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By Courtney L. Saylor
Herald Staff Writer
Inside the Amish Peddler,
rustic tables, old-fashioned
toys and other handicrafts
mingle with fine tables and
chairs, wardrobes and hutch-
es.
Owner Collin Crombie
said most of his business
comes from those interested
in buying or designing their
own custom fine pieces.
“We have customers from
all over the country,” Crom-
bie said, adding that the high
quality of the furniture is
easy to see.
Many people come from
the Pittsburgh region and a
lot of tourists visit from
Grove City Premium Outlets
in Springfield Township.
Someone from Massachu-
setts recently called and or-
dered a crib, high-chair and
dresser for their newborn
daughter, which the New
Wilmington store will ship to
New England.
Popular items include
child-sized rocking chairs,
lazy Susans and holiday dec-
orations
“Everything in here is
handcrafted, Amish furni-
ture,” Crombie said. “Proba-
bly about 20 percent of it is
made locally.”
Crombie said most of the
New Wilmington area Amish
are farmers, not woodwork-
ers.
“Very few do furniture full
time,” he said, explaining
that he gets much of his in-
ventory from Amish commu-
nities in Ohio. “I personally
know every builder.”
He said he tries to get
items from people who make
furniture as their livelihood,
not just part-time. Some
shops have 50 employees,
others just one, Crombie
said.
Crombie said most of his
orders are taken in person
over the phone and filled via
the mail, since most Amish
don’t have telephones or
computers.
If you want a price quote,
it could take a week or two
because he can’t just call the
builder up, Crombie said.
Most clients know what
they’re buying and are pa-
tient.
“It’s nice to see they un-
derstand the quality and time
that goes into each item,” he
said, adding that the pieces
are “absolutely superior” to
what people would find in
big box stores.
The Amish-made furniture
is 100 percent wood. There’s
no particle board or veneer
involved, Crombie said, and
clients get to choose what
type of wood and finish they
want.
One other thing that
makes the Amish Peddler
special is their custom work.
For example, if someone
has a long, narrow dining
room, they’ll make a skinnier
table than standard versions.
A recent customer had an
heirloom antique table and
the store had chairs made to
match, Crombie said.
“We can design to their
needs. It’s why I think we’re
so successful,” Crombie said.
Crombie bought the store
in 2006 and the business has
been on state Ro
outside of New
since 1988.
A former fune
in Cleveland, Cr
he had looked f
home to buy
loved the job an
start his own bus
wasn’t to be.
“Nothing fell i
he said.
Then a friend
City College told
an Amish furnitu
sale.
“At first I said ‘
bie said. “But th
wife and I thoug
and prayed about
ized that God ha
door.”
Crombie said
he had the skill s
fer to the shop.
“In a sense, t
about making
comfortable ab
By Michael Roknick
Herald Business Editor
Kevin McDermott’s ship
has arrived.
Perhaps better put: Mc-
Dermott sees to it that the
shipment arrives for others.
As owner of One Stop
Mail in Hermitage, he sees
to it that items get shipped
to destinations spanning
the globe. Housed with
Minuteman Press on East
State Street in a Hermitage
plaza that housed the for-
mer Suburban restaurant,
the shop ships items for a
variety of customers. Ron
McDermott and his wife
Tracy, Kevin’s brother and
sister-in-law, own Minute-
man, which operates as a
separate business.
“We’re pitching this as a
one-stop business center,’’
McDermott said.
He bought the business
last year from Patty and
Gary Neely and in May the
shop moved further east to
its current location next to
the FNB Corp. headquar-
ters. The shop gives cus-
toemrs the choice of FedEx
and UPS for shipping serv-
ices .
“It’s very unique to have
FedEx and UPS together,’’
McDermott said. “It’s usual-
ly just one or the other.’’
In most cases the ship-
ping costs between the two
companies are close, Mc-
Dermott said, so often the
choice comes down to per-
sonal preference.
For FedEx, to ship by
ground an item has to be
ready to go by 3 p.m. but
next-day air delivery can
wait until 4:30 p.m. UPS re-
quires ground and air ship-
ments to be ready by 4:30
p.m.
There are various levels
of overnight services with
some promising to get a
product delivered before
noon.
“Some people need that
service,’’ McDermott said.
“But you’re going to pay for
it.’’
The store will box items
for customers and will wrap
them in bubblewrap or use
packing peanuts to safe-
guard the contents. One
Stop’s clients are evenly di-
vided between consumers
and businesses. The Christ-
mas holiday season by far
is its busiest time of the
year.
“It was exciting to see
that many customers in
here then,’’ McDermott
said. “There’s nothing that
compares to Christmas –
it’s just an explosion.’’
There are other seasonal
events where shipping is in
demand, such as the end of
a college semester when
students return rented
books.
In addition to sending
items throughout the Unit-
ed States, the store can
ship to almost anywhere in
the globe. With a number
of local families having
loved ones serving in the
military stationed overseas
it gets a lot of business
from that sector.
“But we can’t ship to the
military with post office
boxes – we need to have a
physical address,’’ he said.
One Stop has handled
oddball shipping items
such as elk antlers, fire-
places and grills to name a
few.
“We once shipped a car
exhaust system to South
Africa,’’ McDermott said.
“People come in with all
kinds of stuff.’’
There are some legal re-
strictions though, such as
Pennsylvania allowing only
the shipment of alcoholic
products from one resident
to another within the state.
Likewise, federal law pro-
hibits firearms from being
shipped, along with certain
chemicals and fireworks.
Food items at times can
present an interesting chal-
lenge – particularly with
items requiring refrigera-
tion. Dry ice comes in
handy for those products,
but senders are
no more than fi
of dry ice and
must be delivere
day.
Both FedEx a
quire items to
than 150 po
measure no mor
inches in length
ments for length
combined can b
than 165 inches
over those dime
be shipped b
which typically
larger truck.
“But sending
is significantly m
sive,’’ McDermot
All shipments
automatic $100
policy, but those
higher level can
insurance.
“If you bring
and want it shi
find some way o
happen,’’ McDer
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Saturda
WILMINGTON TOWNSHIP, Lawrence County
HERMITAGE
Car parts to S. Africa?
No problem at One Stop
Rustic
crafts
meet fine
furniture
at Peddler
Courtne
Collin Crombie, who formerly was a funeral director in Cleveland, bought the Amish Peddler in
changed careers. He takes pride in knowing each one of the Amish craftsmen who supply his mercha
Courtney Saylor/Herald
Figurines of Amish people and culture are popular
with tourists visiting Amish country.
Jason Kapusta/Herald
Kevin McDermitt, owner of One Stop Mail in Her-
mitage, spills packing peanuts into a box.
Jason
Kevin McDermitt, owner of One Stop Mail, waits on customers. He vo
way to ship just about anything. Past challenges have included elk a
places and grills and even a car exhaust system that was bound for Sout
Courtney Saylor/Herald
Child-size, solid-oak rocking chairs are a popular item.
See
PEDDLE