WELCH, WV (WOAY) – A staple of Welch that was closed for six months has recently reopened in a limited capacity in time for the holiday season.
The Jack Caffrey Arts and Cultural Center closed its doors on March 17th due to COVID-19. Two weeks ago, it opened back up with regulations in place. The timing is ideal for holiday shoppers, with a variety of options available in the center’s gift shop.
“We do have our gift shop open. Some great Christmas gifts available here,” said Welch Business Development Specialist Jason Grubb. “We’ve got paintings from local artists, quilts. Several books from different authors. We have kitchenware. And we’ve uncovered a box of centennial ornaments from the city of Welch. They’re from 1994. It was a forgotten relic from the past.”
The gift shop currently holds a variety of options for holiday shopping. This includes handmade gifts that allow local artists from around the area to put their talents on display.
“For folks from all around, it would be great to come in,” Grubb said. “Shop, get a painting. Again the quilts are amazing. We have such talent in the area. We have regional artists here. It’s not just folks from Welch who have items here. We’re always accepting new consignments here.”
The arts center is hoping to offer an outlet for several levels of talent to showcase their work this holiday season. It’s also working to increase its presence for when restrictions are lifted.
“We want to be an arts center, not just for our region, but for the world,” Grubb said. “So we’re excited about that. We have calls everyday of people wanting to place things in the gift shop, or wanting to know how to obtain items. We’re working on our online stores so folks can buy online soon. But right now, we’re just reopening and taking the baby steps to get open.”
The center is opening back up in phases, and will hopefully be spreading cheer for local families this holiday season.
