday through Saturday and is open 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. The store will feature almost anything a person can think of when it comes to Christmas. The store will also have a coffee area for customers as well as a piano for anyone who knows how to play. Grace believes there is something for everyone in her store. That includes pieces of a village, which has grown on her.“We have things that range in price from a few dollars to several hundreds,” she said. “I’ve never been much for Christmas villages because they take up so much room. I have family members that swear by them. But it’s the one piece that has surprised me.” Grace is excited to see customers come through the door and looking for that perfect Christmas item or decoration.“Christmas is such a joyous time of the year and if we can bring that here for a small portion of the year, I say let’s do it.”
