Welcome Center & Curiosity 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 an arts & crafts 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. She has been teaching for over 10 years and loves to share the joy of fiber crafts with anyone interested, from preschool to retired. Try one of Annie’s monthly knitting and crochet classes at 577. 

Quinn Fuller ~ Quinn discovered vine in her backyard and decided on a whim to attempt wreathmaking. She quickly picked up the skill and now makes peace sign wreaths in stages over the course of a few summer weeks. Each of the wreaths are created in NW Ohio with sunsets in the background, with peace, love and gratitude.

Joanne Viviano ~ Joanne started her creative journey over 20 years ago after her 1st class in metalsmithing at the Toledo Art Museum. She then 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. 

Debra & Ron Baker ~ After retiring in 2015, The Bakers have passionately pursued an impressive array of artist interests including painting, flower arranging, sewing, and making jewelry from polymer clay. Over the last five years, Debra and Ron have loved visiting the 577 Foundation, and more recently, the opportunity to share their work with the community here. They hope you can share in their passion and find something you love.

Avert Adornments by Lindsay Williams ~ Self-described as a Midwest-based maker, marketer, project coordinator, and the artist behind Avery Adornments – Lindsay’s handmade jewelry brand inspired by her grandmothers. Her jewelry is characterized by hand-painted, hand-marbled, or hand-cut leather, as well as vegan suede fridge. She sets these in warm gold and accents with natural stones, lightweight acetate, or vintage beads. Statement earrings are her specialty but she creates several smaller styles for those who prefer an understated look. She started her brand in 2017 after studying jewelry fabrication at the Toledo Museum of Art, though she says her love of big earrings and bright colors has been lifelong.

Nancy & John Salerno ~ Nancy and John owned and operated preschools in Syracuse, New York and Berkey, Ohio for 42 years. They are community instructors here at 577, teaching the Kids Explore Nature series to help children make connections between nature and themselves. Their squirrel feeders give squirrels a space to snack with these hand-crafted squirrel feeders. Once filled with your choice of food (whole corn. whole-in-shell peanuts, loose corn, and other treats), you insert the glass jar into the feeder and your furry friends will be ready to snack.

Current Featured Community Authors:

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 December 2024.

Specialty Items

New curiosities are added to the shelves every day. Check out these new additions!

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: Take home a piece of 577 with one of our unique arrangements. 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.

Book, Magazine, Puzzle, & Game Donation Guidelines

Donations of up to two (2) boxes or bags of gently-used and like-new books (25 books maximum) and art supplies are accepted 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