to offer local crafts, fine coffee, and thrift shop items.
By Stephen Smoot
For Ashley Dytzel and her husband Jeffrey, entrepreneurship started as a nice car conversation on a long vacation drive to Florida.
After months of hard work, that conversation has helped bring to Shinnston its newest business, She Sells Sea Shells.
The conversation moved from “talking about our future goals” with “our kids . . . getting older” to “owning a boutique someday.” At a certain point on the trip they got off of Interstate 64 in the Putnam County city of Hurricane and walked into a small local family owned boutique.
One could be forgiven to say that the experience in the Hurricane boutique blew them away.
As good Christian families will do, they discussed it between themselves as married partners. They then went to the Lord in prayer “as husband and wife” to seek divine direction. Repeatedly, as they explained in a Facebook post, they returned to I Corinthians 4:10, the Prayer of Jabez.
“And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying Oh that thou wouldst bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that wouldst keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted that which he requested.” states the Old Testament verse.
She then shared her personal prayers for God to watch over and “bless my family, my vendors, and this business” as well as to “enlarge my coast” and to “protect me and my family . . . from those whose intentions are to harm and not for good.”
“May everyone who walks through this door feel a FAITH filled place and loved on.”
Direction led them to thoughts of a family friend operating a successful business from one of Shinnston’s older homes. “He made his business work there,” Dytzel noted, and then shared that they came to the realization that they owned an older house in town with the kind of warm and welcoming features and atmosphere to make all feel at home.
Joining the Shinnston business community greatly resembles joining an extended family in that stores support, rather than compete with, each other. The Dytzels sell items crafted in the nearby Pops and Gigi’s shop, also a Christian family owned establishment. Other vendors currently include Chapel Coffee, Golden Rose Creations, Purposefully Created, Raelene Gerdom Stamped Jewelry, Ber Teas, Hope Bailey Photography, Peaceful pastries, and Cocomo.
Laurel Hill Photography helped them to mark their grand opening late last month.
Both wife and husband work together to run the “Gift and Thrift Bowtique,” as they describe their business. The first floor offers a huge spectrum of unique gifts, many of which come from local craftspeople and other area businesses.
Upstairs, customers can peruse gently used, but still very nice and very interesting thrift store items.
But why the beach theme when Shinnston lies far from the laid back tropical vacation destinations?
They wanted to bring “a bit of the beach world” to Shinnston. Especially in the cold, wind, and difficult winter months, reminding customers of warm fun days on the sand and surf could bring smiles to chilled faces. Mrs. Dytzel explained that to her, the beach is where she releases stress and embraces relaxation.
“It’s a calming thing. It’s a wonderful place,” she said.
She Sells Sea Shells in Shinnston is a true family operation. Mr. Dytzel shares his passion for cooking through products such as coffee and specialized salts for cooking. “He is my biggest rock,” explained his wife, who added “he is just as excited as I am. He picks up different areas” where he has more knowledge, helping to expand the possibilities of the business.
Mrs. Dytzel shared that their parents “are totally behind me” and completely support the couple’s entrepreneurship.
“They cheer me on,” she stated.
They also have enjoyed warm support from their home church congregation at Warriors’ Chapel, whose congregants have helped to make Shinnston’s downtown more vibrant, dynamic, and useful for residents and visitors alike.
So has the Shinnston community at large embraced the new shop. “My family and I had a goal by November to have 50 followers by the time the business opened. We had 1,000 followers the first day!” said Mrs. Dytzel.
Between Christmas and New Years came another boost of support as the Harrison County Chamber of Commerce held their ribbon cutting in front of the white house the business calls home.
They are located at 66 Main Street in Shinnston.
