Monica LaSalle, Nederland. So many shops, so little time. Nederland has experienced a growth spurt in the last decade, with many more businesses opening up our holiday shopping options. So many, we can’t fit them in all one issue of the paper.
In this last segment of Local Holiday Shopping, I want to talk about nostalgia. Good times gone by for many residents in Nederland involve rock legends such as The Grateful Dead, Neil Young and Led Zeppelin to name a few. Whether you are old enough to have experienced them as they were first making history on stage or were born in later generations that were raised by parents to have a healthy appreciation of these icons of rock, to come across priceless relics from that time is at times a struggle.
Well look no further than Light Up the Mountain Gifts. Located on Highway 72 N, in the Kathmandu Plaza, owners Michelle and Stephen Quigley started their business in the festival scene for over 25 years and decided to settle in a store front a year and a half ago. Celebrity photos by one-time local Robbi Cohn are prominently displayed around the store amidst more recent local artists such as painters Tina Mueller and Scott Free, glass blower Philip “Flip” French as well as Stephen’s own work in the form of tie-dyes for all ages, tapestries, jewelry and more.
The most popular item on their shelves is the agate oil candle. Michelle and Stephen had been making petrified wood candle lamps for 20 years but designed and patented the agate version 18 years ago. Not only is it very easy to clean and maintain, it is eco-friendly and works with multiple types of oil. Another amazing invention featured in the store is something I call the Bracelet Assistant. Made with a stiff string of decorative beads, this item has a clip at the end of it that is attached to a bracelet to help one put on difficult to clasp bracelets without having to ask another person for help – it’s fantastic!
Don’t let the intimidating beer trucks blocking your view cause you to miss out on stopping in to shop at Light Up the Mountain Gifts, as they are right on the end corner of the building and open every day at 11 a.m.
Holiday shopping is not complete without refreshing your string lights, adding a new tree topper or skirt and experimenting with flashy scenes on your home with light confetti. All of these and more can be bought at your friendly neighborhood Ace Hardware. Realized last minute that you lost all your ornament hooks? They’ve got them. Need a staple gun so you can replicate Clark W. Griswald’s infamous light display? Look no further. With shelves fully stocked with must haves like garland, ever popular icicles, tree stands and artificial trees of all sizes, any last-minute ideas you or your family come up with can be realized at Ace.
Did you know the B&F Mountain Market not only has everything you need for a holiday meal to rival all others, but they are one of the biggest employers in our mountain region? Shopping for your meal supplies at B&F not only makes for a more peaceful shopping experience (by staying on the mountain) but it helps support your local economy. The employees at B&F work hard to provide us all with well stocked shelves with all your basics as well as little surprises. Always reflecting the latest holiday season, they maintain a shelf with popular candy, some decorations and even a few clever gadgets for kids. Not to mention the last-minute cup of sugar or egg for the favorite family recipe you are trying to complete before your in-laws show up (how could you forget?), the B&F is always there for you.
In a nutshell, shopping locally has many benefits and reverberates throughout our community in many ways. Affecting more than just ourselves and our pocketbooks, putting our money into our local economy saves us from stress and sometimes hazardous travel. It keeps our friends and neighbors employed locally, keeping Nederland self-sustaining.
(Originally published in the December 6, 2018, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)
