Our Story
Our Story
Welcome to A Gathering Place — this is our happy place, and we hope it becomes yours too. 💛
How It All Started
Back in 1999, Marty set out to build something special — and she did it her way, designing every inch of the building herself. What started as a restaurant, cafe, and gift shop quickly grew into a beloved local favorite. People drove from all over for our broccoli cheese soup, homemade yeast rolls, and coconut cream pie (if you know, you know!). We had daily homemade specials and pies made fresh, all thanks to Cinda, our incredible cook who poured her heart into every recipe.
The business grew so much that just a couple years in, we doubled the size of the building to keep up!
A New Chapter
In 2019, Cinda announced her retirement, and we knew it was time to close that chapter of our story. The restaurant closed its doors, but something new was already taking shape — our little gift shop transformed into a full boutique, adding shoes, clothing, and so much more.
In 2020, Brook officially took the reins of the family business, while Marty moved on to focus on another family venture. That same year, we launched our first website. In 2021, we said goodbye to our trusty old cash register and welcomed our first official point-of-sale system!
Where We Are Today
This September, we're celebrating 27 years in business — and we couldn't be more grateful. 🎉
From day one, A Gathering Place was built to be exactly what our name says: a place for our community to come together, connect, and shop. And that's exactly what it's become. Every day, we watch customers catch up with old friends, make new ones, and enjoy a little retail therapy while they're at it.
Meet Our Team
Behind every great gathering place is a great team! Our crew today includes Brook, Krystal, Nancy, Sarah, Melissa, and Emma — the friendly faces you'll see when you shop with us in store or reach out online. We're so grateful for this team and everything they pour into AGP every day.
Visit Us in Sullivan
Our brick-and-mortar store is located in Sullivan, Indiana, in the very building Marty built back in 1999. If you're ever in the area, stop in and say hi! There's nothing quite like browsing in person, and we'd love to help you find your next favorite piece.
We're a mother-daughter story at heart, built on family, community, and really good soup recipes. Thanks for being part of ours. 💛
Want to stay in the loop? Follow us on Facebook — we post several times a day with new arrivals, restocks, and behind-the-scenes fun!