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Joe Studio - A Man-'O-War Tradition
In New England it is a tradition for small shops and boutiques to hold an open house the Saturday after Thanksgiving Day to bring in the Christmas season. Marianne Albury, wife of Joe Albury, who together own and manage Joe's Studio in Man-O-War, decided ten years ago to bring this New England tradition to Man-O-War and to Joe's Studio. What started out as a very small open house has turned into an event that last year brought about 300 people to Joe's Studio for the open house.
What is an Open House? Well, in the New England tradition, free or complimentary refreshments are served to the customers. Christmas music is played and the store is fully decorated for Christmas. Marianne has kept to the true New England tradition of having Massachusetts-made apple cider served as the beverage some is mulled and other is kept plain. If the weather is chilly on the day of the open house the cider is warmed. If the weather is hot the cider is served cold. In addition Joe makes conch fritters to keep things Bahamian and other residents of Man-O-War as well as winter residents who have returned bring cakes and cookies and other goodies to serve. Last year Joe made 2000 conch fritters.
The activities start at 10AM at Joe's Studio and go until...??? Last year Albury's Ferry ran a special ferry from Hope Town and a larger ferry from Marsh Harbour to accommodate all of the persons who wished to attend the Open House. One might say it is the function of November in Abaco.
The shop is decorated for Christmas and Marianne says it is the busiest and best sale day of the year. One room houses the decorated Christmas tree with a huge selection of ornaments for sale. The ornaments are not only Bahamian made but also come from all over the world as well. Sherry Roberts of Marsh Harbour is represented with her Christmas Angel ornaments.
The main room of the shop houses the T-shirts, hats and other clothing items. In addition there is a selection of books about the Bahamas and Abaco. In the back is the Bahamian room where Joe Albury's famous half scale dinghies as well as the huge 36 inch ribbed half scale dinghies are displayed. Joe's handmade furniture is also located there as well as a boat full of sponges. There is a table linen line with Joe's studio logo on it. Also Abaco Ceramics of Treasure Cay has created an exclusive line of ceramic pieces with the Abaco dinghy logo on them that is only sold at Joe's Studio. In fact Marianne said that this summer she could not keep the Abaco Ceramic pieces in stock as they sold so fast. Karen McIntosh and her crew from Abaco Ceramics in Treasure Cay make plates, mugs, lamps and other pieces with Abaco Dinghys on it for Joe's Studio.
Corporal Simmons of Sandy Point has straw work on display and for sale. There are also straw baskets that have been made in Red Bay Andros.
This year will mark the tenth year of the open house and Marianne says each year it has grown. She laughed when she said her husband may have to make more than 2000 conch fritters this year. She says she spends the day running around replenishing stock, but she loves every minute of it. Having grown up in New England the day after Thanksgiving is the traditional launch of the Christmas season and when she married Joe and moved to Man-O-War she missed it, so she decided when they opened the studio she would have an open house and from there it just keeps getting bigger and better. In fact other businesses have adopted her idea, only they do it the first Friday evening in December. Cultural Illusions and Buds and Blooms will be having their Open House on December 4th, 1998
Last year one of her brothers brought down the apple cider and stayed for the open house. He enjoyed himself so much he is coming back this year and again he is bringing the cider. In the past Marianne had it frozen in Massachusetts and shipped to Florida and then brought over here by her husband.
Marianne Albury loves the Christmas Season as do most New Englanders. I speak for myself also as that is the last part of the US where I grew up and lived and worked before I married a Bahamian.One thing for sure, if all goes well I will be on the ferry November 28 to attend Joe's Studio Open House.
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