When Scott Poynter moved The Glass Factory from Kentucky 54 to the former Bakers Rack location in Wesleyan Park Plaza in November last year, he was afraid that he would lose some of his customers who live in the populous east side of the county.
“But we haven’t,” he said last week. “Business has been absolutely fantastic. And the parking here is great. I had four spaces over there and about 1,000 here.”
Poynter said, “I’m glad to be out of the traffic on Kentucky 54. We’re so centrally located here. We’re right in the middle of town. We’re seeing people we’ve never had as clients before.”
The move from a 2,800-square-foot store to nearly one with nearly 9,000 square feet meant adding a lot of home decor items.
There’s furniture, dishes, dog toys, Maker’s Mark clothing and glasses, large wooden airplane propellers and a lot more on the shelves and walls.
Poynter’s father, Jack Poynter, started the business in 1978 near Brescia University to produce stained glass.
He died in 1984 and his son, who had learned to cut glass when he was 14, took over.
“In 2000, the economy got us and I went to work at AK Steel, which I hated,” Poynter said. “This has always been my dream. I knew I had to add things that would keep us busy year-round.”
That included doors and entryways that he sold to customers as far away as Georgia and Florida as well as home decor, lighting, textiles and accessories.
“‘American Pickers’ was a big inspiration to me,” Poynter said.
He said, “We offer on-site design services. People can bring a picture of the room they’re furnishing and we can give them advice. Or we can go to the home and help them out. We also carry a bridal registry.”
China is less popular with today’s newlyweds than stoneware, he said.
All of his stoneware is microwaveable, Poynter said.
Stained glass is still an important part of the business.
“My stained glass studio went from about 400 square feet to 2,200,” Poynter said. “I can handle up to 16 students in my stained glass classes here.”
Cathy Howard, the store’s manager, also teaches stained glass, he said.
“There’s a lot of stained glass in restoration projects, entryways and occasionally in churches,” Poynter said. “I did the stained glass at First Christian Church.”
He said he still does stained glass repair at churches when they need it.
“No job is the same,” Poynter said. “That’s what I like most about it.”
Store hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.
“I’m toying with Sunday hours because stores around me are open on Sunday,” Poynter said.
In the past year, Shoe Stop and Bella Ragazza Boutique have moved into the shopping center.
“That’s really helped traffic here,” Poynter said.
During the season of Thanksgiving, he said, “I thank my family and the community for the support that’s made my father’s dream — and my dream — come true tenfold.”