ROBERTSDALE, Alabama — The Central Baldwin Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting on Tuesday, March 30 at Coastline Creations, located at 18451 Ohio St. in Robertsdale.

“This really is a dream come true for me,” said Mary Welsh, who owns the business with her son Hunter. “I feel like the city of Robertsdale needs something like this. There was nothing like this anywhere in Robertsdale.”

A native of Milton, Welsh moved to the Rosinton area in 1994. “I’ve been here so long, I feel like a native,” she said.

Her family owns two other businesses, Coastline Produce, a wholesale delivery company, and Coastline Seamless Gutters, both located in the same general area as Coastline Creations.

“I always wanted to have a store,” she said, “something where people could walk in off the street, I could interact with customers and meet their needs.”

The original idea, she said, was to make and sell crafts at local festivals and she was all set up to attend the 2020 Baldwin County Strawberry Festival in Loxley, when COVID-19 forced the festival to shut down.

Shortly thereafter, the space opened up near her other businesses on Ohio Street.

“We actually purchased the business in August, but we wanted to take our time to fill the store with items we thought people would want,” she said. “When we started, we still wanted to have hand-made items, but it’s such a big space and there’s so much out there, we decided to branch out and includes all kinds of craft items.”

She has been operating the store with her son and partner Jim Boesel since December. The storefront advertises coffee mugs, mason jars, candles, baby and kids’ items.

Welsh said she orders items at least once every two weeks and tries to look for different items every time she places an order.

“I want people to be able to see something different every time they walk through the door,” she said. “Whether its for a baby, mom or dad, husband or wife, I feel like we have something for everybody.”

Items can be purchased at the store, which is open 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, or by visiting online at coastlinecreations.online. The store also offers a 10 percent discount for first-time customers who like the Coastline Creations page on Facebook, and a 10 percent discount for customers who return with their receipt from their previous visit.

One of the featured items the store offers, Welsh said, are hand-made items from an organization called City of Refuge in Lucedale, Mississippi, which are all made by recovering addicts.

“This is a Christian organization where young men are taught a skill as part of their rehabilitation process,” Welsh said. “We have a great relationship with them. They are always very respectful and polite and offer an exceptional product that we are proud to display.”

Welsh said she wanted to thank the Chamber and the city of Robertsdale for welcoming the business.

“We’ve gotten a lot of customers from word of mouth advertising,” she said. “Other businesses in town have done a great job letting people know we are here and pointing them in the right direction.”

For more information visit the store’s website or call 251-752-6419.

The Central Baldwin Chamber of Commerce will host Business@Breakfast on Thursday, April 15 at the 519 Event Center on Alabama 59 South in Summerdale.

Breakfast will be served at 7:15 a.m. with a program beginning at 7:30 with featured speakers Sheriff Hoss Mack, District Attorney Bob Wilters and County Commissioner Billie Jo Underwood.

The event is free for Chamber members, $10 for potential members.

The Chamber will also host its 17^th Annual Central Baldwin Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, May 6 featuring guest speaker Kerry Stevenson beginning at 7 a.m. at the Baldwin County Coliseum in Robertsdale.

For more information on these and other events call 251-947-2626 or email bbutler@centralbaldwin.com.