'Two Chicks and a Rooster:' A one of a kind gift shop, more

LANCASTER- Working everyday together as a team, Dan Curtis and his wife, Julie, more than six years ago decided to follow their passion and dream and open their own business.

As a result, Two Chicks and a Rooster, a residential owned business, has become a successful reality for Dan and Julie and today the store’s motto is to offer “just what you want, not just what everyone else has,” Julie said.

Specializing in home décor and custom woodworking, the store is filled with candles, garden pieces for inside and outside of the house, seasonal plants, and many more unique, handmade gifts.

“You can't get more American made than this,” remarked Dan, who is also known as the “rooster.”

According to Dan, a big part of their business is custom woodworking and he can make just about anything including signs, which Julie hand paints all the artwork, birdhouses, antique reproductions, and furniture such as wooden hutches, country pie safe cupboards, hall benches, or shelving. He also does repairs.

“[We do] everything from the concept to the design to the construction and finish work,” said Dan. “Also, the birdhouses you will find here, you won't find anywhere else.”

They also recycle, reuse, and repurpose. So, for example they may use old hardware for a birdhouse or refinish old wood from a project to something else.

Dan constructs everything in his workshop which is located in the backyard. His passion for woodworking began at the age of about eight, when he used to sit and watch his neighbor, who was an industrial art teacher, make his creations.

From there, he discovered in school shop class that he had a talent as well. Then when he and Julie were married, he started making little things for their house and soon his hobby grew from there.

“Dan is skilled in making anything and then I do the finish work,” said Julie. “We have always considered ourselves artists and we make whatever comes to mind. “If a customer comes to us and they say they have this idea for a certain item, a certain gift, that they want for somebody else or for themselves and they want certain dimensions or color and they can't really formulate the whole idea. “We will work with them to come up with something”

Also, customers can also check out Two Chicks and a Rooster’s kiosks at Adams Nurseries, located at 5799 Genesee St.; Petals to Please, located at 63 Central Ave., or Scoops & Stems, located at 6549 Olean Road, in South Wales.

“We have a lot of pride in what we make and what we sell,” remarked Dan.

To view some finished products, visit the store’s Facebook page to see before and after pictures.

“We're hoping someday it will be full-time,” commented Julie. “We make it work the best we can. People say that if you have been in business for at least five years you're doing something right and we have [almost] seven years so far.”

Furthermore, Julie mentioned they are participating in the Lancaster Garden Walk and they are also part of the National Open Garden Festival, but anyone is welcomed to stop by anytime to see their gardens, which features an English Knot Garden in the backyard and gardens in the front and alongside of the store and house.

Two Chicks and a Rooster, located at 732 Aurora St., Lancaster, is opened from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Additional hours are available by appointment. To contact the store, call 864-8209. Cash, check, credit cards are accepted and gift certificates are available, as well as lay away.