Winona Elmore just opened her dream shop in Rockport, a farmhouse decor boutique called Gathering Thyme, opposite of Midcoast Recreation Center on Route 90. Her grand opening was Saturday, February 6.

“I had a vision of a place where people could come to find beautiful things for their home,” said Elmore, whose business is a family venture with help renovating the shop from her husband, her daughter, and her son-in-law.

Elmore’s shop is filled with dried flowers, wreaths, and bundles of herbs, along with repurposed, repainted furniture, crafts, candles, gifts, and other comfortable decorations for the home. Her aesthetic is “farmhouse decor,” which derives from the cozy, rustic look of farmhouse interiors.

The Elmore family all have a crafty side, and along with dried flower arrangements, her shop features upcycled furniture her husband repurposed, along with handsewn baby rattles made by her daughter. Gathering Tyme will also sell fresh and silk flowers in the summer.

“I used to own a flower business with my mother-in-law and we made a number of different dried arrangements and sold them at craft shows,” she said. Originally from southern Maine, Elmore is no stranger to retail, having worked in a number of similar shops over the years.

“I’ve always gone home with more products than my paycheck,” she joked.

Although the timing of opening in winter with the COVID-19 virus might have deterred some, Elmore had a passion for making this venture happen.

“You can’t let a pandemic stop your plans,” she said. “I just had to follow this through. You never know what’s going to happen tomorrow so you’ve got to go ahead and fulfill your dream.”

The shop is limited to five people currently with COVID-19 capacity protocols in place. They will also be hosting a Valentine’s Day workshop, February 11from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. as Elmore instructs participants how to make a sweetheart wreath, a rosebud bath scrub, and massage oil.

To learn more about the new shop visit them on Facebook and Instagram. Currently, their hours are Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com