GRAVETTE — In tough economic times, a Gravette craft lover and her husband took a creative approach to a new Main Street business.

Tina Crose, a resident of Gravette for over 20 years, wanted a place to express her creativity and to unwind from the stress of being a full-time business analyst and a mother of three boys. She regularly drove to Bentonville, Siloam Springs and even Joplin, Mo., to buy art supplies.

“But you don’t just go to Joplin. You have to have a good reason,” Tina explained. “The long trips didn’t please my boys.”

Tina wished for a craft store that was closer andmore affordable. She also wanted a place to hang out and “just be a girl.”

When two side-by-side properties opened on the north side of Main Street in Gravette, Tina and herhusband Chris, director of the Boys and Girls Club of Gravette, saw an opportunity to make this dream a reality. They started planning to open a craft store of their own.

“I spent a lot of time wondering, ‘Should we do it? Should we not?’” Tina said, laughing and looking across the table full of colorful paper. “There were all these businesses closing. The economy was bad. I was worried.”

“Finally, I just rented the space,” Chris said. “We didn’t want to spend the rest of our lives wondering, ‘What if?’”

After two months of scrubbing walls and cleaning up dust, Tina, Chris and their three children, Devin,Christopher and Taylor, transformed the empty space across from the Care and Share Thrift Store into a crafting destination. Tina stocked supplies, including scrapbooking paper, stamps and stickers, with inventory she bought froma woman who was closing her own crafting store.

Tina struggled with a name for her store until she remembered how her youngest son said, “I love you.”

“We would say, ‘I love you Taytay,’ and he would say, ‘And me!’”

In September, the doors of “And Me” scrapbooks and crafts opened.

In addition to being a source of craft supplies, the store hosts crafting classes. “And Me” is a place where women can come, hang out and talk, Tina explained of her weekly sessions. About a dozen locals regularly attend.

“Wonderful women - ordinary, working mothers of all kinds - show up fora few hours,” Tina said. “For $10 they get all of the supplies and step-bystep guidance on making a project they get to take home. They talk. They become friends with people they’ve never met before.” Tina said that experiencemakes crafters tell their friends. Word-of-mouth is bringing more business in, and the “And Me” Facebook page has 65 fans.

The large work space and crafting equipment at “And Me” is available for crafters to use free of charge during open hours. “And Me” hosts special events, preteen nights and is available for affordable birthday parties.

“And Me” will be celebrating its grand opening Saturday, Nov. 13, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. The first 50 customers of the day will receive a free gift. Free food and crafts will be available all day as well.

For more information and for a complete class calendar, contact Tina Crose at 479-212-0736, check out the “And Me” Facebookpage or visit the store at 106 Main Street in Gravette, Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 6-8 p.m. or on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

News, Pages 2 on 11/10/2010