So, I got it in my head earlier this summer that I wanted to have a roadside stand. I kind of feel late to the party, because of course now I’m seeing them everywhere. There is a bakery stand nearby. There is a seeds and garlic stand nearby. There are stands selling wood nearby. There are flower stands nearby.

I teased you in an earlier post with a picture of our stand at the end of our driveway:

We are throwing our hat in the ring anyway because OURS is DIFFERENT! And BETTER! (Please scroll down…)

Our stand is named the PLC Workshop roadside stand. PLC=Paul and Liz Cassidy. “Workshop” is an all-encompassing term for what our business will offer. The roadside stand is just one aspect of this new, emerging home business. And by the way, all of this is in preparation for our retirement. #retirementgoals

Here are several reasons why our stand is DIFFERENT and BETTER:

1) OURS has seasoned hardwood, dried for at least a year in our covered wood-drying sheds in the back yard. It burns really well and is perfect for campfires or firepits or solo stoves or regular old fireplaces.

Paul has a wood splitter (left pic) and he made himself a wood bundler (right pic) so everyone gets the same amount!

2) OURS has flowers.

Ok that’s not different from the flower stands around, but ours are probably prettier, and more lovingly picked and arranged. And we supply paper towels/plastic bags to take your flowers home.

3) OURS has handmade items.

Hand-knit-by-me dish/wash cloths! Knitting is my JAM and I’m never not knitting something. It’s one of my stress-reducing activities. If you haven’t tried these for dishes or showers/baths, you are missing out. They are sturdy and do a better job than a sponge/terry washcloth. I’ve already had to re-stock these! And as fall approaches, I’ll be adding hats to the stand.

My homemade peanut butter dog treats are already a big hit! They do have a bit of a pre-established following, as I used to make them when I owned CHOMP Pet Bakery (online and festivals only). Our dog Wink loves them.

And so does Brooklyn:

4) OURS has hand painted rocks.

They speak for themselves. Sometimes literally! (Be Kind.)

4) OURS has LAVENDER!

These lavender products are made with my homegrown lavender. Sachets for leaving near your bedside table or putting in drawers, and bath bombs for when you need a relaxing bath. Lavender is my all time favorite flower/plant. Lavender offers a wide range of health benefits, including promoting relaxation, improving sleep, reducing anxiety, easing pain, and supporting skin and hair health. My fibromyalgia and I love it! I’m hoping to start making tea bags with lavender and other calming flowers like chamomile.

Proof of its home grown-ness?….

5) OURS has these wonderful refurbished-by-Paul 1950’s Cosco stools. He finds them in bad shape, sand blasts the rust off them, repairs the dents and then paints and upholsters them in more modern colors and designs.

Paul has also been known to refurbish old pedal cars and scooters, so this will be an ever-changing part of the stand.

6) OURS has custom woodwork offerings.

Paul makes these beautiful 6-foot picnic tables. They are the perfect size for a deck or in your yard. For an additional fee, he will stain/seal it for you.

7) OURS accepts cash AND Venmo.

Ok, so I have no idea if the other stands offer this as well, but I can tell you at least half of our sales have been using Venmo. It’s such a convenient option when cash-is-king doesn’t work for you. And, yes, that code works if you scan it from this blog post! I’m not opposed to mailing items if you want to add in a little extra for postage! To ask questions and send us an address you can email us: plcworkshopadmin@gmail.com OR Text us: 802-274-2820.

That’s our new stand! Please stop by if you are local or if you are headed up to Thompson’s Lake State Park or Thacher Park. We are located at 68 Lewis Road, Altamont, NY. We are excited about it and it thrills us when we see someone pull into the driveway to shop. The stand is open 7 days a week, 7am to 7pm. It is self-serve, but if you see us in the yard, please honk and we’ll come say hi! And here is a pro tip: It’s really open all the time. If the plastic cover is down, just unzip it and shop. Anything outside the stand (the stools) do get put away for the night.

Next up: In Part Two you get to see a little behind-the-scenes of how we made the stand!

P.S. Look who has been sitting on my feet under my desk while I’ve written this post: