If you have never stopped by All-Star Sports and Country Crafts in downtown Elizabethton, today is the perfect day to do so. April Proffitt and her shop filled with crafts and collectibles not only brings a wide array of crafts and home décor to customers, but the attitude of the owner herself is a ray of light to those who stop in to check out the one of a kind merchandise displayed throughout the store.

All-Star Sports and Country Crafts has been a stable fixture in the downtown district since the doors first opened for business in 1995. April said that she loves being downtown because she “loves people” and with visitors from out of town stopping by during the daytime to visit her store as well as classic car enthusiasts who arrive in downtown Elizabethton on Saturday nights for the Carter County Car Club’s weekly Cruise In, she is never short on meeting new people and seeing friendly, familiar faces every week.

April said, “I think my store is inviting and when people come in, they feel comfortable.” She also said that she loves the way the older buildings are and that she loves the other downtown business owners and said that the downtown businesses are all very close.

While there are many stores lining the sidewalk in the downtown district and each shop has their own unique merchandise to offer the public, Proffitt said she believes that her store offers unique, primitive items with many items handcrafted locally while others are shipped in from a girl who makes some of the items and ships from Nashville and other items are shipped in from other areas. She said, “If you’re wanting a one of a kind item and you have a room that you’re trying to redo and you want different things to hang that are really cute, I have it!” Many of her items are one of a kind and unique and many people like being able to buy something that no one else has.

April would love to see more restaurants in downtown to offer a wider variety of food, but she said that everyone downtown offers something different and with a variety from businesses including Big Dan’s BBQ which is now located downtown along with Jiggy Ray’s Pizzeria, Red Chili and others, downtown shoppers are definitely not lacking the ability to find a wide array of great food to check out.

She said it would also be great to have a shoe shop downtown with reasonably priced shoes but even without that, she is tickled that with all the shops downtown, there are many different items and services for people to visit and that she is thankful that each downtown store offers something unique from the others.

When asked about what she thought about the downtown area of Elizabethton, April responded with, “Every day, I go on a walk with my mom downtown and it’s safe here and I’m not afraid to be downtown by myself and I walk by Covered Bridge every day and I think about how thankful I am to be able to live in Elizabethton!”

April said that she feels the people of Elizabethton have such a luxury by being able to live in the area and she talked about meeting many people from out of state and listening to them as they tell her how they love the area and would like to relocate due to the scenery as well as the affordability, people and things to do locally.

April said, “Come and spend a day with us here in downtown Elizabethton. We’ve got so much to offer!”

One thing about All-Star Sports and Country Crafts that differs from some businesses is that Proffitt herself must like every product she sells. If she doesn’t like it personally, it won’t be found in her store. She said that she went to market to purchase some items for the store about 15 years ago and a guy told her she couldn’t stock her store with only items she personally liked, or she would never make any money. With a thriving business for nearly 25 years, it seems that Proffitt knows exactly what she’s doing and her personal likes for the merchandise she carries are exactly what the downtown shoppers enjoy.

When you’re looking for a unique find on great home décor and other items, be sure to swing by All-Star Sports and Country Crafts and spend some time with April and see what she offers. The store participates in events including the new downtown event, Evenings on Elk, which is held on the second Friday of every month as well as the weekly Cruise-In on Saturday nights where you can find ice cold drinks and fresh, hot popcorn along with great conversation and a friendly smile.

Check out April Proffitt’s unique downtown store at 530 E. Elk Avenue in beautiful downtown Elizabethton.

Angela Caito is a freelance writer, film producer and publicist who writes a variety of columns nationwide. Sidewalk Stories is an initiative of the steering committee of the Main Street program and one that Angela is currently working on to help promote our downtown businesses. To contact Angela to be included in Sidewalk Stories you can email her at: angela@30dazeproductions.com