I sold five yesterday. Doormats. $49.50 for the medium and $79.50 for the large. Three are going to Nova Scotia, one to New Jersey and one is going a few miles down the road. That's a lot of doormats for a tiny shop (12 x 15) located 40 miles from the nearest traffic light, 2 1/2 hrs from the nearest Starbucks and on a deadend that dumps you into the Atlantic just 3 miles down the road. But these are doormats with a story...Once upon a time, a right whale became entangled in the floating rope that a lobsterman used to tether his traps together. One of about 300 right whales still remaining in the Atlantic. Federal environmental regulations to the rescue.... Hear ye! Hear ye! All lobstermen shall now replace float rope, which could entangle, with sinking rope that oughtn't. Many cuss words and $$ spent later, rope sinks, the whales are better off and the already beleagured fishermen are themselves further threatened with endangerment. I digress, this was a doormat story...
So, all that unemployed float rope was headed for the landfill when it was diverted to a cordage factory in Waldoboro, Maine. Now it is being woven into colorful, indestructible doormats that are adding fun and function to doorways from... Nova Scotia to New Jersey. I am donating 10% of my proceeds to Penobscot East Resource Center, which is working to ensure the survival of the species known as fisherman. But that's another story...
