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New wood shop producing customized products

A series featuring businesses along Gallatin Street in downtown Vandalia continues, with new businesses first being introduced, followed by those businesses that have faithfully persevered through the years to keep the downtown area alive in a friendly manner while providing quality merchandise.


Imagine seeing a likeness of a treasured family portrait or a favorite photograph engraved on a mirror or on a smoothly polished wood plaque, a memorial flag case with engraved inscription, or a favorite saying engraved on a small plaque, each customized according to your requests.    
Liberty Trade Customized Woodworking on West Gallatin Street in downtown Vandalia offers this service.
Sean Cook and Tony Flowers Sr. are partners in the various Liberty enterprises which are providing services and works of art through the skill and talents of Tony and his sons, Sam and Tony Jr. Tony Jr. also offers “trouble-shooting” support by helping out where he is needed in the various stores, including Sew Liberty Fabric Shop, which is operated by his wife, Jennifer.
Tony Sr. talked about the woodworking shop.
“We can make shadowboxes, picture frames, display cases … just about whatever the customer wants.”
The “we” includes his son Sam.  They laser engrave mirrors and wood, recreating everything from old family photographs to images of race cars, along with inscriptions relating to the subjects.
The results are images so true to the original photograph that the facial expressions and details are exact duplicates. They provide the mirrors and wood plaques.
Some items are on display at the Old Town Cheese Shop, including a memorial flag display case holding an American flag and a photo of a soldier, along with his name and other information engraved on the case.
Also on display is a small and attractive, but simple, urn for the ashes of a beloved pet, with a photograph and engraved information.
An Added Plus
The woodwork shop also offers a computer repair shop, Bosscotech, on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoons. Servicing the computers is Jeff Malloy, a Navy veteran and a retired printer with a Litchfield newspaper.   
And Behind the Scenes
Tony Flowers Jr. goes from Liberty store to store to help wherever he is needed. “I just do as I’m told,” he said, with a grin.
Tony works at the Liberty Trading Coin Store, but puts in more time at the eBay store, Shop, Drop and More, and also helps out with the woodworking. He grew up in Vandalia and served several years in the military.
Even though he works at the various Liberty stores, his first love seems to be the outdoor ministry program Nimrod Ministries.
“The ministry is based on the book of Genesis 10: 8-9,” he said.
“Nimrod was a mighty hunter for God. It is an archery ministry; we have archery clinics and Bible study.”
He said that he became interested in the outdoor ministry when he was living in Louisiana. He was in the ministry for five years and started the archery camp while in Louisiana.
When he moved back to Vandalia, five other men interested in the ministry got together with Tony and Jennifer.
“When we all got together, it seemed like it just exploded,” he said.
Steve Bowen, Andrew Stewart, Roy Clark, Greg Evans and Tim LaDage joined Tony and Jennifer in the ministry.
They are holding a fundraiser to purchase more equipment for the Nimrod Ministry Archery Clinic, offering a fully-rigged bow and tree stand, a $100 gift certificate to Ganders Mountain and a $50 gift certificate to Bass Pro.
Meanwhile, he continues to help in the stores, “doing what he is told to do,” in the spirit of family togetherness and affection.
 

Tony Flowers Jr., left, and his father, Tony Sr., are shown inside one of the family’s businesses on Gallatin Street in downtown Vandalia.

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