Tour 684 continues July 2 with local art, food
With the invention of cellphones and contact lists, many people these days can't recite the phone numbers they call the most.
But the Milton community remembers a time when all town residents shared one phone exchange – 684. Eva K. Smith managed Milton’s telephone exchange until approximately 1946 in a small room above her millinery shop, which now houses Ogre's Grove, at 129 Union St.
When the owners of Ogre's Grove and Frantic Frets were brainstorming a way to give shoppers a safe way to support local products, they came up with a collaboration called Tour 684. Instead of hosting a market in one place, vendors are invited to showcase their wares at participating Milton businesses from 3 to 7 p.m. the first Friday of the month, May through October. The tour is reliant on the weather cooperating, as most vendors set up outdoors.
Tour-goers can plan their routes monthly by viewing the Google Map at tinyurl.com/tour684map. To introduce different products to different audiences, many vendors switch locations from month to month. Instead of a booth fee, they donate items to give away to lucky customers. Follow @Tour684 on Facebook for chances to win local creations.
Smaller shops like Ogre's Grove and King's Homemade Ice Cream only have room to host a vendor or two, but they're also within walking distance of each other. Kids can enjoy comic books and ice cream as usual while the adults check out new shopping options.
Neighboring businesses Fuel Automotive, Frantic Frets Music & Antiques and Lockwood Design have partnered to become one location on Broadkill Road. In addition to picking up pretty things from artisans and the Milton Garden Club, attendees can savor tasty eats from the Broadkill Store on Tour food truck while listening to live music coming from the Frantic Frets deck.
Organizers thank ProStitch Embroidery for providing signs to each location, which include Brimming Horn Meadery, Broadkill Farmers Market, Broadkill Tattoo Company, Dough Bar and Irish Eyes. They also thank event sponsors i.g. Burton, the Lisa Mathena Group, Salon Milton and the Law Office of Denise D. Nordheimer, Esq., LLC.
Go to tour684.com for more information.
