Date: Fri 06-Mar-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNO

Quick Words:

business-Newtown-Country-Mill

Full Text:

Route 302 Mill Grinds Out Some New Business Ideas

(with photos)

BY SHANNON HICKS

For a number of years, Linda Manna has wanted a storefront where she could

sell her country crafts. Under the name Windy Hill Crafts, she exhibits in

crafts shows year-round and has been involved with the Newtown Holiday

Festival's crafts show and sale for the past six years.

Her sons, Rob and Lee, run LRM, Inc, Landscape Contractors, a business their

father started in 1969. The landscape design business is very well established

in the area, but Rob and Lee have been hoping to find a location where they

could set up some of their landscape designs. They would like to have the

opportunity to display some of their work, rather than have customers only

able to view photographs of past projects.

Enter the familiar red building along Route 302 in Newtown, formerly known as

the Newtown Feed & Cider Mill. Adjacent to the Ferris Farm property, the

building is now being leased (with an option) and renovated by the Mannas.

They know the place well; Bob and Linda Manna have been living on the nearby

Head O' Meadow Road since 1975.

Next weekend, the family partnership will open Newtown Country Mill. The

business will offer decorating for the entire home, from decorative indoor

pieces to the planning and execution of exterior gardens and landscapes.

In addition to presenting landscaping examples, the setup of the mill building

and its exterior will also allow LRM, Inc, to display and sell annuals,

perennials, shrubs and trees. These will all be available to customers who

want to beautify their yards on their own, or will be used in the landscaping

projects LRM, Inc, contracts for.

"Even if we're not installing for them, customers can come here and buy from

us," Rob Manna said earlier this week. "We plan on expanding LRM here. We also

want to be able to help supply fellow contractors."

Inside, Linda Manna will be running a country gift shop/florist center.

Flowers, bouquets and full arrangements will be offered, with special orders

welcome. The store will also be selling vegetables and fruits, all

Connecticut-grown. The selection will change according to season, and will

also include items such as corn stalks and pumpkins.

The Newtown Country Mill will be offering craft classes for all levels of

crafts enthusiasts. Linda will also be accepting crafts on consignment, and is

open to suggestions for class subjects and teachers, so the offerings will be

constantly changing. She has been sending letters to other crafters she knows

through her own work, inviting others to participate in the new venture.

Among her own projects, Linda does window dressings, greeting signs and

decorated birdhouses. She and her husband started decorating picture frames

with dried flowers two years ago. A self-taught crafter, Linda's specialties

include baskets, and herbal and holiday wreaths, using herbs and plants she

grows in her own greenhouse.

She is also very familiar with the business her husband started, and her sons

now run, having continued to do occasional garden projects for LRM.

"From jelly jars to jelly cabinets, and all that's in between, we're going to

have a little bit of everything here," Linda promised. Items will be unique,

and everything will be handmade.

Aside from a gift shop that ran during one recent winter, the building has

been vacant for nearly two years. The Mannas have spent the past five weeks

doing renovations to the building.

The interior has been completely cleaned up and repainted using a lot of barn

reds and off-whites. Newtown painter Diana Baxter has been creating a mural on

one wall depicting a country scene. Outside, the building will be repainted,

and the landscape will be completely overhauled.

"It needed some TLC when we started this project," Linda said recently. "We

wanted to have a very homey atmosphere.

"There's nothing down here at this end of town," said Linda. "This is a good

location."

The Newtown Country Mill will celebrate its grand opening on Saturday, March

14, from 10 am to 6 pm. The Mill will then be open regularly Monday through

Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm; Sunday, 9 am to 5 pm.