By SANDRA THAMES / Community Columnist

Educated at State University of New York (Geneseo) for her bachelor’s degree and Nazareth College for her masters degree, Kathleen Mancini Hartsill is a person of varied interests.

She taught high school English then worked as an activity therapist in a psychiatric hospital. Her first husband enrolled at UAB, thus marking her entry into the Birmingham area.

Here, she taught English for three years then joined IBM as a systems engineer. During this time, she and her husband went their separate ways but she stayed in Alabama.

In the large layoff at IBM in 1993, Kathy decided to take her severance and go to work for herself. She found a childrenís consignment store for sale across from Shelby Baptist and ran Kids Village for three years. Later, she moved the location and changed the name to Me and Mom Consignments.

She has in Alabaster 18 years and has been at the current ìbright yellow buildingî across the parking lot from the old Winn Dixie location for 15 years.

ìConsignment or thrift shopping is like a treasure hunt every day. You never know what you might findî, said Hartsill.

Hartsill, her wonderful southern husband Randall and their son, William, a University of Alabama student, comprise their family. Randall helps out with repairs, moving heavy stuff, mowing the yard, etc.

ìMen go hunting or fishing and boast about their catch or kill but women go shopping and brag about the great deal they got,” Heartsill said. “I see different people in this poor economy, people who have not always been consigners. Everyone wants to get something for their hand-me-downs now.î

Me and Mom Consignments carries some new clothes, either from the inventory of closed shops or from a local wholesaler, and she has a line of handmade bows, earrings, pillowcase dresses and occasionally something really unusual. Hartsill carries a large inventory of high chairs, car seats, cradles, swings, ride-on toys, etc.

Kathy Hartsill has provided Alabaster folks with a unique choice for many years. Sheís feisty, polite, hard-working and fair.

 

Community columnist Sandra Thames can be reached by e–mail at bobthames1942@yahoo.com.