Holiday Gift Guide: The Works
When it comes to holiday shopping, the place to go is The Works. Owned by Nancy and Jenny Arthur, the shop is overflowing with holiday spirit. Shelves are filled with festive mugs, snowglobes. A tree next to a jewelry case holds dozens of animal ornaments, including llamas, polar bears and a porcupine.
“We really have something for everyone,” said Becky Gares, a part-time worker. “You have to sometimes look and make a couple circles because, as you can see we have a lot of cool stuff up, down and all around.”
The Works features hand-warming mugs, scarves and hats which are all useful during the coming bitter snow-covered Ohio months. The store works to have as many American made products as possible, including artists from Ohio such as Don Drumm, George Carruth and Mona B.
Pieces from George Carruth from Waterville are made of concrete, the perfect decoration for a garden, deck, or even to have in your home. The statue “Saucy” features three precariously balanced tomatoes that have some pretty sassy looks being served.
“Saucy” can be purchased for $49.98 at The Works and is sure to stand out among the other gifts given, coming from an Ohio workshop, it is supporting a local artist and is a talking piece for years to come.
Mona B is a collection of up-cycled canvas bags of different sizes and styles, the perfect gift for someone always on the move, fashionable and unique.
“We have people of all ages buying these bags. They just liked the story behind it as well, and the Ohio connection,” Gares said. “This is all recycled material, it’s a product made from old tents or tarps.”
Variations in the color and dye come from the washing of the material, and each bag is then embellished, according to Gares, even some of the embellishments come from recycled hardware.
This Mona B bag is $69 at The Works and the perfect gift for a purse-lover or someone who loves bringing one-of-a-kind style to their everyday look.
“It’s a fun, eclectic place to shop and you know, we have people of all generations to come here,” Gares said. “This store’s been here for almost 30 years I believe in and so it’s real Kent Institution and we have some very loyal shoppers or always hoping that new people would come and come back.”