Woodstock Market Inspires 'Thrill of the Hunt'

Just a stone's throw from Downtown Woodstock, shoppers will discover a refurbished warehouse that is filled to the brim with eclectic goods, lovely vignettes and two owners who have devoted their lives to providing their customers with the unique details that turn a house into a home.

Karen Bennett and Lisa Welty, who opened in November of 2008, have done well to transform a once defunct Walmart shopping center into one of the city's most attractive shopping outposts for everything from antique furniture to local produce.

"Don't let our location in an old Walmart
 building fool you," Bennett said. "Our interior was painstakingly designed with aged wood, comforting colors and our own country porch to make this retail store more inviting."

Already experienced in the business of hunting, gathering and sharing their beautiful finds, the two women spent three years selling old furniture, salvaged wood and unique materials at a local antique mall.

"It was there that our love for creating inspiring displays, finding one-of-a-kind items and our desire to share them grew," Bennett said.

The Woodstock Market has since evolved into multi-faceted endeavor that includes not only an upscale consignment store and a produce/landscaping department, but also monthly outdoor events that invite local artisans to sell their wares.

The consignment store combines a mix of quality furniture, home accessories, gift items, antiques, collectibles, jewelry and furniture brought back to life by local craftsmen. It is in the confines of this space that customers are often awed by the creative vignettes and staged rooms that resemble the interior of a well-designed home.

"Customers frequently tell us it is our inspiring displays and unique one-of-a-kind items that keep them coming back," Bennett said. "We believe a home's character is in the details which is why we search for the unusual to help us stand out from a typical retail store."

The Outdoor Market & Antique Show aspect of the business was added in May of 2009 and averages 65-70 vendors and 2500-3000 visitors at each show. During the first weekend of every month from March through December, rows of tents in every color are erected in the vast parking lot and bear a striking resemblance to the barter-friendly merchants that one would find in other parts of the world.

"Here at Woodstock Market we believe in mixing the new with the old, and that is exactly what you will find at our Outdoor Market and 
Show," Bennett said. "With the atmosphere of 'an Old World street market,' to sell an off-beat mix of goods ranging from antiques to vintage, collectibles to items made by local craftsmen, architectural salvage to metal art, plants and flowers to fresh produce and unique to one-of-a-kind."

The Market also holds quarterly Junk Days, beginning April 16, which invite anyone to rent their own booth and rid themselves of the possessions they no longer need or love. Of course, this is a great opportunity to incite spring cleaning and de-cluttering for sellers but also remains a bargain-hunter's dream.

"Unlike the monthly Outdoor Market and Show, which requires you to sell in one of the categories," reminds Bennett, "Junk Day is a one-day, 'sell-anything-you-have' day, as long as it is legal."

And while customers are out shopping for home-related items, they will also now be able to stock their pantries as well. The Woodstock Market is proud to be part of Woodstock Locally Grown, the online ordering Community-Supported Agriculture providing locally grown, pesticide-free produce, free-range eggs, wild salmon, handcrafted items as well as all natural body care and more. Customers can place an order each week online and pick it up at the Woodstock Market location.

Jason Hamby of Jake's Produce will also be a regular vendor that will be on site every Saturday and Sunday selling fruits and vegetables beginning in April. 

"Back in the day, the local market was a place where farmers and local craftsmen could sell their produce and merchandise to the people," Bennett said. "We wanted to provide such a place at our store, and that is what you see in our gated area."

Besides fresh fruits and veggies, the outdoor arena is also laden with a sundry of affordable landscaping materials ranging from annuals to perennials and bird sanctuaries to concrete statuary.

But perhaps just as significant as the unsurpassed selection of goods and services, the shopping experience at the Woodstock Market is monumentally enhanced by the adventurous spirit and keen sense of possibility of finding "that perfect thing," a passion shared by both merchant and customer.

"If you are like us, you know the thrill of the hunt is what it's all about," remarked Bennett enthusiastically. "And here at Woodstock Market there is something for everyone."