As the first light of morning glows, a fine, billowy, blue mist rises, swirling about the meadow. Livestock begin to move about, birds begin to sing and roosters begin to crow, acting as nature's alarm clocks. Heading toward town, a lone horse pulls a small black buggy. Peering from its dew-drenched glass encasement, two bonnet-clad women in plain dresses head to town. The clip-clop of the horse's hooves echoes about, as the orange sun peeks through the veil of mist. A new day is awakening in the Amish community of Arthur.

Although this quaint image may seem rather primitive to outsiders (the "English" as the Amish call them), looks can be deceiving. This area of Illinois boasts some of the most skilled craftsmen in the country. These modest people are very talented in trades that have been passed down through generations, and they've become quite adept in business practices. Not only have they learned that living cooperatively is the key to their survival, the strong work ethic and moral framework of their shuttered world directs their lives each day. For the Amish, a word and a handshake unconditionally seal a deal and a promise of undying loyalty.

Located in the replica of a historic train depot in downtown Arthur, the Arthur Information Center is the gateway to the Amish community. It's where people come to find out what's available in the area. Tourism Director Theresa Binion acts as a liaison between visitors and the Amish craftsmen. She says that most visitors to Arthur are pleasantly surprised by its vast offerings. Binion has Amish roots herself, and there's not much she

Horse-drawn buggies may seem quaint, but they're the norm in transportation for Amish families and seen everywhere in the Arthur community. Photo reprinted with permission from the Arthur Association of Commerce.

Horsepower is essential for the Amish harvest, which isn't all that different from when they first arrived in Arthur in 1865. Photo reprinted with permission from the Arthur Association of Commerce.

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A woodworker in an Amish woodworking shop puts the finishing touches on some beautifully Grafted wooden items. Woodworking is a very popular business in Amish communities. Photo reprinted with permission from the Arthur Association of Commerce.

"THIS AREA OF ILLINOIS BOASTS SOME OF THE MOST SKILLED CRAFTSMEN IN THE COUNTRY. THESE MODEST PEOPLE ARE VERY TALENTED IN TRADES THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED DOWN THROUGH GENERATIONS, AND THEY'VE BECOME QUITE ADEPT IN BUSINESS PRACTICES".

doesn't know about the area. She helps promote roughly 235 cottage businesses in the Arthur area, and this isn't just her job; it's her passion. She loves the Amish craftsmen, and the feeling is mutual. Binion says, "People coming in are usually looking for a specific business. Or they want cabinet-makers or furniture-makers. They want a specific place to go and don't know how to get there, so we provide them with maps."

Amish businesses include one-person quilting operations, 35-employee woodworking shops, and everything in between. Some are retail businesses, but some craftsmen prefer to work strictly as wholesalers and don't allow walk-in business. Binion knows who will and won't allow visitors.

Tourism is a major industry in the area, but like many tourist destinations, Arthur has suffered since the September 11, 2001, tragedy. She says that based on visits to the Information Center, their business is off by about 12 percent, from 155,000 visitors in 2001 to 137,000 in 2002. That equates to a loss of local income and tax revenue. It also means a hardship to the craftsmen and women who depend upon tourism for their livelihood. One business is now closed on Saturdays, and another business has closed altogether because of slow sales.

The Amish in the Arthur settlement arrived in 1865 and their population has now grown to approximately 4,200. Their roots go back to the Anabaptist movement in the early 1500s in Switzerland and Germany. Anabaptists believed that only adults who had confessed their faith could be baptized. They felt that only the church, not the state, could control the activities of the church. Once the Amish are baptized in the faith they are responsible for following the Ordnung, a set of rules for their daily living. The Amish church acts as their government.

