Blue Creek Shop Sells Quilts, Pottery

One year was all it took.

Margaret Koch - a native of Poland - got married and moved to Florida. She wanted to find a pastime.

She took up sewing and made a few quilts. She was searching for a hobby, not a new career.

The former clothing store owner and self-taught seamstress decided to take the plunge. She would open a new business.

Half of her retail space is covered with multi-colored bedding. Most of the rest consists of pottery - Polish and Bulgarian.

"My idea was that I should sell ... maybe," said Koch when asked about her endeavor into quilting.

Her Polish accent remains thick, but her English skills were developed only a few years ago. She visited Chicago from her native country, met her future husband - an admiral in the U.S. Navy - and eventually made a home in Spring Hill.

Undaunted by the slowed economy and her new surroundings, she opened her store last month.

"Spring Hill is small, but I hope there are people who want to buy nice things," she said.

Koch added pottery to her inventory because she thought it would go well with the decorative quilts she has hanging on the walls and racks.

The Polish pottery comes from Bolesluwiec, Poland. The Bulgarian variety comes from New York.

Ellie Guerin is a regular at a nearby salon. She noticed Koch's items through the window and decided to visit the store Saturday with her mother.

They were fixated on the blue and white Polish pottery.

"She had all of this over toward the window," said Guerin, recalling the first time she saw the display of cups and saucers. "I loved it. I thought it was so pretty."

There is more inside Blue Creek.

The store items closest to the window are the collection of Polish chess sets, which include hand-crafted pieces and boards made of oak.

The middle of the store includes wax pottery, candles, jewelry, hand-painted bookmarks and various knickknacks.

"I was thinking quilts and pottery," said Koch, still conscious of her Polish accent. "I already make the store bigger."

Her first foray into retail was plagued by Poland's increasing value-added taxes. Eventually, she worked for an insurance company. She liked it at the time, but in retrospect, her life was too mundane.

That is not the case today.

"I love this life," she said. "I'm so happy here."

Biz at a glance

Name of biz - Blue Creek Shop

Owner - Margaret Koch

What it is - Store for custom quilts, pottery and more

Where it is - 2149 Mariner Blvd. in Spring Hill

Hours of operation - 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday

Get in touch - 352-688-0811

On the Web - www.bluecreekshop.com.