It Happened in Crawford County: From farming and flowers to market owner
Chris Schimpf is a son of Joe and Joyce Wood Schimpf. Karen Eckstein is Chris’ sister. According to Mrs. John (Wanda) Schimpf, Frederick and Rosena Sammet Schimpf came to Chatfield Township with his parents, Andreas and Katharina Gruber Schimpf, from Hoesselsuelz, Germany, in 1848.
Chris started school at Holmes Liberty, then Mt. Zion Junior High and finally to Wynford High School. He was involved in marching band — a favorite — plays and musicals. Chris appreciates music. His sister-in-law, Desra Ulrich, is a flute teacher at the University of Findlay. Chris graduated from Wynford in 1990 and went on to Taylor University in Upland, Indiana. He graduated in 1994 with a history degree and a minor in psychology.
Chris moved home and started farming with his parents who raised hogs for Hord’s. Then in 1995, Chris married Andrea Ulrich, a daughter of Ed and Carolyn Ulrich of Bucyrus. They taught school in Bucyrus — Ed, business classes, and Carolyn, elementary. After high school, Andrea also went to Taylor U., from 1992 until 1995 when she graduated. Andrea went on to Kent State and got a master’s degree in library science and was the youth and assistant director at Bucyrus Library from 1996 to 2002. Next, Shelby High School Library hired her and assisted her in getting a library education degree through Ohio Dominican College. In 2012, Andrea left Shelby and became the librarian at Seneca East School where their children, Jolie and Emilia, attend school.
Chris started his own business in 2002, with the help of Andrea, called Eyestone Flower Farm. They raised lilies, gladiolus, sunflowers, zinnia and lots of cockscomb. There was a huge market for celosia; it was their bread-and-butter item. The farmers markets were in Worthington, Clintonville, Grandview Heights and Westerville. In the fall, it was pumpkins. Chris said it’s very physical raising everything until harvest time to sell at markets. They also harvested their own bulbs — a big money saver. Andrea was especially good at marketing, and the Columbus market saw them as a couple.
Things in life fell into place, as they often do. Kent and Laura Pfeifer Stuckey were in the process of starting Pickwick Place. They contacted Chris and Andrea Schimpf and asked if they were interested in becoming involved. Even though it wasn’t exactly known how they would fit into the Stuckeys’ plans, Chris had the marketing experience. Besides, they had years of friendship. They started cleaning Pickwick Place, the old Michael Stables, and deciding how to utilize the buildings and the directions they should take. Early on they decided the north building, with the barn doors, would be the market. They officially became The Market at Pickwick LLC in 2015 and hauled wagons out to the front selling veggies and apples. Ethan and wife Hannah Kocher Stuckey are also owners. Ethan planted 4,000 apple trees for a long-term start.
The owners moved into the market in 2016. By the end of the year they had expanded into the back. Chris was getting a crash course on how to order, saying, “I was very naïve; it was sink or swim.” Just learning where to find good products, he took the attitude from the beginning — what do area people want, the lake traffic and traveler’s passing by? The traveler might need supplies for the road and especially junk food to snack on. Chris wanted products that were unique and surprising, not the usual items. One of Chris’ strategies is selling Dave Kennedy’s ceramic cups in the front. It gives the impression of a market with varied items. Chris also wants people to get good peaches and strawberries and find the unusual, such as the fast-selling “Kickles Pickles.” Sometimes he can barely keep them in stock.
The Market is Chris’ main focus. While the other two parts — The Loft and The Stalls — are important, Chris supports them and they support him, too; however, he isn’t involved in their decisions.
With COVID hitting in 2020, they had great local support. In 2021 they made two important decisions — building the café and adding on to the market.
In closing, Chris is thankful to be a part of the community — to offer products and job opportunities and a place where people feel it is "their market and a place to meet friends." Chris feels it should be everybody’s place. He thinks there is a strong sense of community here, and The Marketplace desires to be a great addition and promote other businesses in Bucyrus, too. Chris wants it to be a welcoming place and please come back. It’s great when he overhears someone say "it’s my market." It warms his heart.
Go online for more of Mary Fox’s stories and photos on bucyrustelegraphforum.com. If you are interested in sharing a story, write Mary Fox, 931 Marion Road, Bucyrus, OH 44820 or email littlefoxfactory@columbus.rr.com.
This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Chris Schimpf's story from the farm to The Market at Pickwick
