Welcome Center & Curiosity Shop
The space lovingly known as the Book Center (sometimes called the Book Barn, the Library, the Book Place, the Book Shop, the Once-Read Book Shop) has reopened as the 577 Welcome Center & Curiosity Shop. Explore the new space by browsing the collection of thousands of gently-used books with selections for all ages and interests. View the new display of handmade pottery for sale created by students at 577. Plus, crafters, teachers, artists, and students will love browsing the large selection of art supplies now available. 577 staff is available to answer any questions on items available, upcoming classes, and more.
Many thanks to the First Solar Community Giving Fund of the Greater Toledo Community Foundation for grant funding to convert the Book Center to the Curiosity Shop!
Shop Hours
- Mondays, 9am to 5pm
- Tuesdays, 9am to 5pm
- Wednesdays, 9am to 5pm
- Thursdays, 9am to 5pm
- Fridays, 9am to 5pm
- Saturdays, 9am to 5pm
- Sundays, Closed
Looking to donate items? Items are accepted during open shop hours ONLY. Check out the full list of items accepted below. Questions? Email hello@577foundation.org or give us a call at 419-874-4174.
What’s in the Shop?
Books & Magazines
Take your time browsing the collection of thousands of gently-used books with selections for all ages and interests. New books are added almost every day!
- A robust Adult Fiction section features beloved and bestselling authors.
- An expanded children’s corner includes more seating to sit and read together or for little ones to explore books at their height.
- Need help figuring out what’s for dinner? Check out the large selection of cookbooks – brand new and vintage!
- Love gardening? Stroll through the gardens for inspiration and then browse the gardening section to help with your next project.
- Non-fiction sections include Autobiography/Biography, Sports, History, Business, Spirituality, Science, Self-Help, Parenting, and more.
- Read up on the latest news by browsing our magazine collection.
- A variety of large print books are available.
- A limited selection of puzzles and games can be found, while supplies last.
Art & Craft Supplies
A corner of the Curiosity Shop is now dedicated to like-new and gently-used art supplies. Crafters, teachers, artists, and students can browse a large selection of art supplies for use in their classrooms or at home.
Items like yarn, paint, fabric, brushes, canvases, embellishments, and more are now available (items will vary based on donations). Each visit will be a quest to find that perfect yarn color or an item for a new art adventure!
Handmade Pottery
Each year, more than 50 students and professional potters donate hundreds of their handmade pots in support of the pottery program at 577.
Did you know everything tastes better in a handmade mug? You can find mugs (while supplies last), bowls, decorative wall art, and the newest pieces on display during open shop hours.
Find the perfect gift for you to adopt and take home.
*Most pieces are food/dishwasher safe. Ask at checkout for details.
Community Artists & Authors
Current Featured Community Artists:
Jan Szalkowski & Wendy Steusloff ~ Step into the kitchen with Jan and Wendy, talented instructors at 577 who bring their passion for cooking, baking, and homesteading to life in their inspiring workshops. Jan, a retired teacher and organic vegetable grower of over 30 years, has been an avid canner of healthy foods for nearly 15 years. Wendy, a nurse for 30 years, channels her creativity into preparing and sharing culinary delights. Together, they are now offering their locally made jams, jellies, butters, sauces, and syrups like Apple Butter, Habanero Gold Jelly, Pecan Praline Syrup, and Chocolate Raspberry Sauce in the Shop. Bonus! Try a class with them—you might even learn to make one of these delicious creations yourself!
Annie Johnson ~ Annie grew up in a creative household, learning to crochet at 7 and knit at 14. She has honed most of her knowledge through trial and error, observation, and decades of repetition. With more than 10 years of teaching experience, Annie loves to share the joy of fiber crafts with learners of all ages, from preschool to retired. Try one of Annie’s monthly knitting and crochet classes at 577.
Joanne Viviano ~ Joanne began her creative journey over 20 years ago after her first class in metalsmithing at the Toledo Art Museum. She later studied design at the University of Toledo. Currently, she transforms and reinvents pieces using an array of metals as a medium to express herself. She uses tools and techniques to make handcrafted jewelry for you to enjoy and wear proudly. Find her collection, Jewelry by Snookie, in the Welcome Center & Curiosity Shop or try one of her monthly classes.
Quinn Fuller ~ Quinn is a Northwest Ohio maker with a passion for making handmade and upcycled work. She recently began creating flower presses from recycled materials, perfect for preserving your botanical finds in nature. Find her one-of-a-kind upcycled flower presses in the Welcome Center & Curiosity Shop.
Jean Walker ~ After a lifetime of admiring stained glass work, Jean finally took a class in the medium about five years ago and hasn’t looked back! She immediately fell in love with the concept and now looks forward to sharing the beauty of glass with everyone. Her work in the Welcome Center & Curiosity Shop features beautiful botanicals, pollinators, and abstract designs, each one crafted to celebrate the interplay of color and light.
Current Featured Community Authors:
Kelly Yetter~ Kelly is a writer, photographer, and potter. She shares her life with five cats, twelve ducks, and a barn full of ornery horses. Meister is also an animal advocate who volunteers at a horse rescue facility. When she’s not rehabbing injured critters, Kelly waits on her cats hand and foot.
