Homeschool and teacher resource business opens in Hillsdale
A new business, The Knowledge Emporium, had a soft opening on Sunday. The store, at 12 South Howell St., has been in the works since January.
According to owners David and Cassie Hambleton, the Knowledge Emporium is a homeschool curriculum and teaching materials consignment store. Anyone with educational material is invited to set up an account to consign their curriculum and manipulatives with the business.
Later on in the year, the Hambletons intend to host educational classes for all ages within the store’s back classroom space, as well as invite members of the community to host their own classes as well.
“I was raised in a family where education was a priority,” David Hambleton said. “After homeschooling eight children, two now graduated from college, I truly appreciate the community we found through home education.”
“The construction and set-up of the Emporium was a family effort,” he said. “We had to do quite a bit of wall repair and infrastructure maintenance before it was ready to open. Our boys got the chance to use some of their knowledge of math through the process – cutting carpets for the front platforms, knowing how much paint we need for the walls, the harlequins, and other details.”
The Hambletons went beyond repairs before the opening however, as the store features an observation hive. Cassie Hambleton shared that it was their first time capturing bees naturally, and that the hive is quite docile.
Additionally, the Knowledge Emporium is a sensory-friendly space, with quiet music playing in the background, a comfortable seating area for customers, and chewy jewelry and other sensory aids on sale. This is important to the Hambletons, as they are parents to seven young adults on the fetal alcohol spectrum and autism spectrum, wherein sensory issues are common.
“We hope to make this store a place where people feel welcome and part of a community that is vital to Hillsdale,” David said. “We’ve travelled around the world while homeschooling, and we are hoping to connect with other families to share our experiences, as well as give back to a community that has been so supportive of our educational journey.”
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Homeschool and teacher resource business opens in Hillsdale
