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By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

PIERCETON — Barefoot Cottage offers a variety of home goods and gifts for sale.

“We’ve got refinished (items). We’ve got antiques. We’ve got handmade, a lot of barn material that we use to make stuff,” said Jo Mishler said, adding there was new stuff as well.

Mishler co-owns the business at 303 N. First St., Unit A, Pierceton, with Brad Fisher. The Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce had a ribbon-cutting for it on Tuesday, June 11.

Family and friends help out with Barefoot Cottage, including Mishler’s daughter Darien Todd.

Mishler had been selling home goods like those in Barefoot Cottage in a North Webster business, but took a break to focus on other things.

She kept purchasing items however and “finally had too much stuff,” said Todd.

“Then this became available, so I jumped on it, and we just put our own little touches inside because that’s what I had envisioned,” said Mishler.

The store opened in March, with hours thus far on Fridays and Saturdays only. Its expanded hours going forward are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays.

Barefoot Cottage’s name reflects Mishler’s lifestyle, said Todd.

“Mom is definitely barefoot at heart. She doesn’t like to wear shoes,” she said. “(The name) fits, very rustic.”

“We grew up on the lakes,” said Mishler, referring to the Lake Wawasee area.

She said she’ll refurbish furniture for people through Barefoot Cottage and help others do so as well.

“I’ve got all the supplies you need to do your own furniture, and I’m hoping to get to where I can offer booth space and maybe do a few classes a month,” said Mishler.

Todd added they hoped to “continue to provide those goods and furniture at a reasonable price to make it affordable for everybody” through Barefoot Cottage.