discover ››
SHOP W WHEELING
wheeingresidentsmaynotice something strange looming over their town these days—a massive T-Rex smashing through the side of a building. But don’t panic— Gideon, a.k.a. T-Bone, is friendly. The new fiberglass addition to SMART Centre Market’s exterior was affectionately named by local elementary school students, and that’s just the beginning of how the community’s involvement flows through the beloved shop on 22nd street. The market, the name of which stands for “Science, Math, Art, Research & Technology,” is owned by Robert and Libby Strong, a duo of science educators who thrive on developing their customers’ enthusiasm for learning. The market grew naturally out of the workshops the couple has done with schools and students for years and gives locals a way to take educational entertainment home. Telescopes, fossils, STEM-related toys and games, and more are all available on their ever-changing shelves. And if that’s not enough to keep your attention, they also serve ice cream to snack on while you browse. “Do you love dinosaurs, space, or ice cream?” Libby says with a laugh. “Most people will enjoy at least one of the three.” SMART Centre Market’s doors are temporarily shuttered due to COVID-19, but they’ll be open again in time. And even so, the Strongs are seeing evidence of devoted customers enjoying the fruits of their labor. “We’ve done a few socially distant curbside pickups of telescopes,” Libby says, adding that they’ve done curbside lessons, too. “We’ve also had some folks regularly IceCreamand Outer Space How SMART Centre Market in Wheeling encourages hands-on learning.
uniquefinds Fossils If you want to see where some of Gideon’s pals ended up, SMART Centre Market’s fossil selection is for you. From small ammonites to real fossilized dinosaur bones and Megoladon teeth, the selection is vast. $1–$200 Gyroscope A gyroscope is a device used for measuring velocity, and it is quite a sight to see. The spinning tool— like most things in the SMART Centre Market—is wildly fun to view, while also offering educational lessons. Each one comes with a free lesson on how to use it. $9 Orion StarBlast Telescope Perfect for casual sky-gazing or in-depth analysis, this telescope can also be found at the SMART Centre Market. Like all of the market’s telescopes, it comes with free assembly and a complimentary lesson on how to get the most out of your purchase. $210
reporting their findings as they’ve been enjoying the telescopes with their families, and that’s really nice to see.” 30 22nd Street, Wheeling, 304.233.4667, smartcentremarket.com, @smartcentremarket on Facebook written by taylor maple
20 wvl • fall 2020
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online