Shop Local, Shop Small at Copper & Birch

Copper & Birch, an eclectic gift shop on Ellington Road, is pretty much the definition of “shop small” and “shop local.”

In fact, storeowner Beth Scanlon sublet the space she’s renting in a converted house because she only needed some of it to showcase the work of more than 100 local artisans.

But packed into that small space, Scanlon’s store has a lot to offer – jewelry, art, glass and ceramics, bath and beauty items, leather, candles and repurposed items, children’s clothing and vintage furniture. Customers often call it the “place to go for that hard-to-buy-for person.”

Scanlon opened the store in July after a leap of faith and a lot of time renovating the space.

Her dream of opening the store began when she organized a craft fair in Hamden. 

“It was different, unique, not your grandmother’s craft fair,” Scanlon recalled. “I made some great connections and it planted the seed in my mind for going on to do something else.”

The next year, Scanlon was at a holiday market when she looked around and thought, “there were a lot of interesting things but again it didn’t feel eclectic enough.”

“I thought ‘I could do this better.’”

She began reaching out to artists she knew or knew of. She made business cards. Then one day she saw the for–rent sign at 1720 Ellington Road and began putting it together.

She and her partner spent days tearing down wallpaper and patching holes at the store. Scanlon still marvels that though she initially had nothing to show the artists, they still put their trust in her.

“They were coming to a place that looked chaotic and just trusting I would turn it into something else,” she said. “There was nothing I could show them… it was a very beautiful and collaborative effort.” 

After renovations and scrounging some unique furniture pieces to use for display, the store held a grand opening celebration in September and drew some customers in off the street. Still, much of the traffic into Copper & Birch has been through word of moth or people seeing the sign.

“It’s been really good. We’ve had a really good reception from South Windsor and people who stop by,” Scanlon said. “People say we need something in this area.”

Jan Deschain, who runs The Pretty Face nearby, offers items from Copper & Birch as prizes to her customers and has been a big fan of the shop.

“It’s quaint, it’s unique … it’s an eclectic mix of art, jewelry, candles, old, new, vintage,” Deschain said. “It’s a little bit of a museum because you see these vintage treasures and it’s a little gem in South Windsor.”

Deschain said she’s afraid people are still not aware of the new business.     

To help and to celebrate Small Business Saturday, the store is offering a variety of promotions. They’ll have 10 percent off all day, along with a raffle for gift certificates for local businesses and 20 off vintage furniture.

Also, for the holiday season, the store has extended its hours: Wednesday 12-6 p.m., Thursday 4-7 p.m., Friday 12-6 p.m., Saturday 10-6 p.m., Sunday 12-6 p.m. 

To learn more, visit the website or follow Copper & Birch on Facebook.