Published: September 23, 2008 11:31 am      

Store owners hope to fill need

Kali Shideler’s love for photography and the closing of Hobby Lobby gave her an idea for a new store.

Country Memories, a photography studio and scrapbook supply store, has opened at 100 N. High St. in West Lebanon, Ind.

“I have been involved in photography since high school,” Shideler said. “I have always done it as a hobby.”

Shideler and her husband bought the building for her photography business, and there was a room in the back that became the scrapbook supply room.

“My husband always said I was a scrapbook supplier,” she said. “We have been trying to get people to know we were here since Hobby Lobby closed. We carry some things they didn’t have.”

One of her big sellers is scrapbook paper with school names on it. She has Seeger Memorial, Attica, Fountain Central, North Vermillion, Covington and Benton Central now. She will add Danville, Schlarman and Bismarck-Henning.

In addition, she has scrapbook paper for FFA, 4-H, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Brownies.

“We have a full line of Disney and Harvey Davidson supplies,” she said.

She and her mother, Edie Foust, who works in the store, are always making changes. More Halloween and fall features are planned soon.

“We try to add something new every week,” Shideler said. “We know that we have to have something you can’t buy at a chain story.

And, if you can’t find what you want, she has several catalogues and she can order supplies for you.

Once you visit the store, you can get on the weekly e-mail newsletter list to keep up what is new in the store.

“It is really neat,” said Stacy Miley of Williamsport, who was in the store for the first time recently. “I have never seen the school stuff before.”

Foust said they see a lot of repeaters in the store.

“You can tell a story through a scrapbook,” she said. “You put their life in it.”

She said many people come in just to see what is new.

“We have scrapbook nights once a month,” Shideler said. They can also be open by appointment.”

Photography-wise, Shideler specializes in weddings, senior portraits and family portraits as well as greeting cards, an-nouncements and invitations.

“We even offer portrait fundraisers for schools and other not-for-profit groups,” she said.

She began taking pictures for the yearbook when she was a student at Seeger Memorial High School.

“It’s a record of memories,” she said. She has several backdrop choices in her studio.

During this weekend’s Patriot Festival in West Lebanon, she is going to offer old time photos.

“We have an inventory of items,” she said. “Just make an appointment all of the three days.”

Mother and daughter are enjoying working together.

“We wanted to do something together,” Foust said. “She said she had an idea, and here we are.”



FAST FACTS

Country Memories in downtown West Lebanon is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. EDT Mondays, 11 a.m.to 8 p.m. Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. It is closed Sundays and Tuesdays.

Phone: (765) 893-8336.

Web sites: http://www.countrymemoriesphoto.com and http://www.countrymemoriesscrapbook.com