The old Farmers' Cooperative building on East Main Street appeared doomed to destruction after the business closed about a year before, but Graef breathed new life into the building and into Gentry's downtown business district by renovating the sagging structure and readying it to open as an antique mall, with venders and local artisans renting booths and displaying their crafts and artifacts.
Graef relocated to northwest Arkansas from her native Texas because she loved the beautiful Ozark country. She had owned her own business at Country Classics in Tontitown but decided she wanted to use the money she spent to rent space and pay commissions to buy her own building.
"I thought, with what I paid in rent and commission, 'Why not purchase a piece of real estate?' That way," she said, "in 10 to 15 years, I'll end up owning my business building."
Graef chose Gentry because she liked the country charm and the people here.
"I felt wanted here. The people and local businesses have been helpful and encouraging," she said, saying that was not the case in other places she inquired.
Graef said she had looked for a building for about two years before deciding on the co-op building. She purchased the building, built in 1952 by Earl Alcorn with the assistance of local farmers, from the Farmers' Cooperative. The land, she purchased from Kansas City Southern Railroad.
"I'm resourceful and tenacious," Graef said of her efforts to purchase the land from the railroad. "I kept calling them twice a day. I knew, sooner or later, they would work with me." And they did, she said.
When she purchased the building and land, her work was just beginning. The building was full of the dirt and remains of a years-old farm business. She hired a hazardous material firm to help with the safe removal of old farm chemicals and pesticides.
"I believe in protecting the environment," she said. "And I wouldn't want an employee or worker here to accidentally breathe a chemical or pesticide which would cause them harm."
The roof was sagging a bit too; and, at the suggestion of Jim Kooistra, a Gentry architect, Graef had large timbers specially cut to match existing supports and add two new rows of support columns. She hopes to have the building listed on the state's register of historic places.
Cleaning, repairs and painting were ongoing in preparation for the opening of the new Gentry business. In addition to hired workers, Graef had the help of family and friends to get everything ready.
Graef, an art major and graduate of the University of North Texas, Denton, restores antiques, old chandeliers and country primitives. She likes hand-made folk art. She already has an established clientele in dealers from Ft. Smith, Tulsa and Dallas.
