This year marked the 70th anniversary of a Columbus art staple with deep roots. Winnemore’s Contemporary Craft Gallery, known as the oldest gallery of its kind in the country, has displayed handmade work since 1938.

Helen Winnemore first opened her gallery as The Afternoon Shop. It was nothing fancy, just a display of fellow Quakers’ work in her Grandview home. She displayed pieces wherever she had the space, which was commonly in cabinets and drawers.

When the downtown store debuted, customers missed hunting through Winnemore’s cabinets and drawers to find their art treasures. So, to meet that odd, yet popular, demand, today’s store has 40 drawers for handmade jewelry and customers are still offered coffee or tea while they peruse the selection.

Winnemore built her extensive business behind her strong relationships with artisans. This may explain why it has lasted 30 to 40 years longer than similar galleries, says current owner Sarah Kellenberger Harpham.

After dedicating her life to her gallery, Helen Winnemore died in 1996 at the age of 95. A year later, Harpham purchased the store to keep her legacy alive.

Although Harpham did not know Winnemore, she has a connection to the gallery: she remembers shopping at the store with her mother as a child.

“I’ve always felt like it’s a magical place,” she says.

Consumers can find just about anything in Winnemore’s Contemporary Craft Gallery. Items are commonly made out of clay, glass, wood, metal and fiber or leather. Harpham encourages shoppers to pick pieces up and get to know them, which is part of the store’s intrigue.

“It’s an interactive experience,” she says. “You have to touch these things. We are sensory beings. They serve us in ways that will help us nurture our spirits. There’s already a special kind of energy that goes into handmade work.”

Another part of Winnemore’s appeal is all the art is handmade in the United States.

Today’s store, located at 150 E. Kossuth St. in German Village, is a complete reflection of the life and works of Helen Winnemore. Whether a first-time buyer or a long-repeat patron, customers react to the store and the work it holds, and they have been doing it for a long time.

“They know this place is different than most places they’ve seen,” Harpham says. “And they feel that.”

For more information about Winnemore’s, call 614-444-5850.

Megan Krause is a contributing writer for CityScene.