IN FOCUS: North Lima woman has concrete menagerie in store

BY ROBERT K. YOSAY

yosay@vindy.com

NORTH LIMA

Driving on Market Street, just south of North Lima, watch out for seven-foot cats, alligators, a few moose and bears, and horses of course.

All, fortunately, are concrete statues and yard ornaments.

The quaint shop of Farmer Dave’s Gift and Garden Shoppe is loaded with concrete and sandstone statues and lawn ornaments of every size and shape imaginable.

Owner Arleen Fitzer almost considers the items extended family of sorts. Arleen, the mother of four boys, sold designer clothing before pursuing a psychology degree and graduating in 2004 from Youngstown State University.

She opened the original Farmer Dave’s in 2002 in Berlin Center, operating the store part time. She moved the store to 11529 Market St. just over three years ago.

Faced with the death of her husband Chris, Arleen still had responsibilities with her youngest son in South Range Elementary, her other sons in college, and still paying on college loans.

Arleen knew she had to do something to keep everyone going. With her artistic eye and business sense, she expanded her North Lima shop, and she and hasn’t looked back.

Read the full story and view a variety of photos of Fitzer and her many animal creations Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.