Talking Business: Commerce Avenue shop offers craft workshops, home decor and clothes | Local Business

Frost opened Kathie’s Clutters and Crafts on Commerce Avenue about a month ago. The shop sells a variety of clothes, home decor and other items, and hosts craft workshops.

Frost said she planned to retire in August from her job as pull-tab manager and secretary for the Kelso Eagles, and thought it would be fun to open a craft store. After talking to friends and family, who suggested opening a consignment store as well, Frost decided to merge the two ideas.

“It was kind of on a whim, but it will be fun,” she said.

In April, Frost began searching for locations and “got lucky” to find the Commerce Avenue location, formerly Fathers House Church. Her family helped renovate, tearing down walls, repainting and replacing lighting, Frost said.

The shop features items stocked by 17 vendors, plus Frost, varying from comics to furniture to clothes. Frost said she told a couple friends about the opportunity and it spread by word of mouth. Before opening, all the slots were full with a waiting list, she said.

“I was amazed at how fast it filled up,” she said. “It’s been popular with vendors and shoppers.”

Since opening June 20, the store has seen a good amount of foot traffic and been pretty successful, Frost said.

Unfamiliar with thrifting, Frost said friends have helped her find locations to shop for items for her store. She recently picked up a T-shirt press from the 1970s because “I just had to have it.”

A large room in the back of the store is set aside for craft workshops. Early last week, the table was stacked with new items for the store, but during the first workshop on July 1, it was full of unique paintings.

Paint and pour, also called acrylic pour painting, involves mixing paint with a medium and pouring it onto a canvas to create swirled designs. Frost said she hadn’t used the technique before, but it was fun.

Frost wanted to open a craft store because she had “so much craft stuff in her house” and wanted a place to hold workshops and learn with others, she said.

“I thought, ‘I just need to open a store instead of having two rooms in my house full of stuff,’” she said. “I enjoy doing it and have fun doing it. I don’t specialize in anything … that’s why I’m looking for other people to teach.”

Frost said she is trying to recruit other community members to teach workshops at the store. This summer, the store plans to hold workshops for kids during the day and for adults or the whole family in the evening, Frost said. Scheduled workshops will be posted on the store’s Facebook page.

Frost said the community and surrounding business owners have been “amazing” and supportive.

“I’ve been surprised by how fast it’s gone,” she said. “It helps when the vendors have nice things.”