Our Story

Slovak Folk Crafts
"Where every customer is a missionary"

Our Story

This unusual mission project started with a new retail store that opened in the western Pennsylvania in December 2000. It now offers America's largest and finest selection of creative, handmade folk crafts imported from Slovakia (the eastern part of former Czechoslovakia). Here’s the story behind this business venture.

In the spring of 2000, we lived in Slovakia for four months where Anne taught at the University of Prešov. Having just sold my business so I could go with Anne to Slovakia, I had plenty of time to think about what kind of business I wanted to be involved in when we returned home.

We fell in love with this beautiful country of Slovakia and the talented, friendly, generous people there. Two things became apparent. First, many Slovaks are talented artisans who make a wide variety of beautiful, hand-made crafts – items not readily available in the United States. Second, Slovakia is struggling economically as they strive to establish a free market economy after being under communist domination for 40 years.

After considering these two factors, we decided to start a business to import Slovak folk crafts to the USA and sell them in a new store located about one hour north of Pittsburgh. Shortly before returning to the USA, we hired a Slovak to acquire these crafts and export them to us in America. We also incorporated two trading companies, one in Slovakia and another one in the USA when we got home, with three main goals:

Create jobs for Slovaks because their unemployment rate was nearly 20% at that time.
Reinvest the profit in Slovakia through charitable gifts to religious, educational, and cultural projects.
Educate Americans about Slovakia.

DIRECTIONS

If you get to Western Pennsylvania, come to the Slovak Folk Crafts mission shoppe. Repeatedly, people tell us what a delightful time they had at this unique shoppe. It is located near the intersection of I-79 and I-80. At exit 113 on I-79 (the Grove City Prime Outlets are here), travel east on Route 208 one mile toward Grove City. Located on the right, across from Gray's Nursery, the shoppe has plenty of free parking, is handicapped accessible, and motor coaches are welcome. Also, several very pleasant surprises await you upon your arrival.

Anne and Dave Dayton

Find out for yourself what makes this mission project a unique place to shop:

Visit the shoppe at 1605 S. Center St. in Grove City, PA.Open 9-5 Mon-Sat (see directions above),
Shop at the web store,
Download and print a copy of the brochure (uses Acrobat Reader which is free),
Get more information by calling us toll-free 1-866-SLOVAKS, or
Contact Anne or Dave Dayton by e-mail.