Cupboard will never be bare

Among the handcrafts offered are rag rugs and decorative pillows.
By MARALINE KUBIK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
GREENFORD -- Every Sunday on their way to and from services at Greenford Christian Church, Terri and Jim Hauser drove past the crumbling old building at the corner of Lisbon Road and state Route 165.
They both thought the building, which had originally been a harness shop, had potential and wished someone would do something with the eyesore.
When Terri was laid off from her materials handling job at A.B. Products Co. in Boardman in 2001, they decided that they might as well be the someone. That was the beginning of The Greenford Cupboard.
They bought the property in 2002 and immediately went to work restoring the building, which had served as Greenford's general store off and on since the late 1800s.
It had also served as the post office -- twice -- and as a private residence. "In the early 1900s, the fire station didn't have a telephone, so the fire calls came here too," Terri added. The fire station is about a block away.
Doing all of the work themselves, the Hausers put on a new roof, tore out old walls, uncovering a double fireplace they hadn't even known was there, and refinished the original hardwood floors.
"We wanted to keep the character of the building," Terri said. "It took us 13 months to complete the work."
Members of their church knowledgeable about carpentry, plumbing and electric were always available to offer advice, she said, and when Greenford Cupboard opened in May 2003, Deanna Anderson, whose father used to preach at the church, agreed to work as a baker.
A bit of everything
The combination coffee shop/deli/convenience store serves specialty coffees brewed from fresh-ground coffee beans, cappuccino, muffins and pastries baked on site, ice cream and a full deli menu featuring specials such as Mandarin orange peanut salad.
Greenford Cupboard also offers staple grocery items and an eclectic mix of local farm products -- jellies, jams, preserves, honey and beeswax candles -- gourmet gift baskets, books, cards and handicrafts.
Among the handicrafts offered are hand-loomed rag rugs, rice heat packs, decorative pillows, baby clothes and hand towels, all made by local craftspeople.
Operating the store, which is open Monday through Saturday, is a family affair. Terri, who's never worked in food service before, is there between seven and 13 hours a day.
Her brother, Ryan Tonkin of Salem, who has experience in the food industry, and the Hausers' two daughters, Jamie, 17, and Jackie, 16, help out too.
Jamie, a service manager at a fast-food restaurant in Boardman, is hoping to eventually manage her family's Greenford Cupboard, Terri added.
The Hausers live in Beaver Township. All other employees are from Greenford.
kubik@vindy.com