Oliver by Karen Killian
Scaly Mountain, North Carolina, 1990. Barry and Paula Jones had dinner with friends who introduced them to their Golden Retrievers – you could say it was a soul-snatching ambush. Before long Barry was on his way to a breeder in Atlanta to meet an available young Golden named Yosha. He scooped him up, changed his name to Josh, and brought him home forever – their first shop dog before they even knew they needed a shop dog.
Barry and Paula, freshly married, on the heels of successful careers in film, writing, art and fashion, were captivated by the mountains of Western North Carolina. Barry was planning a book about mountain crafts, and Paula was taken by the artistry of willow furniture. She sought the tutelage of one Lee Ray Wilburn of Rabun County, Georgia. Before her first lesson, Barry reasoned, “Paula, he’s a gritty old Southern codger, no doubt marinated in archaic opinions about ‘women’s work.’ You can’t waltz in there like you just walked off the runway.”
Having been a model in Atlanta, she took his point. She donned rugged jeans, Barry’s faded flannel shirt, a baseball cap and clunky hiking boots. Finally she stopped at the pharmacy for nail polish remover and sat in the parking lot to make her nails look like they weren’t afraid of an honest day’s work.
Lee Ray began by demonstrating a child’s willow chair, then handed Paula an armful of twigs. He abruptly ordered, “Go home, build a chair, bring it tomorrow.” Paula complained that she hadn’t taken any notes. “You don’t need no notes. Just build a chair and bring it tomorrow.”
So she bought her own tools and spent all night making her first chair. Come morning, she took it to Lee Ray, who didn’t like the “flowery” medallions – just like a girl. Paula knew that historically medallions were used to cover blunders – clever girl, after all. He grumbled, “Go home. Put rockers on it. Then it’ll do.”
Paula’s newfound skills were, as a matter of fact, better than “it’ll do.” She and Barry brainstormed, sketched and refined designs. He gathered green willow and mountain laurel. She laid them out. He wielded the nail gun. She held them firmly. They built an inventory and traveled from Carolina craft markets to Atlanta decorators.
Tasked with their first large order, Paula turned to Lee Ray for help, but he trotted out his dyed-in-the-wool prejudice, “I ain’t gonna work for no girl.”
Undeterred, the Joneses turned their passion into a furniture company and started a small shop, The Summer House. Word spread quickly. After House Beautiful featured their first massive, intricately crafted table, they received a commission for Robert Redford’s Montana ranch, followed by an order from George Lucas. Paula smiles when she says, “I still have that table.”
After buying 35 acres of an apple orchard in Highlands, they built a magnificent Barry Jones-designed barn for the wood shop and store. One day, a good customer couldn’t find a soul, so he browsed until the dogs found him. A few days later, a package arrived from US Bells in Prospect Harbor, Maine, with a note: “Now you’ll always know!”
The dogs were all about busy days in the shop. Customers taught them tricks and became instant friends. Furniture was being built, but more importantly, “Sticks! Good sticks everywhere!” A nap in fresh fragrant sawdust, a jump in the pond – a very fine dog’s life! Several expanded showrooms and generations of Golden Retrievers later, that very US Bells bell still summons wagging tails every time the door opens. The worn edge where the clapper strikes? That’s 30 years of welcome.
As the shop became a full-service furniture complex, Paula stepped away from woodworking to focus on design and customers. When I asked how long she had kept up her country-bumpkin character, she laughed. “Ten years!” It ended the day Barry returned from New York – specifically Saks Fifth Avenue – with a bag of luxurious scents, cosmetics and a beautiful outfit. He declared, “It’s time.”
Paula Jones and Oliver
Meanwhile, Barry knew those Goldens weren’t going to live forever and thought it wise to stock up. True to his lofty mission of naming dogs:
There was Lizzie, née Glitzy. Buddy-by-my-Side, who gently stole baseball caps from customers. Nellie Ann, named for Broadway characters, was from a litter themed “Musicals of the ’60s.” Then Lucky Bucky Jones, who came with a big four-leaf clover on his paw. Robust and happy, the original Josh lived to be 14½ and coached his successors well in the art of shopdoggery.
Their customers’ children were invariably entertained by the dogs, so with her camera always at hand, Paula captured them together. Back then film developing meant four days down at the Kodak store, and she always had extra copies made. When the children returned, she gave them their own prints. Now she treasures her fat album stuffed with children of every age with every shade of Golden. To this day, an adult will walk into The Summer House and announce, “I was one of those kids!”
The store hummed along, the Joneses had designed and built their lush estate behind it, and life was quite content – except Barry wanted one more Golden.
Enter Oliver, born on April Fool’s Day 2019.
He had spent his first two years in a hectic household with a bird, a cat and another Golden, all of whom tortured his sweet soul. His respite was running every day with the gentleman of the house – until said gentleman suddenly passed away.
After losing his only stability, Oliver became so deeply distressed that the widow and the bird, the cat and the other Golden made the difficult but loving decision to return him to the breeder. After many years of welcoming dogs into their lifestyle, the Joneses understood the value of a breeder who cares for the well-being of her dogs long after they leave her kennel. A good mark of a good breeder.
He came as Oliver, the first dog whose name got past Barry’s snappy editing. As he recovered and learned to trust the peacefulness of the Joneses’ love, the perfect dog with the perfect name has answered the bell on The Summer House door his whole life, and he and Paula have cared for each other since Barry’s passing in 2023.
It is now The Summer House by Reeves, purchased by the good ol’ Hardware Company of Highlands. With impeccable style, Paula Jones continues to tend the store on Friday, Saturday and Monday. However Oliver clocks in every day. Mind you, he doesn’t bark or jump anyone – he’s a pro. He meanders to the door, quietly appreciating adoration. If lunchtime smells too delicious for him to come out of the kitchen, just browse a little while – he’ll find you!
Even on Paula’s days off, she chauffeurs him to work in the morning and retrieves him in the afternoon when they do errands and take a good walk. Oliver considers the friendly experienced staff his family – or at least his stewards. His “godfurmother,” as she says, takes the social butterfly for weekly sleepovers with her own dogs. I asked Diandra what’s the best thing about Oliver’s “job.” Without a thought, she said, “It’s how happy he makes everyone who comes in the store!”
You can visit The Summer House for elegant shopping, or simply to meet Oliver, as many do, and I imagine you’ll feel it, too.
Story and artwork from the collection Shop Dogs by Karen Killian
Favorites Count: 0