Pioneer Times photo/Gloria Austin
NEW GIRL IN TOWN — Kim Maynard has just opened County Girl Collectibles at 51 Bangor Road in Houlton. Her product lines range from primitive and vintage to country and shabby-chic. County Girl Collectibles is open Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
A new girl in town
By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
HOULTON — The doors were open to a new business located on 51 Bangor St., nestled between CarQuest and Kitchen’s Garage, as an open house was held at County Girl Collectibles Saturday.
Kim Maynard, owner of the shop, came up with the name because as she said, “I am originally from The County. I love The County and I wanted it to reflect my roots.”
Maynard who grew up in Fort Fairfield has just moved back to Aroostook after 26 years. Her husband, Al Maynard, is the branch manager for Freightliner of Maine. The couple reside in the Shiretown.
“We jumped at the chance to move back home,” she said with a smile.
County Girl Collectibles is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday, as Maynard tests the market.
“I have always wanted to open a shop and everything fell into place,” she said. “I love to shop. I love to decorate. So, the combination works great.”
Owning a store is unfamiliar ground for Maynard, as she worked at Eastern Maine Medical Center as an administrative assistant. However, her administrator Fran Wren was responsible for EMMC’s gift shop.
“I became very good friends with the manager, Linda Brown, stopping in daily,” said Maynard. “Linda has since retired, but is consulting and helping me quite a bit. I want to say a special ‘thanks’ to her, as well as Corinna from Country Creations in Pittsfield. Be sure to stop by her shop if you are down that way.”
Pioneer Times photo/Gloria Austin
REPRESENTS — This corner of the County Girl Collectibles says it all. Owner Kim Maynard has a variety of primitive, vintage and country products from home décor to furniture.
Each area of the shop is designated to a particular theme like a children’s corner with old-fashioned wooden games to stuffed animals and dolls; a men’s corner of hand-carved boxes by Maynard’s brother-in-law Jimmy Holmes, as well as fish, deer and moose items. Another corner is what Maynard calls “mom’s” where there are prints framed of children and horses.
Just in time for the holidays, Maynard has set up a corner to highlight all things Christmas. There are ornaments, snowmen, gift ideas and, of course, Maine-made products like jams and honey.
Throughout the shop, visitors will discover a wide assortment of primitive and vintage to country and Shabby-chic — a form of interior design where furniture and furnishings are either chosen for their appearance of age and signs of wear and tear or where new items are distressed to achieve the appearance of an antique. At the same time, a soft, opulent, yet cottage-style decor, often with an affected feel is emphasized to differentiate it from genuine period decor — merchandise.
Maynard has been creating crafts for 20 years and feels right at home with her designs.
“I have homemade burlap wreaths and burlap lighted trees,” she said. “I saved the traditional cabinets from our home and Mandie, a mother of five in Lincoln, painted them. I have Twinkle lights, country throws and much more. County Girl Collectibles certainly reflects my personality.”
Her sister, Donna Holmes, noted that Maynard has an interior design eye and knows just what pieces to put together.
“She just puts things in places and they look amazing,” she added.
Helping others is a trait she learned from her mother and father, who Maynard said, “have been very supportive” in this new venture.
Maynard invites the public to stop by and see her shop.
“There is something for everyone,” she said.
New items are arriving daily.
