06/30/2026
Friends, when I walked in the store today it was so shocking to see it completely empty and feel the slowly evaporating love, fun and activity we put into it. What a joy it’s been.
Underneath I see the house that my daughter Amelia and I spent hours cleaning and pulling carpet staples, painting rooms that had been carrying out years of a life lived before we bought it.
I’ve had several people come in and tell stories of who they knew that lived here 50 years ago. Someone’s grandmother rented a room and someone else knew of a teacher who once made their home at 68 Benson St.
We can see the bones of this house before there was indoor plumbing. The dogtrot down the center is still so easy to pick out.
I always think of houses as having a soul and the many incarnations they endure.
I imagine this old lady house was so surprised to be awakened from years of families to the hubbub of a store, with all those feet walking her wonky floors. I know The Summer House has been a place of laughter and every one of you contributed to that. It was more successful than we ever expected but everything has its time.
A giant thank you to our dear friends, neighbors and customers. Hartwell, this has been a sweet sweet time with you all at the parties, the classes and just meeting you at the register.
Amelia and I, who always wanted a store together and Ellie and Lisa, who became my partners, along with all our vendors, have loved every minute of it. It just took on a life of its own.
Please keep following so we can meet up at our barn sales a few times a year.
And, don’t forget to support the other little businesses in our town. We have a great little town and we all need to support local folks. Common Ground over Starbucks, little restaurants over chains, small clothing stores over the big ones and the farmer’s market over Ingles, when we can.
Thanks for being our friends. It’s nice to go out on a high note having befriended all you wonderful people.💚
