Ten Thousand Villages remodel begins July 15
In the June 26 episode of the Local Voices Bluffton podcast, hosts Sam Springer and Jim Enneking interview Wendy Chappell-Dick, manager of Ten Thousand Villages in Bluffton, Ohio.
Chappell-Dick shares the history of the store, tracing back to Edna Ruth Byler, who started a fair-trade movement 75 years ago by selling needlework made by women in Puerto Rico. Wendy explains how the movement grew, leading to the establishment of the first storefront in Bluffton in 1974, originally called Self Help Crafts.
She highlights the store’s impact on artisans worldwide and its ongoing mission to provide a stable market for their products.
Ten Thousand Villages will celebrate a grand reopening in August after a store renovation.
The podcast emphasizes the importance of community support and the store’s connection to the Bluffton Center for Entrepreneurs (BCE), which aids local businesses through initiatives like the business plan competition.
For more information on the 50th Annaversary of Et Cetera Shop, Inc, check out www.etceterashop50.com.
Stories Posted This Week
Friday, June 27, 2025
Thursday, June 26, 2025
- Bluffton safety services respond to multi-vehicle accidents on I-75
- Travel opportunities update from Bluffton Senior Center
- Send July 2025 Community Calendar items to the Icon
- National Night Out is August 5, planning is in final stages
- Bluffton Senior Center activities schedule for July 2025
- Does your business have summer hours? Post them on the Icon
- Bluffton, Ohio ranks 4th in Ohio for bike network quality
Wednesday, June 25, 2025
Tuesday, June 24, 2025
Monday, June 23, 2025
- Anna Marie Beagle taught at Allen East Elementary
- Noteworthy dress rehearsal and concert with potluck in Ada, June 23 and 29
- First Bluffton Art Walk provides a welcome outing on a rainy day
- Hardin County Commissioners send letter objecting to HB 335
- Duckie Cosplay underway at Bluffton Public Library
- Upcoming BPL events, June 23-28