Richard Otto is from a multi-generational Amish family and owns Country Shoe Shop, a Red Wing shoe store and general shoe repair shop in Arthur. He may look young and naive, but he's as shrewd as any businessman. Dressed in tidy hand-sewn clothes and suspenders, Otto operates his business on solid customer service and referrals from both "English" and Amish customers who come from all over Illinois. He says, "There are a lot of people who like the idea of buying a pair of shoes and knowing that I'm going to be able to take care of them. There are not a lot of shoe repair people around anymore." He adds, "I always like meeting people, so that's what keeps me interested in it"

The shop's showroom consists of a propane heater, propane-burning lights and displays of shoes, boots, straw hats and accessories. The acrid smell of burning propane fills the store. With the exception of a few Red Wing posters, there are no pictures on the walls or decorations of any kind in the shop. A diesel generator, which constantly drones in the background, is used to power fluorescent lights and power tools in the shop's repair area.

Top picture: The Country Shoe Shop is one of few shoe and repair shops that still exist today. Owner Richard Otto uses a diesel generator to power tools he's using to repair a damaged boot.
Bottom picture: The Amish do not want to be directly tied into the modern world, so electric and telephone lines don't run from house to house. Instead, many Amish burn propane gaslights in their homes and businesses.

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Top two pictures: A dress hat, such as this, is quite warm and worn to church by men in the winter. Yellow straw hats are work hats, and black straw hats are worn for dress in the summer. Bottom picture: Richard Otto's "computer" consists of four Rolodex files, which contain information on any customer who's ever bought Red Wing shoes or boots from the Country Shoe Shop.

Though only 29, Otto has already been involved in a number of businesses. He was raised in a family that owned and operated a tent and awning company, where he worked for several years. When asked about the tradition of handing a business down through the generations, Otto says, "It gets difficult if the children grow up in the business. I grew up in the canvas shop and we always got busy in the summertime. In the winter when we slowed down, one of us would always have to find another job." Otto eventually went outside the family business to find work. He adds, " I have two brothers who are going to continue with the family business."

Otto has owned Country Shoe Shop for a few years. Joan, Otto's wife, worked in the shoe shop for her uncle, Wilmer Yoder, in the 1990s. In 1999, Yoder asked Otto to buy the shoe repair shop from him, but Otto already owned Furniture Plus, a furniture store in Arthur, with his father-in-law, Glenn Yoder, and was hesitant to leave it. The two struck a deal to partner in both businesses. The Ottos have four sons, ages four months to seven years, and they hope to pass the businesses on to the kids someday. Richard says, "I do hope that my children will want to help out and go on with my business."

The Amish are at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to technology. Their religious beliefs separate them from a modern world that's becoming increasingly technological. Otto says some of his vendors are encouraging their distributors to submit orders by Internet and charge an extra fee to receive orders by phone. Ordering online is frustrating for Otto. It exposes him to technology, which makes him uncomfortable, and he misses the personal connection. He is customer service-oriented, so he want to hear a voice on the other end of the phone when he orders. And, when he's finished, he likes to hear the person taking the order say thank you. Otto's "computer" is a series of four Rolodex files crammed full of customer information cards. He says that everyone who has ever purchased Red Wing shoes or boots from the store is in the Rolodex. He realizes that in time, it will be increasingly difficult for him to operate without the aid of some technological advances. For now, he uses the local library for his computer or Internet needs.

A theme that resonates through the Amish community is their need to work together, to cooperate. The Amish don't have traditional insurance policies for medical or fire coverage. Instead, they have an "assurance" plan that is monitored by the church. Each person in the Amish community is assessed based on the acreage that person owns. That way the Amish can care for one another in paying for medical bills, etc. The community center in their area is often used for benefits when someone there suffers an illness that takes more than is in their assurance fund. Benefits usually consist of a meal and perhaps a silent auction. A recent benefit netted the community $40,000, and Otto says some benefits have raised as much as $100,000.

The Amish furniture-makers have a "win-win" relationship with a local distributorship. Some 90 shops sell their wares through J & M Distribution in rural Arthur. The brand name for Amish furniture sold there is "Simply Amish." Simply Amish furniture is sold in 115 stores across the country. Of those stores, 25 are full-line stores for J & M, and nearly all the local shops buy from the distributor.