Kate Michaelson ~ Kate has a PHD in Educational Psychology, an MFA in poetry, and has taught creative writing workshops at Ohio State and St. Petersburg College. Her debut mystery, Hidden Rooms, was inspired by her own struggles with chronic invisible illness. She lives in the Toledo area with her husband and pets.
Anna Isabel Garrison – Anna is an author, businesswoman, and creative on a mission to find beauty in the common things of life. As a self-proclaimed “recovering perfectionist,” she writes about healing from the past, slowing down, reconnecting with nature, and loving the self. Her 2024 memoir, A Wandering Path, is a testament to her journey toward growth and self-discovery. She resides in Toledo, Ohio, with her husband, son, and their two cats. When she’s not writing, Anna spends her free time playing piano and singing in the Americana band, Chloe & the Steel Strings.
Featured work will be available through June 30. More artists coming soon!
Specialty Items
New curiosities are added to the shelves every day. Check out these new additions!
577 Staff Artwork:
577 Speciality Items: Items vary seasonally and may include: handmade cyanotype notecards, recyclable wrapping paper, nature-inspired blank notecard sets, “We Root for Each Other” canvas tote bags, “bee” logo hats, and youth and adult “bee” logo t-shirts.
Handmade Black Walnut Ink: Created in the fall of 2022 by John Baldwin, our talented 577 Program Intern, this ink is made from black walnuts collected from around the grounds. Two types of ink are available: Filtered Ink, which is best for layering and writing, and has a lighter, more subdued hue that is lightfast; and Unfiltered Ink, which has a unique inconsistency and pulp flakes that create beautiful speckling.
Plants & Gardening Items: Seeds are back! 577’s horticulture team, Bennett and Samantha have harvested and have packaged their favorite 577-grown seeds with growing instructions for you! They are available for purchase in the Shop. Plus, take home a piece of 577 with one of our unique arrangements (limited availability). Succulents, spider plants, and more were propagated by staff from cuttings at 577.
Puzzles & Games: Items vary by donations. Visit us to see what’s available today!
Local Honey
We are thrilled that beekeeper and owner of Waterville Bee Works, Dan Bollett, has poured this liquid gold into bottles and it is now available in the Shop. Three sizes available, honey bear, 1-pound, and 2-pound.
Available while supplies last.
Community Artwork
Become a featured artist in the Welcome Center & Curiosity Shop. Our goal is to provide a platform for artists to share their work with the public and to support the local art community. Each quarter, we will select artists to showcase their work by providing them a space to display their artwork in the Welcome Center. This will give the artist the opportunity to reach a wider audience and potentially sell their work to folks who visit the 577.
In addition to supporting local artists, we also believe that featuring original artwork in the shop adds value for our visitors. Original art can add a unique and personal touch to any space, and we hope that you enjoy seeing the work of talented artists from Perrysburg and the greater Northwest Ohio & Southwest Michigan area.
If you are an artist based in Northwest Ohio or Southeast Michigan and are interested in being featured in the Welcome Center & Curiosity Shop at 577, please contact Program Coordinator Isabelle Tucker by email at itucker@577foundation.org for more information.
We can’t wait to see the amazing art that our community has to offer.
Pictured art is by local fine artist, Molly Carroll. Wintergarden, Lone Tree
Donation Guidelines
Book, Magazine, Puzzle, & Game Donation Guidelines
Donations of up to 25 gently used books and two (2) boxes or bags of are accepted during open hours without an appointment. If you have more than two boxes, please give us a call at 419-874-4174 to inquire about setting up an appointment.
We are currently accepting:
- Children & Young Adult Books
- Hardback & Paperback: Fiction
- Hardback & Paperback: Nonfiction (within 10 years)
- Cookbooks & Gardening Books (within 10 years)
- Travel & Technology Books (within 5 years)
- Speciality Books including Oversized, Arts & Crafts, and Rare or Local Books
- Magazines (within 1 year)
- Puzzles & Games (with all pieces)
We do not accept:
- Damaged books that have broken bindings, missing pages, yellowed or soiled pages, or that smell of smoke, or mildew, or are excessively dirty or dusty
- Clearly outdated materials including, but not limited to: travel, legal, tax, medical, health books
- Magazines older than 1 year; Encyclopedias, Reader’s Digest, or Textbooks
- DVDs, CDS, cassette tapes, records, or other media; Computer software or equipment
Art/Craft Donation Guidelines
Divert usable materials from the landfill by donating reusable like-new art supplies. Local creatives, makers, and teachers will have access to inexpensive, quality materials, and you’ll also help the environment. Donations of like-new and gently used art supplies are accepted on open shop days and limited to two boxes/bags. If you have more than two boxes, please give us a call at 419-874-4174 to inquire about setting up an appointment.
We are looking for the following items:
- paints (watercolor, acrylic/craft, gouache, oil)
- yarn and knitting tools
- canvases, art papers, & sketchbooks
- table looms & embroidery hoops
- printmaking supplies
- photography equipment
- paintbrushes
- embroidery floss
- markers, colored pencils, & crayons
- pastels (oil & chalk)
- glue, scissors, & rulers
- gesso & inks
- clean sponges
- basket weaving materials and tools
- wood carving & burning tools
- pottery tools (no clay or slip molds)
- fabrics in usable yardage