JAY — The local economy has taken its toll on another small business. Tasteful Creations on Route 4 began a going-out-of-business sale this week, and will close at the end of December.

“The area has been hard-hit with the mill closing and the economy,” said owner Laura Fitzgerald, who has devoted herself to the business for the past 15 years.

She worked in the home decoration and flower shop prior to buying the business about seven years ago, she said.

Tasteful Creations opened 18 years ago in the small ski shop down the street from the present location. The shop was moved to the Jay Plaza near the Hannaford supermarket and made a final move to a former private home south of the plaza.

Sales of country and primitive decorations, hutches, Yankee candles and other decorative furniture pieces started declining over the past three years. She began with a staff of six in 2003 and now has one employee, she said.

“I’ve had to cut down on everything,” she said. Not only at the store, but on her personal buying, also.

The response to the “going out of business” signs in the window have produced a flurry of customers over the past two days, Fitzgerald said.

“The parking lot has been full; I appreciate the support shown by customers and the community,” she said, wondering whether there would be enough stock left to make it through the end of December.

The store is actually two stores in one, she said, looking at three large coolers full of flowers. From the store’s flower shop, she has provided flowers for weddings and funerals.

She also ventured into interior design, going into people’s homes to help them decorate. Decorative signs have been produced at the store and she has refurbished older things in an attempt to keep the business running.

“I’ve done everything I can think of,” she said.

Laura and her husband, Darryl, made the difficult decision to close after spending much of their own money trying to keep it going, she said.

She intends to move items left over from the shop into her home and run a Web site from which she’ll sell the remaining stock.

Plans for her future are uncertain, she said.

abryant@sunjournal.com

Tasteful Creations owner Laura Fitzgerald displays some decorative items offered by the small business in Jay that will close at the end of December.

Tasteful Creations owner Laura Fitzgerald displays some decorative
items offered by the small business in Jay that will close at the end
of December.

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