By Mary Ellen Graybill

When she was a little girl in York County, Kathleen McLane liked digging for dandelions in the backyard with her two younger brothers. Her paternal grandmother’s house was just a mile from her parent’s home, and while both her parents worked, it was fun and educational to spend happy days with her grandmother, who was of the “old school” and provided some wisdom of the ways of the early Irish settlers in the area.

“We never put stuff on our yards, and one day we were out, and we thought, ‘this is really neat (when grandma said,) ‘Start digging these dandelions!’” 

“We didn’t know we were going to eat ’em later on that evening!” says McLane with a hearty laugh.  

“But, I wish I knew the recipe for the dressing she made for my father today!”  

Nowadays, Kathleen has established a unique stand at the Columbia Farmer’s Market, “A Grateful Massage” where she does a relaxing chair massage for regular and tourist visitors. She sells her homemade body products like sugar scrubs, scented spritzers, and soaps of lavender, or patchouli, orange, and lavender every Thursday from 9AM to closing time, currently at 7PM. Her stand is located near the beautiful fruits and vegetables stand across the aisle and around the bend from a delicious waffle and ice cream stand. 

McLaneœs parents support their daughter’s stand. Some valued customers are starting to return week after week. It’s her dream.

McLane will someday be able to concentrate her energies, literally, on her customers and provide the holistic health care that she has studied. But, for now, it’s a matter of juggling a job at Bon Ton, a chiropractor’s office, etc. to pay the bills.  

Not only is the market undergoing a new life with renovation and new goals set by the “Preservation America” initiative of 12/29/08 which encourages new regional economic growth for the now-named historic Columbia borough. It’s a different town since its early days when “silk, lace, pipe, laundry machinery, stoves, iron toys, flour” and lumber and wagons were produced. So, the market is offering new and different products, as well as the usual fare- delicious foods and fresh produce. Back in 1868, there were reportedly 180 stalls inside the market and 34 outside.  

“People really like this place (now).” says McLane, but when they look around, sometimes, they say, “Where are the vendors?” 

McLane finds that the economic downturn has affected her massage work. She has a home studio and also travels to people’s homes.  

“So the price of gasoline, depending where I might have traveled for no fee, (may go up because) I have to tack on that extra (gas cost). When the economy went down, the luxury items went away, and massage is more than just a luxury, however, it’s something that doesn’t show like a hair color or a haircut, or you feel sick and you go to the doctor, or you do need food. It’s not something essential for you to live.’  

The path to the market for this entrepreneur has been a story of adapting to live creatively. And, it’s been caused by the economy. After graduating in art from the Pennsylvania School of Art, (now called the Pennsylvania School of Art and Design) McLane found a good job designing dishware at a local manufacturer. But she was laid off in 2008, even though she had successfully designed dishware such as the “summer breeze” design, still popular.  

Trying to work freelance in the art and design business didn’t pay the bills, so she decided she needed another skill, and then she went to Harrisburg community College.  

“That’s where I took massage therapy, and I went fulltime and graduated late summer 2009,” she explained.  

Licensing for massage therapists in Pennsylvania is in the works for the state’s new massage therapists, and McLane will be “grandfathered” in under the current certification process, as she says, “Through paperwork and all that.” She had 53 hours of hands-on massage to earn her credentials. 

“I chose the market because I moved into Columbia, and I’ve been here for 20 years, and I love Columbia! I love that you can walk down the street and someone will walk past you and say ‘Good morning’ or ‘Hello!’” 

Her home on Walnut Street is the scene of a lot of creative kitchen activity. When she is not working at one of her many paying jobs to keeps the creditors away, and keep the lights on, she is off and working at Bon Ton, or the chiropractor’s office that employs her for NMT (trigger Point therapy), hot stone massage, foot reflexology, aromatherapy massage, etc.  

“The market is a beautiful market, the people are friendly. They’re great! The other vendors here – they’re just so welcoming!” she says of her choice of location to sell the products from her own kitchen with her label.

Through the day, back at her house on Walnut Street, Columbia, she might be up to her elbows making the sugar scrub, or the body spirits in a calming lavender scent.  

“It’s like making cakes all day!’ she says, happily.

[NOTE] April 8 and 9, 2011 she will do chair massage and sell products at the Pennsylvania Herb Show at the York Fairgrounds Expo Building. Or you can find her at the Columbia Farmer’s Market every Thursday 9 AM – closing at 7 PM currently.