Support Small: Homespun House

By Hillary Knipstein | Photos provided During their years working as a librarian and in the orthopedics industry, longtime Pierceton, Indiana residents Sheila and Robert Ronk spent a lot of time dreaming about opening a small storefront to run during their retirement. Because of their diverse interests and experiences, they had many choices to consider: A bookstore? A quilt shop? An antique shop? Finally drawing on their shared love for visiting small gift and antique shops, they decided to open a small, eclectic gift shop to offer all the things they loved. “We chose the name Homespun House to reflect that much of the inventory would be handmade,” Sheila recalled.

After deciding on a concept, their first step was choosing a location in the area. “A very cute 1860’s house was for sale in Pierceton, so we took the plunge,” Sheila said. Homespun House opened its doors in 2016. It has been delighting the Ronks and the local community ever since. Sheila describes Homespun House’s inventory as including artisan/ hand-crafted items, primitive antiques, and “gifts that make us laugh.” The store draws customers from Northeast Indiana and beyond. “Our favorite part of being in the shop is sharing time with our customers. We appreciate every person who walks in the door,” Sheila said. According to Sheila, the biggest challenge in running Homespun House is keeping the shop stocked with new and fun items to delight their customers. Luckily, the Ronks enjoy searching for unique items and talented people to create items for the shop. Sheila and Robert both contribute their own handmade wares to the inventory. Sheila makes greeting cards, baby blankets, and wool garlands. Robert creates items out of bourbon barrels. They hunt for Homespun House’s homemade/artisan inventory at crafters and wholesale markets and shows. Additionally, they scour antique shops throughout the Midwest for unusual or primitive antiques (from the late 1800’s/early 1900’s), particularly “kitchen primitive” antiques like butter churns. Despite their careful inventory selection, Sheila says she’s often surprised by what sells. “An item that I think will sell immediately, may not. It’s part of the fun challenge of running the shop,” she said. Currently, Homespun House is selling a lot of rain chains, which are decorative but functional pieces that channel rain from the roof to a rain barrel. Homespun House is a brick-and-mortar operation that relies on in-person customer relationships and transactions. This posed a challenge during the COVID-19 pandemic. “A major milestone for the shop was surviving the pandemic,” Sheila said. “We are blessed that people actively searched for small businesses to support and we have many new loyal customers due to their kindness and generosity in shopping small. We were very humbled and felt loved by the community.” The Ronks love being involved in Pierceton Chamber of Commerce and helping with the events and activities that support the local community like the upcoming Destination Pierceton event. Homespun House’s regular hours are Wednesday-Saturday 10-5, Sunday 12-4, and Tuesdays by chance. a