PHOTO BY JACOB KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
RIBBON CUTTING… Horn & Hollow owner Brittani Schuhler cuts the ribbon during the store’s grand opening Thursday, Aug. 13, in Fayette. Joining her are family members, friends, community supporters and village officials.
By: Jacob Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jacob@thevillagereporter.com
When Brittani Schuhler moved to Fayette from Washington state, she was looking for a place where she could begin writing again.
A little more than a year later, she is putting down deeper roots in the community with Horn & Hollow.
The thrift, vendor and community marketplace celebrated its grand opening and ribbon-cutting Thursday, Aug. 13, at 105 N. Fayette St.
Schuhler took ownership of the store Aug. 6, exactly three years after the previous store’s ribbon-cutting. One week later, she was ready to introduce Horn & Hollow to the community.
“I am insanely excited,” Schuhler said. “I’ve been here pretty much the entire time, just trying to get everything ready for everyone.”
Affordability and support for independent creators are at the heart of the business. Horn & Hollow carries clothing, household goods, tools, children’s items and seasonal merchandise, along with handmade products from vendors and books by independent authors.
The store also has a video section meant to recreate the experience of browsing a rental store in the 1990s.
DVDs sell for $1 to $2, while VHS tapes can sell for as little as five for $1. A dollar clothing rack is available, and Schuhler plans to add a 25-cent rack. “I really believe in supporting local,” she said. “That’s huge to me.”
Schuhler’s own creative work played a large role in her decision to purchase the store. She has been developing a fictional story since 2017, but the project has expanded to include books, music and filmed skits.
“It’s turned into its own cosmos,” Schuhler said. “And so, I needed a store in order to share the full story with everyone because there’s so much more to it than just words in the book.”
She wants Horn & Hollow to become more than a place to shop. A game room offers space for people to play games such as Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering, and Schuhler is working to add a Ms. Pac-Man arcade game.
She also plans to introduce a membership program with discounts and early access to newly arrived merchandise.
Schuhler said the support she has received in Fayette has made the new venture especially meaningful.
When mobility issues made it difficult for her to prepare for the grand opening, her vendors came to the store and helped finish the work.
“It’s hard not to cry,” Schuhler said. “I haven’t seen that kind of support in 30 years.”
With the ribbon-cutting behind her, Schuhler plans to keep adding merchandise, vendors and activities as she works to make Horn & Hollow a place where people can shop, gather and discover something new each time they visit.