A repost from The Spokesman Review.

 Too often, women who love to spend hours looking at vintage items at a flea market or in an antique mall do it entirely on their own or they go with a group of friends. They wouldn't think of having a husband around.
    This is definitely not the case with Kelly and Monte Tareski. The couple, who own Cascading Creations, share more than a business. They share a love of junking that has found an important place in their relationship.

    "I have always had a passion for the weathered and worn out item," Kelly told me.  "As a child, I remember going to the Southern California flea markets and spending all day digging, hunting for the perfect piece of junk and at a young age being able to negotiate the 'right price.'"

    Eventually, Tareski wanted more than just fun. She wanted to make a career out of rescuing and re-imagining vintage items. Fortunately, her husband shared that desire.

    "Just in the past couple of years I have had the opportunity to turn that passion into a business. With Monte's passion for the same, it makes it very easy to go treasure hunting and we have so much fun together," she says. "One of our favorites is when we get the call to go 'pick' at an old homestead."

    Transforming a building on the grounds of their Airway Heights stone business, Tareski turned her new project, GardenStone Creations into an appealing and popular place for shoppers. She was able to find a way to combine her love of the hunt, with a desire to own a unique business.

    What came about is an outlet for local artists, artisans and creative types.

    "I am a huge supporter of local artisans and the buy-local movement," Tareski says. "I am proud to say that I have my shop 80 percent stocked at this time with local merchandise from local businesses and artisans. I'm working towards 100 percent."

    But, once a treasure hunter, always a treasure hunter. As proud as Tareski is to have started a business and carved a successful niche in the competitive antiques and vintage market in a relatively short time, what matters the most is spending time with her husband and having something positive and productive to show for it.

     "We not only love the hunt, but getting to hear the stories behind the treasures we find," she says. "Then we love retelling those stories to our customers who purchase the items."

Harvest Treasures
Saturday, August 14 at GardenStone Creations in Airway Heights, Kelly Tareski will present Harvest Treasures, an event featuring hand-picked vendors selling antiques, hand-made crafts and one-of-a-kind items.
Here are the details: For more information call 509.244.0900
Where: 1515 S. Lyons Rd, Airway Heights
When: Saturday, August 14

 

Address: 1515 S. Lyons, Airway Heights, WA
Phone: (509) 244-0900
Website:
www.cascadingcreations.com

 
 

Little did Monte Tareski know one purchase would yield a new business venture, but that's exactly what occurred almost five years ago.  As an owner of a landscaping business, Monte brought home a business sign engraved in rock, and when his wife Kelly saw the sticker price, she was determined to learn how to engrave.  The result was a dynamic second family business called Gardenstone Creations, a 4,500 sq. ft. country store featuring her engraved stones along with clever, fun, and unique handcrafted items from artists throughout the Northwest. 
 
Offering a personalized touch, Gardenstone Creations' customers choose their own decorative rocks from over three acres.  Moms and dads appreciate four-legged friends like Lavern & Shirley, the business's eco-friendly weed control goats, who entertain the kids while they shop.  For their Facebook Fans, they offer occasional Free Mocha Mondays, treasure hunts, and other fun specials. 
 
The Tareskis, both born and raised in Spokane, are deeply committed to supporting their local community and it shows.  From matching funds to building an outdoor classroom for Nine Mile Falls Elementary to actively engaging and advocating the community's Buy Local program, they go above and beyond to support other businesses, education, and nonprofit organizations. 
 
Several times a year they host Girls Night Out giving the opportunity for local artists to showcase their work while providing family-friendly activities, door prizes, and games.  Over 300 attended the first event.  Due to the success and requests for a full-day event, Harvest Treasures was born and the inaugural event on Saturday, August 14th from 9 am to 5 pm will feature local artists and small businesses.
 
So if you are looking for unique gifts and Northwest artisans, look no further.  Visit Gardenstone Creations in Airway Heights, and be sure to grab a cup of joe at their coffee bar, feed the goats, and introduce yourself to Monte and Kelly.