[Marlin Democrat] -- Candles and gifts corralled in downtown Marlin

Candles and gifts corralled in downtown Marlin
New ranch in town holds grand opening

By Denise Schoppe
Staff Writer

The Marlin Democrat
August 11, 2004

Driving through Marlin, the fact that, unlike many small towns today, the streets are lined with active shops, and cars sit bumper to bumper along both sides of the street, makes the town stand out. There’s the hardware store, antiques, books, clothing and restaurants. They sit one beside the other, each one battling to get the attention of all potential customers.

One such shop recently received a total make over, and it is hard not to take a second look at the new, yet rustic atmosphere it portrays.

Many businesses have been housed in this historic downtown building since it’s construction in the 1800’s.

“This used to be the game room, and it was horrible,” Lea Kluck, owner of Ranch House Candles and Gifts, said. “We bought it and remodeled it.”

The inside and outside of the former game room has been transformed into a combination accounting office and rustic store filled with a wide range of items with a Texas feel to them.

“We remodeled the outside, put new cedar up, had it all repainted, replaced the broken windows and put new carpet in,” Kluck said. “We did all kinds of stuff.”

The newly remodeled building houses both Ranch House Candles and Gifts, and Kluck Accounting, owned by Lea’s husband, Charlie.

The couple was born and raised in Marlin. Charlie’s parents were the late Alford, a rancher, and Ida Kluck, owner of Candy Cane Nursery. Lea’s parents are Howard, a farmer, and Flow Kroll, who is retired from Southwestern Bell.

Charlie went on to Texas A&M University where he got a degree in accounting and became a Certified Public Accountant. Today, his office is in Bryan. The couple has three children.

Ranch House Candles and Gifts started with Lea selling Circle E candles.

“I had a friend who used to sell them, and she quit selling them,” Kluck explained. “She got me stuck on them, so I got my tax ID number and started selling them myself. I’ve done really well.”

Her success with the candles soon expanded into larger items.

“Our old office was very small,” she said. “I wanted to get into bigger stuff. I like this stuff and it’s a hassle to go to Waco.”

Kluck wanted to offer to Marlin and surrounding towns something to drive into Marlin to get, not all the way to Waco.

“I wanted to have something no one else had in Marlin,” she said. “People don’t see this furniture in Marlin. I have great gifts. There is stuff for kids. There is stuff for Moms, and I’m working on getting stuff for men.”

Kluck said she will keep getting new stuff in to the store so she has different things at different times.

“I don’t want everyone in Marlin to have the same thing,” she said.

Among the things offered in her store is American West products, her candles, furniture, picture frames, jewelry, handbags, and assorted decorative items.

“My products are not that expensive,” Kluck said. “If anything is expensive its because I had to pay that much more for it myself.”

Anyone coming to the store need not worry about bringing their children, and anyone coming in to have accounting work can expect privacy.

“The front of the building is the store,” Kluck explained. “The back is the accounting office. We also offer a partitioned off play area for kids.”

Kluck said she never meant to start as big as she has, and that it is thanks to her husband she is able to do what she is doing.

“This was my dream,” she said, “and it finally came true.”

Ranch House Candles and Gifts, 255 Live Oak in Marlin, will have a grand opening celebration on August 14th. Following a ribbon cutting, everyone is welcome to come in and see the selection of items offered in the store, register for door prizes and enjoy refreshments.

[Marlin Democrat] Column -- Lessons learned and the people who teach them

Lessons learned and the people who teach them
Nise's Notes
by Denise Schoppe

The Marlin Democrat
August 11, 2004

As students get ready to go back to school next week, it’s hard not to think back to my own school days. No, it hasn’t been that long ago, but they are still behind me. As a result, I have the advantage of hindsight to see many things in a new and perhaps more profound light.

Each year started with new school supplies and a buzz among students as to what teachers to avoid and which ones to hope to have. There was always at least one that was “mean” or “too hard”. In contrast, there was also that one ideal teacher with a sweet disposition and perfect smile. All the rest fell between those two in a pecking order that students set up year-to-year and passed down to the next class.

From the new angle at which I look at this phenomenon, I realize that all teachers have one important thing in common that as a student you don’t necessarily see: They all simply want to teach. They want to reach into the minds - and sometimes into the souls — of their students to give them knowledge. They wish to spark something in them that may allow their students to find their perfect path in life.

Every teacher I ever had was special. Each one made a dramatic impact on me, and I have so many stories I could tell about each one — from Kindergarten to my final semester of college.

However, as I look back on my over 17 years of education, there are four teachers that will forever hold a lead roll in my academic career.

Denise Gooden. Second Grade. Wife of the head coach, it was her first year teaching in our school district. She stood out weeks before the school year began when she sent a large brown envelope in the mail addressed to ME. Inside was a mixed bag of worksheets, pages to color, a supply list, and a letter welcoming me to her class.

She made every subject a game and every lesson was magic. I doubt she’ll ever know the impact she had on a little blonde haired girl who got glasses that year and for the first time actually liked math.

Brandi Vincent. Journalism. A redheaded spitfire from San Angelo, Texas, who descended upon our campus with fresh ideas. It was first year to teach, and she discovered in me a natural aptitude for writing journalistically. It is because of her that I am doing what I do today.

It was with sadness that we said good-bye to her - losing not only a great teacher but also a dear friend. It was with joy that I sent her an invitation to my college graduation in which it said I was getting a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Journalism.

Bridget Barfield. Journalism. She took over where Mrs. Vincent left off. A teen at heart, we clicked right away. She continued to guide me in honing my journalism skills. However, with her it was with more broad strokes, allowing me to try a little bit of every thing. As a result, my experience in the field grew by leaps and bounds.

Sadly, she is no longer a teacher, instead she is now a business owner. A dear friend today, she and I keep in close touch via email, and I make the occasional trip to Dallas to visit her. She’s one of my biggest supporters, and for that I am very grateful.

Dr. Douglas Starr. Editing and Media Writing. A strict professor at Texas A&M who knows his trade better than most; he is the teacher I’d heard the most mixed reviews about. The general consensus, however, had always been that he was hard and you wanted to avoid him if at all possible.

It was with a sense of dread that I walked into that room my first day in his class. It was with a sense of honor that I left the last day after having been educated by him. I regularly find myself asking, “What would Dr. Starr say about this?” as I write or edit an article. I think he’ll always be peering over my shoulder telling me if something is “just stupid.”

Today, I’m no longer a student in the general sense of the word. However, I learn something new every day. New teachers come in and out of my life. Many come and go; their lessons are subtle. Some, however, take a place as outstanding mentors in life lessons, and they have made, and will make, a profound impact on who I am and what I do.

Never stop learning. All students — young and old, in life and in academics — need to be open to the lessons their many teachers are trying to instill. They are looking out for their students’ best interest...

Even those “mean” teachers.