The Creative Getaway in Marion, Ill., celebrates 3rd anniversary, welcomes fellow Southern Illinois small business to studio

MARION, Ill. (KBSI) – “It seems like just yesterday, we were being told that opening in the middle of a pandemic would never work, and here we are,” said Johni Hogue, who opened her DIY Craft Studio, The Creative Getaway, in 2020 with her grandmother Norma Spurlock.

Hogue described how the idea for this studio came about. 

“I started doing scrapbooking when I was about 12, and one thing led to another, and so I would always make projects for people and sell them, and everyone would always tell me that I should teach them how to do it or open my own store where people could come in and buy things, and so here we are,” she said.

Hogue said in the beginning, the business revolved around take-home kits, but as restrictions eased, they transitioned to more in-person workshops. 

“I always say it’s better to do it here because you don’t have to clean up the mess. We do that for you,” she said.

And at The Creative Getaway’s 3rd anniversary celebration, Hogue welcomed a couple of her customers who started their own business in June. 

Heather Barrow and Nikki Hadley co-own Bonded Permanent Jewelry. 

“We found out about the concept a year ago, started thinking about it, really kind of looking into it more and more and about three months ago, we pulled the trigger and decided that we were going to take a leap of faith and start a business,” Barrow said.

“We’re both empty nesters, so we wanted something that was a little bit more for us and not just for our family and our kids, and so it’s our project, and we have just taken off,” Hadley said.