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When Gloria Hardiman and her husband purchased the high-front 1916 general store, the idea was simple: “I wanted to sell my weaving and summer in Door County,” says Gloria. Doing most of the remodeling themselves, they opened Maple Grove Gallery in 1973. It didn't take long to find out that locals used to gossip around the potbellied stove in the former general store, giving the corner the nickname “Bullshit Corners”. Three decades later the building still bears the unmistakable look and simplicity of a country store, but people gather around Gloria's loom, located just inside the door, to watch her weave the colorful fabrics for which she is known. Maple Grove Gallery is recognized as a choice repository for elegant hand-woven garments. Luxurious handwoven items by Gloria and other fiber artists are displayed among delightful antique toys and country furniture. Gloria's emphasis is on clothing. You'll find full-length coats, jackets, capes, shawls and stoles as well as scarves, throws, and pillows for the home. Each is a handwoven, one-of-a-kind original. Her garments are both fashionable creations and artful compositions of color, texture and pattern. Because weaving is a tactile medium, she prefers soft yarns that feel good against the skin. Gloria takes a playful approach with color, whether weaving in rich, vibrant reds or adding a metallic counterpoint to a muted earth tone harmony. “Weaving is an art form,” she declares. “These are things a machine can't do.” |
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| Customer Review |
We lived in the Chicago metro area for nearly 30 years visiting Door County every three or four years. We discovered the Maple Grove Gallery not long after it opened and I looked forward to visiting the shop, reveling in the glorious colors and textures of the woven garments displayed. About 15 years ago I fell in love with a rainbow-colored, but predominantly red plaid hat and scarf. The hat was topped with a marvelous tassel containing all the bright mohair and wool novelty yarns woven into the cap, cut long enough to reach the turned under hem. My husband was appalled at the idea of paying $95 for a mere cap and scarf, but I had a tradition of wearing bright, red hats to cheer me through the long Midwestern winters and besides, I told him it would be my Christmas present. I've worn it almost every day of winter since. And it never fails to attract smiles and comments from everyone who sees it. I have NEVER ONCE worn this hat without someone saying “great hat” or “love that hat!” or some such remark. I've occasionally put it on when I felt lonely and set out upon some meaningless errand, in full confidence that someone would stop and talk to me, if only to comment on the hat. In winter, all of my friends recognize me from a distance. The janitor at my mom's nursing home started calling out in mid-October, “So when you gonna start wearing that hat again?” Our children's friends all thought it was cool. I once got a job on the strength of having the chutzpah to wear such a garment. We now live in Port Angeles, WA and just the other day I was waiting at the curb, mid block, intending to jaywalk across the one way street as soon as the light at the corner turned red and halted traffic. But a delivery van braked in front of me and gestured me to cross. When I reached the other side, his window was down and he yelled, “I just had to get a better look at this hat!” I don't know that any “thing” in my life has brought me more comfort and pleasure. Thank you, Gloria! |
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| Contact Information |
| Gloria Hardiman 9098 County Road F Fish Creek, WI 54212 Phone: 920 839 2693 E-mail: hardiman@dcwis.com Charge Cards: MasterCard, VISA, American Express |