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Bernie and Sara Schimonitz stand in The Coop, located in their home at 76355 Rd 345 in Elsie. 

Home decor with farmhouse flair offered in Elsie

Nestled just outside of Elsie, on the west end of Perkins County is a new little storefront called, The Coop.

Sara Schimonitz and her husband Bernie officially opened the store on April 28, but Sara says selling crafts has been a long-time hobby. 

“We officially became The Coop in January of 2016. I’ve made and sold crafts throughout the years, attending craft shows and selling on consignment, but in 2017 with an approaching ‘empty nest’ and a lot of prayer, we decided to take a leap of faith and host a boutique from our garage in March,” Sara said.

A successful turnout led to another sale. And another. And another. Sara said by October they were pouring cement for the addition on their home that would later become “The Coop.” 

Bernie and Sara did the majority of the work themselves, but had help from their three sons, Garrett, 24, Tyler, 22 and Cade, 19, who were a huge part of the framing and roofing of the space. 

The Schimonitz family has lived in their home, which is now also their storefront, for 25 years. 

Sara is originally from Ogallala, while Bernie grew up in Perkins County and attended Wheatland Schools. The couple celebrated 25 years of marriage this past Valentine’s Day. 

“It, like much of the things we do, was a family project and a labor of love for Bernie and I. We tried to re-purpose old materials and be creative in the details. Old barn wood and tin adorn much of the space. We were able to add a new workshop, show room space and additional space to a small garden shed we were using to set up our crafts in between boutiques,” Sara explained.

The Schimonitzes create much of what they sell, and explained that they each have their own specialty. 

“Bernie and I love working together and creating pieces that people will enjoy. Bernie makes a lot of the patterns as well as the wood and tin work and making frames but he most enjoys making furniture pieces. I do the painting/staining, floral arrangements, sewing, etc. Our little business is a team effort for sure,” Sara said.

Despite its somewhat small size, in a small corner of the world, Sara expressed they do offer a large selection.

“We offer many different styles and colors of home decor, most with a farmhouse flair. We love the country life and find a lot of our inspiration in the rural life we live but we offer something for everyone and are always happy to do special orders. We also offer retail products and re-purposed items too,” she said.

The team effort, according to the couple, is what sets them apart from other shops similar to theirs. 

“I think what sets us apart from this popular trend is just our love for each other, how we enjoy the time together creating pieces, the pride we have in our workmanship and offering our amazing clients items they love at reasonable prices. We find a lot of joy in seeing people enjoy our creations and spending time at The Coop and offering small town service. 

“Everyone is greeted with a smile, appreciated and often helped to their vehicle with their goodies. We just love what we do,” Sara added. 

Those who can’t decide on a gift for someone special, Sara says The Coop is proud to offer gift certificates. 

The Coop is always growing and changing and Sara says they strive to keep up with what’s current and seasonal. 

The Coop is located at 76355 Rd 345 in Elsie, and the phone number is 308-289-4086. 

Their hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and by appointment, and hours will extend this fall. Sara noted they do post any changes to their schedule on their Facebook page. 

 

The Grant Tribune-Sentinel

308-352-4311 (Phone)

PO Box 67
327 Central Ave in Grant
Grant NE 69140