“If we don’t have it, we can get it,” Kathleen Hall said.
The title comes from the vessel captained by Grace O’Malley, a 16th Century pirate whose exploits earned her the title of “Pirate Queen.” The title is both a nod to the historical and cultural themes of the shop, as well as the Halls’ own Irish ancestry.
As serial entrepreneurs, the Halls say the White Seahorse is a brick-and-mortar combination of all their previous Renaissance Festival ventures combined.
“A lot of people at the fair have been asking us, ‘Do you have a brick and mortar? Can I take your card? Do you sell online?’” Kathleen Hall said. " And so many people asked, I was like, we probably should!"
A graduate of Wright State University and a musician since age 12, Joey Hall is the titular — and literal — father of Father, Son and Friends, a Celtic music troupe and traveling shop that has been entertaining patrons of the Renaissance Festival, Dayton Celtic Fest, the Ohio Celtic Festival and Renaissance Fairs around the country for more than 35 years.
While Father and Son have stayed constant, the troupe has had an “ever-changing” group of friends in the lineup, Joey Hall said.
“God, I’ll bet you we’ve had 25, 30 different people play with us throughout the years,” he said. “We play at the Renaissance Festival every weekend ... all the way down to Florida, played in Vermont, New York, just all over the place.”
Crafter’s Cottage is Kathleen Hall’s brainchild, as she noticed an unmet need among her fellow Renaissance Festival-goers amidst the economic downturn of the COVID pandemic.
“People can’t afford a $300 chest plate or $150 belt, and some are going to be wanting to look for ways to do their own costumes,” she said. “And so, I need to provide supplies for them to do their own costumes.”
Crafter’s Cottage also provides crafting materials — like leather, tools, dies and furs — to other Ren Faire vendors who need them.
The family also operates Hobbit’s Tree House Treasures at the Renaissance Festival, which is a cart filled with wooden toys for children.
“I got tired of kids not having anything at Renaissance festivals, and the prices are exorbitant,” Joey Hall said. “So a friend of mine, Monty Davies, had a business called Mr. Monty’s toys, and he researched and made wooden toys for kids. There’s nothing but toys for kids in there, and there’s nothing more than $15.”
Down the road, the Halls plan to hold musical sessions in the shop, as well crafting workshops and other gatherings.
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