Page 9 - TR Explore Stone County 2020

EXPLORE STONE COUNTY • ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE THREE RIVERS EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2020 9SS
PHOTOS BY STACI VANDAGRIFF/THREE RIVERS EDITION
From left, Sam Tompkins, a craftsman; Jim Woods, former owner of The Dulcimer Shoppe; and April Wilkins, shipping clerk, play dulcimers in the shop.
creation of the Ozark Folk Center, which is not far from e Dulcimer Shoppe.
e Woodses are selling e Dulcimer Shoppe to Tim Grothen of Hastings, Nebras- ka. Grothen plays dulcimer, is a farmer and owns a leather-goods company, Crosshide Leather. Grothen said he doesn’t want to change a thing about McSpadden dulcimers because the brand’s quality and reputation are already where they need to be.
“When you see the hearts and you hear the quality from a mile away, you know it’s a McSpadden,” he said.
Jim said Grothen is very enthusiastic about buying the store.
“He wants [the store] really badly,” Jim said. “He’s an artist of a different sort, but he’s real- ly intrigued by the instrument and the music and is very enthusiastic about wanting to do this and really excited about the opportunity.”
Jim said Grothen was actually interested in purchasing the shop when it was for sale in 2001, but he wasn’t in a position to make the purchase at the time because of his children entering school.
Jim and Betty will still live in Mountain View, and Jim said he will be around to help Grothen make the transition. Jim said Moun- tain View is a place where a lot of people come to retire, and because he and Betty are already here, they will stay. Betty said they
Jim Woods checks on a dulcimer getting made in The Dulcimer Shoppe’s workshop.
will miss getting to see the friends they’ve made over the years through the business, es- pecially their dealers. McSpadden Mountain Dulcimers has more than 100 dealers across the United States and overseas.
“We’ll miss being able to talk to them and find out how they’re doing,” Betty said.