John Hyndman moves between exhibits of paint and DIY materials, recommending materials needed for customers’ projects.
He brings over 30 years of experience to the best of his ability to assist his patrons.
Thistle & Co. fills every inch of wall space. Shelves and display tables feature an eclectic mix of knick-knacks and decorations, with art supplies scattered in between.
Unfinished picture frames, boxes, and trays.
stencil. vase. Seasonal item.
Hindman’s studio is partly in a separate room. Here, the shopkeeper teaches DIY workshops.
Parts Store and Parts Art Studio Thistle & Co. has been the go-to destination for DIYers and crafters in the Lehigh Valley and beyond since 2020.
Mr. Hindman’s journey to own an art supply store began with his first business, Thistle, in Frenchtown, New Jersey, more than 20 years ago.
He and his partner Jack Weeks are trained in interior design, and Hindman has a passion for decorative painting.
“I needed an outlet for that, so I opened a little shop,” Hindman said.
They continued to run the original store when they moved to Bethlehem seven years ago. But after a year of long commutes, they closed their New Jersey store and looked for property closer to home.
He thought it would take at least a year to find the perfect location. Instead, it took six months.
The DIY store, located in a converted Victorian mansion at 835 Broadway, was previously a flower shop and, before that, a funeral home.
For Hyndman, maintaining Thistle was important to raising his profile. Hindman’s partners saw “& Co.” written on a store sign in England and thought it was time to add it, and Thistle & Co. was born.
“The store’s name is actually kind of unique,” Hindman said. “For some people thistles are weeds, for others they are flowers. So we help turn furniture weeds into flowers.”
On September 6, 2024, crafts were on display in a corner of Thistle & Company. The store sources many of its products from online wholesalers. (Tommy Wang/B&W Staff)
Instead of in-person openings, Hindman pivoted to online. To open the store online, he reached out to Iron Orchid Designs and Fusion Mineral Paints, who had previously purchased products to sell in the store, to purchase additional inventory.
Neither company sells directly to customers. Rather, it directs customers to retailers such as Thistle & Co.
Online sales were strong. Thistle & Co. continues to sell its products to customers across the United States and received its first order to Canada in the spring.
Bethlehem resident Sue Hicks first discovered Thistle & Co.’s website through Fusion Paints.
Someone who had repainted furniture in the past and was not happy with the paint recommended Fusion Paints.
Hicks researched the brand and found it was sold on Amazon, but she said she prefers to buy locally whenever possible. That’s when she discovered Thistle & Company.
Now she is a regular customer of the store.
“(John) is there for quite a long time each time because I enjoy going with him,” Hicks said. “He makes it a fun experience. He loves to show you things and give you his time. He would rather put his heart and soul into it and enjoy my time and money. I want a local person who will help me.”
Thistle & Co. is also a DIY studio where Hindman teaches workshops.
We offer a wide range of classes, from introductory projects like picture frames and porch signs to more advanced options like bringing furniture into our store and renovating it.
“Workshops are a priority,” Hindman said. “So whenever I have it, it’s fine. I can schedule it outside of normal hours or during hours. In that case, I have someone who can run the store while I’m doing the workshop.” Masu.”
As Stella, a 14-year-old poodle pinscher, wanders around the store chasing customers and napping on dog beds in the store, Hindman’s sister-in-law, Susie Weeks, is behind the register. I’m in
“This store has a certain following. We are a destination,” Weeks said. “We have repeat customers who know what they need, but we also have customers who don’t know anything about all this. It’s really half and half.”
Thistle & Co. is a local DIY store located at 835 Broadway, Fountain Hill, PA. The store has been offering home decor, crafts, and customized workshops for over four years. (Tommy Wang/B&W Staff)
For Hindman, workshops are about allowing customers to try something new or try DIY.
He said it was important to him to provide a space and serve as a resource for people to create something they can be proud of.
“I’m excited to share my knowledge and passion with them,” Hindman said. “I don’t let anyone take on projects that I don’t think are appropriate, so this is a win-win for everyone.”
Lehigh Valley resident Betsy Schneekloth has taken two workshops with Hindman and said she hopes to do more in the future.
Like Hicks, Schneecross was introduced to Thistle & Co. through Fusion Paint and then learned about the workshops offered on the website.
Schneekloth and two of her friends took the class together and had a lot of fun.
“He will help us and give us advice,” Schneekloth said. “But he never did any work for us. He just gave us suggestions about things that might be suitable for our work. ‘This isn’t good. Maybe.” you might want to do this. ”
She said she gave her friends gift certificates for another class for Christmas, which they took together.
For Hindman, Thistle & Company is a semi-retirement job. He plans to continue and see where the road takes him, but that will depend on how long the DIY trend lasts.
The store has some regular customers, and Hindman said he’s happy with that.
“I’m not looking for foot traffic, otherwise I’d be on Main Street,” Hyndman said. “It’s just me. This is my pre-retirement job so I don’t have to manage a large staff.”
Still, the studio isn’t large enough to accommodate large classes, so Hindman is considering finding another space. Hyndman said she loves teaching small classes of three people, but would be more flexible if she had the space to accommodate classes of 10 or more.
Hindman also hopes to introduce a new addition soon: open studio time on Wednesdays.
With this addition, customers will be able to pay by the hour for the use of in-store studios.
Their access to Mr. Hindman, his expertise, and craft supplies limits the need for personal investment in new supplies.
“I meet a lot of people who say, ‘I have furniture, can you paint it for me?'” Hindman said. “And I say, ‘No, but I’ll show you how.’ It’s like a virus in that it spreads.
“And they’ll keep painting and keep coming back.”
