By Sarah Richardson
Last week, Monica Maxwell announced that one of downtown Lewisburg’s staple stores, Harmony Ridge Gallery, will be closing. Monica and her husband Aaron have operated Harmony Ridge for nearly 20 years, and have been heavily involved in organizing downtown events such as Girl’s Day Out, First Fridays, and more.
After working retail all these years, the Maxwell’s put out feelers earlier this year for selling their building, and say they got a good offer very quickly. With 5,000 sq. ft. of upstairs space and just as much in the basement, it’s no surprise it was snapped up by Jody and Kate Wooten, who have yet to make an announcement on their plans for the space.
“We decided to take this opportunity to take a break from retail after 30 years, even though it’s a job that we absolutely love,” said Monica. “It’s bittersweet. It’s really hard to leave.”
She reports that since they broke the news on Facebook they have had a strong influx of early Christmas shoppers, and visitors who want to make some final purchases. While they plan to stay open until mid-September, that will depend on how much inventory is left in the upcoming weeks. “We are still fully stocked, and still have a lot of great jewelry and gifts,” reports Monica, “We expect the next couple of weeks to be busy, but if you come in early you won’t be disappointed with the selection.”
The couple states that while their store may be closing, they have no plans to move away from the area, and say that they are planning some future endeavors that aren’t all the way fleshed out yet. Follow their Facebook page at “Harmony Ridge Gallery” or subscribe to their newsletter to stay in touch on future plans. Call the store at 304-645-4333 or email monica@harmonyridgegallery.com to be added to their mailing list.
“We’re also just going to be able to participate as a visitor for events downtown, instead of a planner,” Monica joked, “Normally we are working these things, so it will be nice to be able to visit spots downtown.”
A sign on their door states:
“For 19 years, Harmony Ridge has been proud to call Lewisburg home.
There’s never a perfect time to decide when to close a business, but that time for us is now.
We have loved being here on Washington Street and we are deeply grateful to everyone we have met along the way, who have supported Harmony Ridge. We enjoyed meeting you all and treasure the many conversations and friendships we’ve made with you in the shop over the years.
We are also deeply appreciative to all of the artists and makers who trusted us to sell their work and to all of the amazing staff who dedicated themselves to the gallery.
We are onto our next chapter, but we look forward to seeing what Jody and Kate Wooten, long time Lewisburg residents, are going to do with this amazing space.
Thanks again for your love and support. We look forward to seeing you around Lewisburg, as we look forward to enjoying it from a different view.”
