Q:   What type of products do you offer?

A:   Poverty Hollow Primitives is your source for Country Primitive furniture and accessories featuring an 18th and 19th Century Reproduction Design. Our products include candletrays, candleboxes, toolboxes, decorative checkerboards, tin buckets, decorative home signs, and candles. Furniture includes double door-jelly cupboards, single door jelly cupboards, chimney cupboards, wall shelves (single and double), as well as tombstone shelves.



Q:   How did you decide on your company's name?

A:   It isn’t very original, but our name came simply from the road we live on, Poverty Hollow Road.



Q:   How long have you been crafting and
      when did you decide to make it a business?

A:   We have been handcrafting furniture since 1981. When our children were young, we took our love of antiques and primitive decor and started doing craft shows on and off throughout the years. But as they got older we found that there just wasn't enough time to continue. My husband served in the Marine Corps for 25 years. After retiring more than 5 years ago and with more time on his hands, we decided it was time to get back to what we both loved.



Q:   Do you think that any special artistic or other
       talent is required to do what you do?

A:   Bob has been learning the art of woodworking since he was in high school. He works really hard to get each piece just right. It also helps to have an eye for creativity and uniqueness. One needs to understand how colors work together with the style they are aiming to achieve.



Q:   What has been your greatest success?

A:   Getting our business as well as our website up and running. It has been something we have wanted to do for quite some time. Making our dream a reality has been really neat to experience.



Q:  What has been the worst experience for you in this industry?

A:   Honestly, the economy. Things haven’t been easy for anyone, but starting up a fairly new business hasn’t been easy with the strains of the economy.


Q:   Do you enjoy your work?

A:   We’ve really enjoyed what we’ve been doing. It has really brought our family together. Our two daughters (23 and 21) have enjoyed helping us with getting our business off the ground.



Q:   What has been your biggest challenge in
       making this a viable business for you?

A:   Our biggest challenge has been getting our name out there – deciding what ways of advertising will be the best for our business. We are also learning how to figure out what craft shows will attract a good cliental for our product.


Q:   If you were given the opportunity to change
       it all, what would you do differently?

A:   Start sooner…life is always busy. You just have to make time for what you love to do.



Q:   Where do you locate your business from?

A:   We work out of our home.



Q:   What mediums do you use to sell? Retail stores?
      Consignment craft stores? Craft shows? The internet?

A:   We sell online on our website: www.PovertyHollowPrimitives.com, as well as craft shows. There is one local consignment craft store in Newtown, CT that we sell at: The Wishing Well.



Q:   Any advice for any of our crafters?

A:   Enjoy and love what you do and the rest will come.

Below are a couple more of the wonderful products that Bob & Amy have to offer.