For Keeps: One-of-a-Kind Gifts

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If you’ve never visited downtown Bowling Green, you must. The streets are lined with wonderful businesses and restaurants, many of which are independently owned and operated, and it makes you feel the deep sense of community that the residents of Bowling Green enjoy.  One such store that every visitor needs to stop into is For Keeps. Owned by BG native Amy Craft Ahrens, For Keeps boasts one of a kind gifts, home décor, and decorative accessories. Her goal is to find and sell unique items that you won’t find anywhere else, and the store is so well decorated and stocked it is nearly impossible to leave without making a purchase. Even I was caught up by its wonderful items and couldn’t leave our interview without making a purchase of my own.
                  Amy grew up in Bowling Green and worked at her family’s store, Ben Franklins. By the time she was 9 she was working in the store and she attributes this to how she got into retail. She studied German and Russian in college and didn’t believe that retail was anywhere in her future. She worked in Chicago for a gift company, but eventually returned to Bowling Green and opened For Keeps. When speaking of her return, Amy said “My dad told me that he bought this building and he was planning to put hardware in here, and as he described this beautiful building and the tin ceiling, all I could think was ‘You can’t put hardware in there! It should be furniture and gifts!’” and from there For Keeps was born.
 Both University students and community members love stopping into For Keeps and the staff members always make each guest feel welcome which brings them coming back. Amy seems to have a deep love for Bowling Green and says that everyone feels welcome here and you can really sense the community among its residents. When asked what one place she would recommend to first time visitors, Amy said that she would recommend downtown. Those independently owned shops truly make Bowling Green a unique place and can make for a wonderful visit.
On your next trip into Bowling Green be sure to stop by For Keeps at 144 S. Main street or visit their website: www.forkeepsgifts.com


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