Kevin Kauffman and Butch Mast, who were raised in traditional Amish homes, but no longer practice the faith, are two

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Top picture: J & M Distribution, a company that distributes Amish-made "Simply Amish" furniture to 115 stares across the country, holds furniture ready for shipment in a 110,000-square foot warehouse in rural Arthur. Bottom picture: A beautifully handcrahed table and chairs is displayed at Four Acre Wood Products in rural Arthur. The company also has an extensive selection of cabinets, bedroom sets, curio cabinets, knick-knacks, and more.

of four owners of the distribution company. Kauffman started the business with John Mast, Butch's brother, in 1989. Back then, they were selling furniture out of a two-car garage and didn't have a warehouse facility. Butch joined the rapidly growing business in 1993, and it is now housed in a 110,000-square-foot warehouse in rural Arthur. The view inside the warehouse from the second floor reveals acres of very long and neat rows of stacked furniture waiting for shipment. Three-wheeled manual "trikes" are the preferred mode of transportation in the massive warehouse.

Having the business out in the country near the craftsmen has benefited J & M. "We're right here in the middle of Amish country. Local delivery trucks don't have to go so far to pick up and deliver goods. If a truck has to go to another state 1,000 miles away, five extra miles is no big deal, but day-to-day it becomes costly." Kauffman says, "If a dealer has a problem, or we need to talk to a contractor right away, we can just go to their businesses. We have to be able to get to them fast."

Kauffman and Mast agree that they have a unique advantage. Since they grew up in the Amish community, they know the craftsmen in the area. It all boils down to relationships and trust.

When the economy suffers, like it has for the past 18 months, people buy less furniture, and that makes it difficult for the Amish to make a living. J & M continues to buy their furniture, even though they may be stockpiling product, to keep the Amish economy stable. J &. M's business is down by as much as 20 percent since the terrorist attacks in 2001. Kauffman explains, "If you're buying off a vendor and you don't need anything in the outside world, you don't worry about it. But here, you have to." He says when business is off they'll try to come up with new products the Amish can sell through the distribution business to keep the craftsmen's doors open.

David Kaufman owns and manages Four Acre Wood Products, among the largest Amish retail furniture shops in the area, and a customer of J&M. Tucked away deep in rural Arthur, you'd never guess that the business could have so much inventory of beautifully hewn, stained and handcrafted furniture in its spacious showroom. Although 3,000 square feet was recently added to the showroom, it's still crammed wall-to-wall with any type of wooden furniture, cabinet, knick-knack or decoration you'd want.

David came by furniture making naturally, as his father and grandfather were cabinetmakers. He received his training at F & B Woodworking, another large woodworking shop in the area. The country shops cooperate to maximize their businesses. Kaufman says the business owners won't bad-mouth the competition. "If someone comes into my shop and wants to buy something we don't carry, we tell them where they can go to get it. There are no secrets out here. We don't want to work against our competition; we want to work with them."

David and his wife, Anna Mae, have 10 children, some of whom work in the business. David says, "They'll probably all work in some aspect of the business. As far as them all staying in it, I doubt it." His business has been operating for 25 years, and it looks like the legacy will continue.

The Amish will continue to live their sheltered lifestyle and pass their businesses down through the generations, and through cooperation they'll find a way to survive. As David Kaufman says, "We feel like everybody working together brings in more people and it makes more for everybody. It's just the way it works." He adds, "There's enough work out there for everybody, and if there's not, let's work together to take care of it." For centuries the Amish have made it work, and they'll continue the tradition for centuries more.

As the sun sets, a lone buggy heads from town down the dusty roads that wind through the green ribbons of corn and beans. Another day is done.

For more information about traveling to the Amish community in Arthur, call (800) 722-6474, or log on to www.IllinoisAmishCountry.com or tourinfo@goarthur.com.

Editor's note: Out of respect for the Amish faith and tradition, no recognizable photographs were taken of Amish people for this story.

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