COBLESKILL, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Kari Shafer started Shafer’s Homestead in 2018 selling fresh produce at the end of her driveway in Cobleskill. Now she’s opening a store and adding “Mercantile” to the name.

The homestead covers the fresh produce that she sells. “If people can’t afford it and they need it, they can take it,” said Shafer, “We try to price everything really low so that people can afford fresh vegetables, garlic and eggs for their family.”

The mercantile covers the different crafts, thrift flips and handcrafted soy wax candles that Shafer makes herself. She also has home décor, blankets, pillows, knick knacks, Dixie Belle Paint, Iron Orchid Designs products such as transfers, stamps, and molds, and house plants.

Shafer also wholesales her soy wax candles to four places around the area. You can find them at Grapevine Farms in Cobleskill, The Speckled Hen in Glenville, Bittersweet Farm Mercantile in West Burlington, and Schoharie Valley Farms in Schoharie.

“It’s been the past two years that everything has really grown,” said Shafer. “I focused on actual retail and it’s blown up. We’re very blessed.”

Shafer’s Homestead & Mercantile will be located at the old Aero Ford dealership at 2457 Route 7 in Cobleskill. The shop is all painted and they are in the process of making countertops and moving in the products.

Shafer hopes to open in early May. The shop will be open Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.