A Little Country Roads History

Another Friday, my day off! Now you want to talk about a joke, me a day off? Last night "my boy Bryce" and my other boy Vinnie (Katie's husband) were fixing some electric thing at Country Roads. I'm big on the "don't ask, don't tell". I'd rather just not know! So while Katie and Riley patiently waited, apparently Riley thought she might do a bit of advertising/modeling for Country Roads. Above Riley has added some "accessories" from Pat, the queen of pink, new little boutique area she has been working on. Riley is posing in Margaret's space, so as you should know, everything in these pictures are for sale, EXCEPT my little Riley! When I saw these photos last night, I fell in love with them while also celebrating that my store didn't burn down while the boys were doing some "electric" something or other.
Margaret is on the left in this picture, and Pat is on the right. And in the middle, of course, is the world famous Tim! I have absolutely NO idea what "that" pose was all about. This picture was taken last Fall when some of my Country Roads family went to Texas. I have a feeling alcohol may have been involved, what do you think? I was looking again at this picture above, and I have to tell you, I don't really believe Margaret is drinking water! I think the water bottle is just a disguise! Margaret and her daughter, Leslie, were one of the first dealers to take space at Country Roads. I remember that day well. I still had my small store, Battered Barn, open over on S. Glassell in Old Towne Orange. I walked over with Margaret & Leslie to show them what we were doing with the big empty space that would soon be Country Roads. They immediately took four spaces! That was in the fall of 1992! And being the small world that it is, Margaret and Leslie both lived close to where I live. In fact my kids and Leslie's went to school together for awhile! I met Tim during that same time when I had Battered Barn. I use to buy birdhouses from him to sell at my store. And I loved talking to to him, how can you not. For those of you that know Tim, he definitely has the gift of gab! Because of the randomness of meeting Tim so long ago, he was the one that built out the interior of Country Roads. And also because I was married to Mr.Wonderful, he decided building out an interior of a store that was 6600 square feet in a month just wasn't fast enough and fired Tim about two days before Christmas that year. Nice guy, don't you think? I was SO angry at him for doing that! I'm extremely happy, after all these years, to re-establish my friendship with Tim. Pat and her husband Rich, came along a few years later after we opened. Pat and Rich had owned a store called Serendipity. I will never, as long as I live, remember the phone call I received from one of Pat's daughters a few years later. She was sobbing while trying to tell me Rich had died suddenly and unexpectedly. I will never forget that day, I still remember it as I write this now. Pat left Country Roads for awhile, but she has been back for awhile now putting together beautiful vignettes. Both her and Margret's displays are over the top and I love them both! And as Riley is modeling some of Pat's new "boutique" accessories, and posing in one of Margaret's spaces, you can tell and feel and see WHY we are all truly family here at Country Roads! Just one quick comment before I go. For you Idol fans like me, I was SO shocked to see my favorites, Lilly and Alex, have to leave. What's up with that? Have a happy Friday, we have sun, hope you do too!!