The MountainMade program has expanded with the opening of a new retail outlet for handmade West Virginia art and fine crafts. The MountainMade Country Store opened in downtown Thomas, WV on August 9.

The Country Store, located on Front Street along Rt. 32, features West Virginia food products, craft items, books and CDs in a general store-like atmosphere. The product mix complements that of the MountainMade.com Artisan Gallery, located on Douglas Road, and provides expanded opportunities for West Virginians to market their work. The Country Store is open 10 am to 5 pm Monday through Saturday and noon to 5 pm on Sunday.

Just like the MountainMade.com Artisan Gallery, the MountainMade Country Store features an on-line component at www.virtualcountrystore.com that allows visitors to shop for West Virginia craft and food items on-line and have them shipped right to their door.

Pamela Grandstaff, executive director of the MountainMade program, says that in addition to providing greater opportunities for West Virginia artists, the Country Store offers convenient access to visitors who are looking for an authentic souvenir.

“Folks who visit this area are always looking for unique souvenirs to take home to their families. The MountainMade Country Store is located right along the main thoroughfare in Thomas, and offers convenient store-front parking that will be attractive to visitors looking for items they can carry home,” Grandstaff said. “For the serious art collector, or for those looking to invest in furniture or sculpture, the MountainMade Artisan Gallery is just right down the road.”

The product mix for the Country Store has been carefully selected to represent a wide range of artists, talent and media from across the state. In addition to a wide selection of food, the Country Store also features baskets, toys, kitchen implements and other decorative items.

“We combined our best-selling souvenir items with the books, food and crafts that sell so well in our gallery and on our web site, and put them in a showcase designed specifically for these products,” Grandstaff said. “The Country Store division of our MountainMade brand has been so successful we decided it merited a store of its own.”

“Foods, crafts and other items produced here in West Virginia are very appealing to people, once they have the opportunity to try them. That has always been the challenge: to market these products so they reach a broader audience. The Virtual Country Store does this through the power of the Internet, and I am sure that the Thomas retail outlet will be successful in introducing high-quality West Virginia goods to the many people who visit our region,” said Congressman Alan B. Mollohan, D-WV.

The Country Store is located in the Peacock Building, circa 1900, which is being redeveloped by the Vandalia Heritage Foundation of Fairmont, WV Featuring original cast iron balconies and decorative brick work, the building has been home to residential apartments, saloons and mercantile operations and is listed as a contributing building within the Thomas Commercial Historic District. It is located near the historic Cottrill’s Opera House, currently under restoration.

“Our customers will enjoy the Country Store atmosphere of our store in downtown Thomas, and we are thrilled to have such a convenient and busy location on Front Street,” Grandstaff said.

A grand opening for the MountainMade Country Store is planned for September to coincide with the Leaf Peepers Festival in Tucker County. For more information visit www.mountainmade.com.