OXFORD – This weekend marks the twentieth anniversary of an Oxford retail business that has managed its way though an ever wavering economy over the past two decades, and looks to the future with anticipation of the challenges that lie ahead.
Bill Troxell, a lifelong resident of Oxford, along with his wife Diane, plan to celebrate the milestone this weekend with an open house of their Gallery Three-Two-One – just a half mile from the center of Oxford village at 41 State street.
“We've been producing pottery out of this location for 40 years,” said Bill Troxell, discussing how the couple primarily sold their wares on the road at shows, festivals and other's shops. “We had always dedicated the space for retail from the beginning – it was always the plan, and so a little more than 20 years ago the decision was made to materialize that goal, and the ground work was laid for the retail business you see today.”
The Troxell's purchased their blighted dairy barn in the mid seventies and began a series of major renovations to accommodate their vision. Photographs posted around the first story retail area document the both the heyday and ailing state of deterioration the building presented upon the Troxell's acquisition.
The mission of Gallery Three-Two-One is simple. As artisans, Bill and Diane believe that promoting and sustaining American, locally made products is paramount. “We design, create and sell quality,” said Troxell, “and our retail operation supports and promotes approximately 250 other artisans who feel the same way.”
Maintaining and operating, profitable business in the challenging economic climate of the 2000's was no smooth sailing. By implementing a series of savvy financial decisions, marketing strategies and adjusting their business model to offset what could have been a detrimental decade, Bill and Diane made it though with all of their necessary business facets intact.
The husband and wife team relentlessly work in tandem to push the successful operation along. The diverse operations that meld together creating a one of a kind retail experience are as varied as they are complex.
“We do it all,” said Troxell, “the clay that we use to pot comes in as a dry, raw product and leaves our store a finished, functioning product.”
A stroll through the production area at the lowest level of the renovated and re-purposed 17th century dairy barn reveals several tuning stations, painting, glazing and drying areas, as well as both custom and “mass-produced” works in progress, all of which are unique and one-of-a-kind.
The second floor is home to the retail area and is aflood with natural light, which serves to showcase the artwork displayed in its past form. The open beams of the gallery pay homage to the mid-17th century dairy that the space played home to at its conception.
All items on display are available for purchase and range from jewelry, pottery and wood and fine arts – all custom made by hand.
For this weekend’s twentieth year anniversary celebration, a pottery firing demonstration will be performed in addition to the promotion of works from approximately eight new artists that have been added to the lineup over the winter.
The open house will be a weekend long event, open both Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information, “like” Gallery Three-Two-One, visit them online at gallery32one.com or call 843-9538.