On Jan. 21, Stella and Cooper Company hosted an open mic for students and the community, featuring appearances from a local band, Middle Cave Ridge Boys.
Taelyn Henderson, the owner, said that she wanted a place where the community can come together in a safe and relaxing environment. Henderson said that she wanted people to get out more in their arts, and her venue, “Provided a safe space for people to take that step,” and a, “judgment-free zone.”
Open Mic Night is planned for each Thursday at 7 p.m.
Henderson said she received great feedback on the group, and she decided to make them her house band for future events.
She also plans to open more events in the future. She plans to have more Saturday and community events. A poetry is in the works for sometime in the next few weeks.
The next big event is the Valentine’s Day Bash on Feb. 11 and 12, because it combines all the businesses in the building Stella and Cooper Company rent.
Stella and Cooper Company and Rutledge Forge, another business in the same building, will be offering welding, woodworking, painting and other types of arts and crafts classes.
Since Henderson was a dancer, she will be offering private dance lessons in the event room after the final renovations.
She will also be hosting events for Johnson City’s homeless community.
“Something and someplace where they can come once a month kinda work, eat and hangout. Somewhere they can feel at home, and they feel wanted, and they don’t feel left out on the street,” she said.
Henderson will also open the event room for rent. It can hold up to 65 people with overflow in the front shop. She stated that she already has reservations for baby showers, birthdays, study groups, women’s groups and Bible studies.
In the summer, she hopes Stella and Cooper Company can host a dog event with the local animal shelter.
Henderson comes to Johnson City after having lived in Hawaii and California. She was a dance instructor in Los Angeles before COVID. However, during the pandemic, her dance studio shut down, and she moved back home.
She moved to Johnson City for the community and potential of the South.
“Everyone I wanted to talk to wanted to talk to me,” Henderson said, “I just wanted to be a part of that community, and I dove straight in when I got here.”
Henderson wanted the business to focus on the arts and especially local artists. As of right now, her shop has 10 individual artists selling their own handmade crafts, including Henderson’s candles. The shop sells different homemade items including crystals, candles, ETSU sweatshirts, cups, pens, self-defense key chains and water bottles.
“We have a little bit of everything down to stickers,” stated Henderson.
Stella and Cooper Company was named after her friend, Josie’s, dog Stella and her own dog, Cooper. She draws inspiration for her company from animal shelters, and in turn, she donates 10% of all her profits to the animal shelter every month.
Stella and Cooper Company is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. It is located at 905 W Watauga Ave. Johnson City, across from University Edge.
For more information, contact Stella and Cooper Company at stellacooperco, and visit their website at https://www.stellacooperco.com/.
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