Country Lanes
Neff’s Country Loft: Yes, I Made That
It all started when Beverly was knee-high to a dress form. She watched as her mother, Sue Barnhart, a self-taught seamstress, sat at her sewing machine to create coats and costumes, pajamas and pants, and dresses and blouses for herself and her daughter. She saw how her mom earned money with her skilled sewing, too. “She could make anything,” Beverly told me, “and I wanted to learn to sew so badly that I nagged her til she finally let me sit down at the machine!”
Beverly sewed all during high school and after, when she was working full-time at a bank and going to college at night, studying business. She kept at it when she married and her children were born. But Beverly’s sewing was always a tandem effort. She and her mother compared ideas, shopped for fabric, and shared the fun. They had, as she put it, “dueling sewing machines.” Beverly “put so many miles” on the Sears Kenmore her parents had given her as a high school graduation surprise that she had to replace the motor twice.
“Sewing has always been a way to feel creative. There is something wonderful about being able to say ‘Yes, I made that’ when someone asks about a gift or what I’m wearing. I started sewing to save money, but I kept at it because I love it so much,” Beverly told me. “And it has always been part of the close bond between my mother and me.”
When Beverly and her husband moved to West Virginia in 1981, sewing helped her become a member of the community. She approached the owner of a local quilt shop and asked if anyone needed custom sewing services. Soon she was making the store’s samples and selling clothing as well. Then in 1984, her husband’s job took the family back to Ohio and home to Belpre. “I cried when we moved there, but I cried when we left,” Beverly said about her time in West Virginia. “I made such good friends.”
Beverly returned to a full-time job at the bank and at the same time she and her mother began making items to sell on the “craft circuit.” They spent evenings and weekends sewing rabbits, bears, and dolls. The entire family helped. Her husband’s and children’s task was to stuff the animals and dolls, a dozen at a time, during “TV hours” spent in the family room.
Beverly made a name for herself, and people began to seek out what she sold. A woman who designed limited edition mohair bears hired Beverly and her mother to make the bears’ clothing. “We made 125 pinafores at a time,” Beverly said, sounding exhausted at the mere memory of the number. Though Beverly was the “face” at the shows, she and her mother were very much fifty-fifty when it came to the work.
It might have gone on the same way for much longer, but opportunity knocked and Beverly and her husband opened the door. A building (formerly known as The Apple Tree Shop because of a full-sized apple tree mounted in the center) became available. With a loft running three sides of the building, over 30 different crafters filling the space, and a new name—Neff’s Country Loft—they were in business. Beverly quit her job at the bank so she could devote all her time and energy to her new life.
The shop grew fast. They sold pottery, silk flower arrangements, wreaths, dolls, and patterns, and there was even a custom framer on site. As trends changed, they were nimble and switched the mix to include what customers needed. They expanded, reaching 5,600 square feet, with the added space devoted to fabric and classrooms.
When you walk into Neff’s Country Loft, you’re greeted by a visual feast. Bolts of material are side by side with framed prints that are for sale, and kits for making a mantel scarf are right next to the fireplace where the made-up model of the mantel scarf is on display. A vintage stove is piled high with gourmet foods and toweling sold by the yard. Every place you look, you’ll find finished samples and the supplies to make what you see.
Beverly loves creating the displays; her heart and soul are in the store. The mix of finished samples and supplies in home-like settings is part of why the shop is so welcoming and invites leisurely visits. But Beverly is modest and always wants to shine the spotlight on others. “The shop is something we all wanted to do together,” she said, including her mother and daughter-in-law Cindy in the “we.” “And none of it would be possible without [husband] Stan’s support.”
“I’m the one they have out there, I’m the jokester, but I can’t take all the credit,” Beverly remarked. “Everyone knows that one person can’t do everything. I can’t even begin to thank all the customers and teachers who help create store samples and who spend countless hours planning projects and classes.”
Neff’s Country Loft is a shopping destination for people who live close by as well as for many who travel a long distance to visit. “It’s a place to unwind and de-stress, to see friends—or make friends,” Beverly says. “I want people to laugh while they learn. I go the extra mile. I’m known for the lunches that accompany classes and treats that greet shoppers. We keep music playing, and Marigold the cat, our shop diva, greets everyone who arrives.” For eight years, a rabbit named Cadbury, litter box trained but prone to nibbling on books and tags, ran free in the store. Beverly joked that during Cadbury’s tenure, you got 10% off any book that had a chewed corner.
Evidence that the hard work has paid off: The store won the prestigious Quilt Sampler Top Ten Shops award, announced in February 2009. Neff’s Country Loft was chosen from among 3,000 entries across the US and Canada. “It’s the icing on the cake,” Beverly said, “and I’m especially happy to be able to share the honor with my mom.” Her mom’s comment: “I never thought showing you how to thread that needle and use that sewing machine would lead to an award like this.”
We never know what life will have in store. But if we’re very lucky, we’ll be able to do what we love, live with people who matter, and have the good fortune of helping others feel creative, all at the same time. Whenever Neff’s Country Loft students and customers can say the magical words “Yes, I made that!” and when they can “get a little bit of joy and leave happy,” then Beverly feels she has fulfilled her fondest wish, her life’s mission.
If you find yourself near Belpre, Ohio, make sure to stop by Neff’s Country Loft for some homemade cookies or dip and to do a little shopping. Most days, there are tasty snacks along with generous servings of friendship, encouragement, and just plain fun! And if you can’t make it in person, visit the website to enjoy a bit of the flavor and good times.
Neff’s Country Loft |
2514 Washington Blvd. |
Belpre, OH 45714 |
(740) 423-1965 |
www.neffscountryloft.com