Historical September 1987 report or notice. Original dates, prices and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
After two years of business on Manchester Road in Maplewood, Plowsharing Crafts moved on June 1 to the Loop area in University City. Customers from the Maplewood store will be glad to know that the shop has changed only its location. Quality handmade crafts from around the world are still being sold for very reasonable prices at the not-forprofit shop.
A visitor to the shop at 6301 Delmar Boulevard will be delighted at the scent and bright colors of hand-dipped candles and at the charm of the many handcrafted toys available. Baskets of many shapes and colors abound, coming from countries such as Botswana and the Philippines. Handsome carved animals such as elephants and giraffes come from Kenya and Thailand.
From India come various exquisite brass items. Jewelry rugs, and many household items can also be found.
All goods are made by craftspeople in over thirty developing countries.
The Plowsharing Crafts shop is part of a chain of Selfhelp Crafts stores stretching throughout the United States, all of which are run by the Mennonite Church.
Many of the crafts producers are found by Mennonite workers in Third World countries. Selfhelp Crafts then pays the producers directly for the article and has it sent to headquarters in Pennsylvania. Setting up a marketing and sales program in North America for Third World craftspeople is the purpose of the Selfhelp program.
The craftspeople often have few other employment opportunities, sometimes due to handicap or minority or refugee status.
The program is conducted so as to promote the dignity of the producers and to ensure a fair wage for them.
The continuation of ancient arts and traditional crafts is also an important part of the Self help program.
The shop is not-for-profit and so prices include no markup beyond overhead and costs.
The customer is able to buy quality gifts and functional products at reasonable prices.
Many craftspeople are aided and the customer is pleased through the purchase of any beautiful handcrafted item from the Plowsharing Crafts shop.
The store is located at 6301 Delmar, just west of Skinker and across from the Tivoli Theater.
The telephone number is 863-3723. Store hours are 10-6 Monday through Thursday, 10-8 Friday and 10-5:30 Saturday. Feel free to stop in and browse — you’ll be glad you did.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, September 1987.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1987_09.pdf, printed page(s) 6; PDF page(s) 6.
