7 minute read
Hidden Treasures
Texas is known for our buried treasures, legends, and rumors! When prospecting across the East Texas we too provide several unique experiences to find the unexpected. Senses will be awakened with the natural beauty we have to offer, and surprises can be found when shopping. Even the locals know to keep an eye out for the hidden gems just waiting to be discovered. We hope you enjoy your adventures while in the area.
80 Acre Market
KNOWS HOW TO DELIVER A COMMUNITY EXPERIENCE!
Visitors will enjoy navigating their way down a scenic country road to discover the beautiful plantation-style home nestled into a corner of East Texas. The expansive 250 acres provides a familyfriendly atmosphere in the iconic Piney Woods of East Texas between Longview and Gilmer.
The exquisite massive trees surround the former house of Josh and Holly Smallwood delivering beautiful views and scenery from every direction. Today, the magnificent mansion has been transformed into a market that is now open two weekends a month, FridaySunday to the public. Yes, visitors need to add the 80 Acre Market to their bucket list! It provides a unique community experience of shopping, dining, and entertainment for all ages.
The 80 Acre Market is filled with unique gifts, apparel, home furnishings, and more. Displays are filled with wares that change every two weeks with each of the market openings. Products are designed and made from the Smallwood’s manufacturing company and from what the staff calls the Bath Barn. The Bath Barn is on the property and has three generations of family recipes for soaps, candles, etc. that are sold in the market. Treasures can also be found on the property from local businesses including Enoch Stomp, Margin Social, Crust & Crumb, as well as from artisans across East and Central Texas.
Nestled into each room of home are seasonal displays of products and goodies for purchase. The entire first floor including closets and bathrooms are filled with unique items ranging from clothes, blankets, pillows, kitchenware, candles, and soaps. After the Smallwood’s teams first year of being open they reimagined what could be. Therefore, they became even more creative by utilizing every inch of space to create a shopping experience that changes every other weekend and delights visitors of all ages!
The outdoors experience is just as important to the Smallwood’s as the shopping. The expansive yard is filled with gardens, trees, and ponds to create an atmosphere that allows the community destination to come alive! Well planned activities and special events are available for all ages. The estate is full of life filled with laughter from a bounce house or two, giggling from a dirt mound, clapping, and singing with live music, and yes, the air is filled with appetizing aromas from a variety of food trucks. Families can be seen enjoying yard games around the property and you may even catch sight of a few people tucked into a man cave where guests can sit and enjoy watching sports.
Opportunities are endless as the 80 Acre Market team looks to the future. The Smallwood's anticipate the new factory that is being built on the property to be ready in January 2023. Also being developed is a walking trail around the property for marketgoers to enjoy. The dreams continue as the team prepares to build a new garden with nursery. A fishing pond is being stocked so tournaments can be added to the menu of activities. Also on the horizon is the addition of a swimming hole. The Market team encourages visitors to provide ideas! The 80 Acre Market team cherishes capturing dreams so they can maximize the full potential for the property.
80 Acre Market aims to create an environment that promotes family and community! Every season provides a new experience for visitors. Textiles, lighting, wall décor, clothing, food, games and more bring the
property alive with smells, tastes, and textures. Activities throughout the year can range from events geared for men on Father's Day to a Christmas tree lighting ceremony or even an Easter Egg hunt. Visitors can stay abreast of the ever-changing calendar of events through the 80 Acre Market website or social media outlets.
80ACREMARKET.COM
Heartisans Marketplace:
Heartisans Marketplace, from just the look of it, is a great place to shop for your next gift. However, the organization is so much more, they “help women break the chains of dependency and achieve self-sufficiency."
What started as a church ministry arts and craft program now reaches women in the Longview community, provides them with job training, creates community, and helps women learn essential skills to succeed in life.
Women who go through other non-profit programs whether for addiction, homelessness, etc., then are recommended to this program where they learn job and life skills and then are put back into the community with the opportunity for a career, college education, etc. The program is structured like a school day with scheduled hours and classes. Along with the learning, the women also get to create products for the store. Whether that is food, quilts, etc.
The operation is run by over 190 volunteers and a handful of employees. In addition, 80% of the operations costs are covered by the store revenue. The store offers monogramming, embroidery, sewing, and quilting services, along with natural health and beauty products, soup mixes, cookie mixes, candles, etc. They also offer anything that needs personalization.
“We just appreciate the support of our community and that's how they can continue to support us in those ways to serve it,” Employee Julee Rachels said. “Do you know a woman that needs our help? Then tell them to give us a call, because we are here to help the women in our community. We're excited to be able to do that, that's really what we want them to know. We're here to serve, to serve our community and that they can be a part of that. We'd love to have their help, either through volunteering or donating and helping us build our new cottages.”
HEARTISANS.ORG
