It began life as the Auburn Baptist Church 138 years ago, and though it stands to this day, only slightly altered in outward appearance, inside it’s a whole different world. What was once a house of worship is now a house of retail. Welcome to the Bush Brush Gallery and Gifts, one of the most unique shopping experiences you’re likely to run in to. Pat Delagrange and husband Merv bought the place years ago, pulled out the rows of pews and transformed the church into a store for quilts, table cloths, dinner ware, gourmet foods and coffee, the list goes on. Even more unique however is that Pat and Merv live here, this is their home. The kitchen counter where Pat prepares family meals holds the cash register. Everything in the living room, bathroom, even master bedroom, has a price tag on it, which doesn’t bother Pat at all.
“Kinda like it because you know I sell it and the next day I can get a new on,” she says, “every woman's dream to change all the time.”
Pat even sells new clothes out of the couple’s clothes closet.
“I have to let Merv know though that behind the door is my clothes because my husband has actually sold my clothes!”
And everywhere you’ll find Pat’s original artwork for sale. Pat and Merv owned the Old Lumber Yard Shops in Grabill for years, grew tired of that and moved to Auburn where they found the old church and fell in love with it. Pat saw the possibilities immediately. They kept the alter and pulpit out of respect for the building’s history, but have done business here ever since. And though business is good the couple seems always ready for any new adventure that might come their way.
“I don't know where it'll go from here,” Pat says. “We've jokingly said if somebody walked in and said 'we love this we'd like to buy it' we'd probably sell it and move on. To what I don't know.”
Until then the Delagranges will continue to intermix home and office, and enjoy it thoroughly while it lasts.