The Salt Box

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The Saltbox
361 Northeastern Ave. St. Henry
419-678-8686

Hours: Tuesday and Wednesday 10 a.m.–7 p.m., Thursday and Friday 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.–2 p.m.

The Salt Box is a home store featuring primitive style fine furniture and accessories.

Owner Lisa Prenger also features these wonderful items and amenities in her store:

• Foundations for great design like paint, rugs and window treatments.
• Home decorating and redecorating advice and support
• Sweet and charming knick knacks and frills like clocks, artwork, table and shelf trimmings, candles and floral garlands

For more about this business, read on…

I like old things: songs, stories, cars . . . my parents (love ya mom!). Which means, along those same lines, I like furniture and accessories that look like they could have come from my mother’s grandmother’s house. My great grandmother Adeline was raised in rural Missouri at the beginning of the last century, and I have fond and wonderful memories of visiting the family farm.

And that’s how I felt when I walked into Lisa Prenger’s store nestled in St. Henry (on St. Rt. 118, called Northeastern Ave. in town). I felt like I was suddenly immersed in the warmth of dozens of memories, and could feel the anticipation of memories yet to be made. See, Lisa owns and runs a home furnishings store that features “primitive” style decor.

If you are really interested in the look, she can help you pick out the right, well, everything. She carries rugs, window treatments, chairs, tables, lamps, wall hangings (including shelves, fine art replicas and clocks) and quality paint to compliment the styles. You’ll also find all of the brilliant knick-knack stuff that adds just the right touch to make a house truly a home. In fact, the store feels like a home. I could have easily sat down and grabbed some hot chocolate (with whipped cream) and stayed for a while.

Lisa smiles and shares that this is exactly what some of her customers-turned-friends do. Some come in for a purchase, and end up sitting and chatting on the super comfy furniture. While I was there, a lovely woman came in to purchase a gift, and as she was checking out, she just started chatting away with Lisa, sharing her summer and 25th anniversary plans. After she left, I asked if that was a friend. Lisa just grinned and said, “Now she is.”

That’s the part of running the business she likes best—all of the wonderful people. She is so dedicated to her friends (I mean customers) that she offers a variety of services she performs quietly and cheerfully, little perks you wouldn’t find in a big city store.

Say you have been wanting to jump into a redecorating project, but felt a little nervous about choosing and putting together the look. Lisa can come to your home and help you choose what items will best suit your home and your family. Then, if you still need more help, she can come over and help you arrange your new finds so they look just right. She’ll even help you arrange your pictures!

After our interview, I’m also highly anticipating the holidays at the Saltbox. Lisa shuts down for the week before her grand Christmas open house just so she can decorate dozens of trees, hang lights and put out all of her best decorating and gift ideas. She admits that it’s a lot of work, but the end result is well worth the effort! “It’s insane,” she laughs. “There’s so much stuff.” I can only imagine it’s something like walking through a “Lisafied” holiday wonderland. You can come in to pick up gifts for friends and loved ones, or add some Christmas chic to your own home. If you see a tree that you really like, just tell Lisa, and she’ll quote a price for you; you can have the whole ensemble put together there in your living room. We’ll keep you informed about her upcoming holiday specials and open house!

But in the meantime, feel free to drop by, browse around, and of course, sit a spell. It’s well worth the trip.