SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA CO. (WOLF) — Tucked away next to the food court of the Viewmont Mall is NEPA Crafters Unite.

After decades of building houses, Gary Dotter and his wife got into the craft business and 16 years later, they’re still showing off NEPA’s creative crafts.

“My wife is the crafter in the family,” explained Dotter. “I’m not a crafter. I can sell anything because I don’t sell a product. I hate car salesmen. I sell an atmosphere. I can talk to anybody, joke with anybody, I make them feel comfortable. When people are comfortable, this stuff sells itself.”

They sell a hodgepodge of gifts, decorations, and handcrafted goods from nearly 40 vendors and pride themselves on their low prices.

They have a rule: only one vendor per type of item. No competition and vendor’s getting 70 percent of the revenue has led to loyal crafters stocking their shelves for years – and a waitlist of suppliers for every item. The other 30 percent goes to paying the rent for the storefront and the store’s help, the only crafts the Dotter’s make money on are the ones they themselves created in the store.

“I’m not pushing money to get money,” said Dotter. “I make my money selling my stuff. I try to keep the rent down as low as possible, and that’s what works. It’s worked for 16 years; I’m not changing it.”

“If it ain’t broke.”

“Exactly. I’m not the government!”

And it’s not only a hit with the vendors; the low prices and wide variety have led to loyal customers coming back consistently. The in-person shoppers are a trend across the board, the mall telling us that it’s seen increased foot traffic every year since the pandemic.

“I think that shoppers want to feel and touch the items that they’re buying,” said Viewmont Mall property management associate Rosemary Bohenek. “It’s different than online shopping where you’re just on the computer screen and you don’t get to try things on and really experience the shopping.

NEPA Crafters Unite is a great place to some holiday stocking stuffers but also shows the strength of small business and in person shopping – and if it was up to Gary – he’d do it forever.

“I love it. My customers come back all the time, and the store will continue that way for as long as I’m around.”