Shopping: newest therapy at Grand Goddess
By Rachel Haynie

One class being taught at the Grand Goddess is frog making.

LouAnn Pierce established Grand Goddess in a feel–good cottage on Meeting Street. It was meeting, gathering, and sharing creativity and concerns that Pierce had in mind when she conceived her multi–faceted enterprise. Its full name is Grand Goddess: Art, Body and Soul.

The comprehensive idea, said Pierce, was to offer women a place to explore new ideas, learn new skills, shed stress, and embrace holistic health. Creativity, physiology, and individual interpretations of spirituality are now under one roof, comprising a family of offerings that reside harmoniously at 540 Meeting Street.

On the walls original art by local female artists inspires women working and chatting merrily around a sprawling table in what once was a dining room. Their kinship is their work on beading projects or other artisan efforts.

When the center opened, therapies from herbal teas to aromatherapy and foot massages quickly gave it a reputation for pampering. Now Pierce has added a new therapy: shopping.

Boutique–wise gift baskets and singular specialty items crafted by talented women for discerning women have taken over the mantel and tabletops in what once was a drawing room.

The little shop just opened is attracting raves from clientele who want to give unique gifts. The convenient and casual mix of one–time classes, series, lectures, and guided conversations are all intended to offer today’s busy women a respite from their hectic paces.

A social worker by profession, Pierce is familiar with small group dynamics. That is why she chose programs which stimulate self–improvement and nurturing.

One class was based on the best selling book, The Artists’ Way . One class member described participation as a “great way to free the artist within! We had an intimate group that laughed and cried together as we went through the process.”

Signing up for yoga soon after the center opened brought about new revelations for another class member. “I never knew how much difference simple breathing and being in touch with my body could make until I started yoga.”

Being part of a transitions group put one woman “in touch with some amazing women, and the way we approach difficult situations in our lives is creative and inspiring. I always leave the Grand Goddess feeling so good about where my life is heading. It’s a great resource no matter where you are in life’s journey.”

The Grand Goddess ambiance created by Pierce prompted another frequent participant to liken the experience to “stopping by a friend’s house, and the friend is very happy to see you and is expecting your arrival. If Mother’s Day were a place, this is what it would be like.”

Those who mistakenly think Pierce is the Grand Goddess have not been by to make the acquaintance of the resident cat who seldom responds to, “Here, GG.”

Pierce is open to suggestions for upcoming classes or series and has entertained proposals for using the shop space for parties or product demonstrations.