Garden focus of Grasshopper's

In October 1997, she opened Grasshoppers, 127 N. Cody, in LeClaire and soon began incorporating her own artwork into the items for sale in the shop.

Why LeClaire?

"Just looking at LeClaire, you could tell it was growing," Ms. Collier said. "There's so much charm along the river, and it makes the shop that much more charming, too."

Grasshopper's revolves around a garden theme, but there's little in its inventory that's available at many other gardening shops.

"I mix in old and new and try to keep it casual. I have gifts, candles and little things for the garden, like windchimes, birdfeeders, birdhouses and stationary with garden themes on it," said Ms. Collier.

Adding to the garden-like charm at Grasshopper's is Jelly the bunny, who wanders about the shop while it's open.

"He's very popular," Ms. Collier said. "People will call ahead to make sure he'll be here before they come."

Jelly isn't part of the inventory at Grasshopper's, though, which means maintaining an interesting assortment falls to Ms. Collier.

"People will use a lot of structural elements in gardens, so I try to have that type of thing, both old and new. And I try to recycle things -- I pull in different things and try to think of new ways to use them.

"The furniture I paint is older stuff. I leave it in its rustic state or even make it look more rustic, then I paint nature scenes on it."

Ms. Collier said she is a self-taught artist, so she concentrates on having fun with the painted scenes.

"I'm kind of an original, and I don't have any artistic training, so I just try to enjoy what I create, and hope other people will enjoy it, too."

Since Grasshopper's is doing fine, it seems Ms. Collier has met her goal.

"January is never great, but in March things really start to pick up. It used to be that people would be bussed in to take trips on the Twilight (the excursion boat that runs to Galena and back). After the cruise they were likely just to get back on the bus and leave.

"There have been big changes since the motels went in out near the Welcome Center," Ms. Collier said. "Now people are staying overnight and spending more time in LeClaire," she said.

"And it's nice when people from town or from the new subdivision up behind Slagle's stop in."

Ms. Collier and her husband moved to Leclaire almost two years ago, having bought one of the first new houses to be built in what would become a mini boom.

"Now there are lots more houses, and a new residential area called The Bluffs at Bridge View. And there's a development of new condos called Eagle View Heights that's bringing more people in," she said.

"We have great restaurants for evening dining," Ms. Collier said. "The only thing we lack now is someplace like a tea room where ladies can lunch in LeClaire while they're shopping."

More people point to better times ahead for LeClaire shops like Grasshopper's.

Who knows? The next new business could be that tea room.

For more information, call 289-4652.

-- By Catherine Guy