As Black Friday kicked off the holiday shopping season, a steady stream of shoppers and visitors checked out the unique artisan gifts at the Made in Plumas store at The Quincy Hub.
Outside, the beautiful handmade wooden benches were seasonally decorated with small live Christmas trees and a cheerful selection of holiday pillows, blankets and other decorations inviting passers by to sit, rest and take in the moment.
The Quincy Hub will celebrate its first year in business Friday, Dec. 5, at Quincy Sparkle. The Hub, located in the old Quincy Drug building on Main Street, houses the popular Made in Plumas artisan gift collection.
On Black Friday, Jeff Titcomb, volunteer program director, was busily adding merchandise to the shelves. Titcomb, a jewelry artisan, is no stranger to making beautiful things and displaying them; he worked for many years at the Sterling Sage gift store in Greenville. The building that housed the store was tragically lost in the 2021 Dixie Fire. Titcomb now volunteers every day for Made in Plumas; he also serves as a Quincy Chamber of Commerce assistant and Plumas County’s representative for Shasta/Cascade Wonderland, a northstate marketing organization.
Jake Williams, director of technology for Indian Valley Innovation Hub and also an assistant with the Quincy Chamber, was helpful in giving The Plumas Sun a tour of The Quincy Hub at the organization’s Black Friday open house.
IVIH, a nonprofit organization, began after the Dixie Fire, when Plumas-Sierra County Fair Manager John Steffanic proposed the establishment of an economic development organization with a focus on local craftspeople manufacturing products for export from Plumas County. First located in Indian Valley, it later expanded to Quincy to encompass countywide entrepreneurs. Volunteers give their time to keep the place open daily and help with certain assigned tasks.
Both Titcomb and Williams said that Black Friday was so far a good sales day, promising a strong week ahead for the shop, with many holiday shoppers visiting and buying gifts.
Tracy Wixted, 15-year owner of the Ranchito Motel in Quincy, was working the cash register as well as doing inventory and product placement. Wixted is a chamber member and hopes to soon become a board member for the organization. She also serves on the Plumas County Tourism Association board.
Two visitors with Quincy connections, Stephanie Lewis, of Monterey, and Emily Schield, of Kansas City, Missouri, checked out at the register with Wixted. Lewis commented, “It is great to see another business in Quincy!” Schield said, “I like to see all the stuff made in Quincy and Plumas County!”
The selection of unique artisan gifts is a sight to behold: shelves brim with jewelry, candles, lotions and beauty items, clothing and hats, pictures, books, ornaments, mugs, water bottles, purses, hand-painted glassware, knitted items and so much more — all displayed beautifully. Local woodworkers from Indian Valley have benches and tables on display, some crafted from the salvaged remnants of trees burned in the Dixie Fire.
The store is located at 493 Main St. in Quincy, and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
More information is available at the Made in Plumas website.