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Creative side leads to leap of faith

A new shop opening in Farmington is the culmination of a dream of two friends — one of whom is taking a leap of faith in a field far different from her previous career.

Angie Winch and Kelly Legan held grand opening events for The Copper Lantern, a home décor shop on 312 N. Washington St.

Winch retired in May after 25 years in education. Most recently, she was the principal of Lincoln Intermediate School.

She found herself undergoing health issues last school year and ended up having surgery. Winch said she began working with florals and wreaths at her home during her recovery time.

Around that time, her daughter Abbey’s dance team was hosting a fundraiser. Winch made some items for the event — something which, in her words, generated her excitement on the creative side.

“About that same time, my retirement statement came from the public school retirement system,” she said, discovering it would be the perfect time for her to retire based on her salary and the scale used by the state.

She acknowledged it was very scary when she realized this would be the perfect opportunity for her to retire.

“I’ve only known education. I’ve only known the calendar year to be August to June,” she said. “That fear factor came in.”

Winch returned to work once her recovery period was finished — but she said there continued to be “signs” for her plans for a home décor business to become a possibility.

“It’s almost like that snowflake that snowballed, and then became a snowman,” she said.

Winch said she is a true believer in God’s will for a person’s life and she turned to prayer to help her with the decision. She felt led one morning to share with her husband, James, her decision.

“I got up one morning and told James, ‘I think I need to do this. I think he’s telling me to take that leap of faith’,” she said of submitting her retirement. “I think James texted me several times ‘Are you sure?’ and I said ‘No, but I think I am’ … I just took that leap of faith.”

She said Legan, who works with First State Community Bank, joked about when Winch would retire so they could begin working toward their dream shop — not knowing Winch was now considering that possibility.

Winch said the two shared the dream of opening such a business for years and would visit similar stores on their trips around the country during their daughters’ dance competitions.

“We would look around and talk about how much fun it would be to do this,” she said. “Things just fell into place and it just happened.”

Winch remembers Legan messaged her the morning she planned to turn in her retirement papers to the district.

During spring break this year, the two visited similar businesses in other towns. They first thought of leasing booth space — not yet envisioning a standalone shop.

One day, while driving on North Washington Street, Winch noticed a “For Sale” sign in the front of Katherine Hardy’s law firm office.

“I called Kelly … and told her I know this is much bigger than what we talked about. But, this building is for sale and ideal for what we would want to do,” she said.

Winch said Legan loves the business side … while Winch loves the creative part of the store.

“It’s a good fit,” she said.

The name Copper Lantern came about after a month of the two sending ideas back and forth through a Google form.

“We’d go through (the names), say ‘no’ and marked some off,” Winch said. “We got down to five and sent them to our moms and family members, asking ‘what do you think?’ They helped us come up with Copper Lantern because Kelly loves copper and I have lanterns all over the place in my house.”

Cheryl Brenneke works at the store, helping create one-of-a-kind and made-to-order arrangements.

“She brings a wealth of talent and knowledge,” Winch said. “She started Country Junction in Park Hills. She’s kind of a mesh of Kelly and I together. She understands the business side of it and is so talented also.”

Winch laughed when she said Brenneke can tie raffia “like no one else.”

Making the jump from administrating students and staff to arranging bouquets and wreaths is the same — but, she says, with less stress.

“As an educator, your work day is 7:40 (a.m.) to 3:20 (p.m.), but your mind is constantly going. You’re thinking about what you should be doing to finish something up, kids you’re sending home into situations they should not have to be involved with and worried about them … your mind never shuts off and you’re never done,” she said. “With this, whenever you make an arrangement you finish it. That’s a satisfied feeling. It fills that need I have to accomplish something and, but then something that I can share with someone else and maybe put a smile on their face, too.”

Winch acknowledged she’s still tired at the end of the day … but, it’s a good exhaustion, she said.

Winch said she still cares for the students she’s had throughout the years. The store is a new way for her to focus on making a difference in someone’s life … if it means through a special gift lighting up the day.

“We do offer merchandise we purchase through vendors as well as custom designs,” Winch said. “If a customer has a picture or a container and they know what they want in it … we are more than happy to help them out.

“If I dream it, I’m going to make it happen.”

The Copper Lantern, a home decor business owned by Kelly Legan and Angie Winch, held grand opening events during the Farmington Fall Festival. The two friends took the leap in home decor business after Winch's retirement in May from the Farmington R-7 School District.

The Copper Lantern, a home decor business owned by Kelly Legan and Angie Winch, held grand opening events during the Farmington Fall Festival. The two friends took the leap in home decor business after Winch’s retirement in May from the Farmington R-7 School District.

A unique feature in The Copper Lantern is the wall of tables. Angie Winch saw the idea on the internet. With a little help from family to find tables - and the help of a local craftsman - Winch's vision for one area of the new shop came to life.

A unique feature in The Copper Lantern is the wall of tables. Angie Winch saw the idea on the internet. With a little help from family to find tables – and the help of a local craftsman – Winch’s vision for one area of the new shop came to life.

Shawnna Robinson is the managing editor of the Farmington Press and can be reached at 573-518-3628 or srobinson@farmingtonpressonline.com

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