Photo by Betty Dahms Jodee Stoakes, left, and Bev Miller, in their new business, Old Mill Road, which opened on Friday, April 15.

Some people say timing is everything, maybe, maybe not, but in the opening of Gladbrook’s newest business, Old Mill Road, that is what owners, Bev Miller and Jodee Miller Stoakes, firmly believe.

“Thirty years ago, I opened the Country Cupboard here in this building because my youngest at the time, Jodee, was graduating from high school, now Jodee’s youngest, Eric, will be graduating this year.” The timing seemed right for both mother and daughter. The idea for Old Mill Road was born.

The name was chosen because of all the “wind mills” located on the land surrounding the shop and as a tribute to Marion Miller (Old Mill), Bev’s husband and Jodee’s father who passed away in February of 2015.

Their new business is located just west of Gladbrook, on Highway 96, former home of The Country Cupboard, a business once owned by Bev and Marion Miller on their family farm. When Bev and Marion retired in 2007 to Bull Shoals Lake, near Branson, Missouri, Jodee and family, husband, Jim Stoakes, and their five children moved on to the family farm.

The building itself has quite a history, it was originally used as a carriage house for the dairy farm, it was used as the Scorpion Snowmobile Dealership, owned by Marion Miller, a garage, The Country Cupboard Gift Shop, and now Old Mill Road.

Walking through the door of Old Mill Road who will see the creative talent of this mother and daughter team. “My mother had a talent for arts and crafts and especially flower arranging. She always encouraged me to be creative, she would always let me arrange flowers with her, I loved that”, stated Bev Miller. “My mom, Bev, was the same,” states Jodee Stoakes, my mom ran a ceramic class and shop when I was growing up, I think she had up to 60 students at one time, so, of course, she encouraged me to let loose my creative talents, use my imagination, which I did, in ceramics and I really loved painting”. Now a third generation has joined in the creative process, Jodee’s daughter Katie, who will graduate from UNI this year with a degree in graphic design, made the logo, designed ads and business cards, and their Facebook page.

Bev Miller also uses her creativity as an author, she has had three books published, “The Inn at Willow Creek”, “Through The Door Half Open”, and “Wilderness Retreat-A Hook Without Bait”.

The store will include one-of-a-kind gifts, and “repurposed” antiques-or another purpose (use) for an antique piece than what it was originally used for.

“We love to go “junkin” says Jodee, we travel around to different antique places, we get our creative juices flowing and when we see something, we think about what it could become, we invision what we would do with that piece”. “We instantly seem to know if we like something and what it could become, if we don’t like something, we move on.”

The store also offers, flavored coffees from Banson, Watkins products, Bev’s books, and their one-of-a-kind creations.

Old Mill Road hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The store is located at 1164 Highway 96, Gladbrook.