T-L Photos/JOSIE BURKHART Joele Elias showcases her permanent jewelry for her small business Permanent Jewelry by Joele.

Michele Homier stands with her clothing, purses and other items for her business called The Cowgirl In Me

CADIZ — The Harrison County Fair is underway this week through today, June 29, where business owners set up in the Dale Norris Center building to promote their businesses.

The county fair has room for animals, food trucks, rides and visitors, but also for small business owners who want to share their goods and services with the residents of Harrison County — and with those from all over who visit the fair.

Many of the business owners have been setting up their stands at the fair for years and come back because it is friendly and pleasant there, they said.

One of the owners, Kay Abbott, who owns Keepsake Box, said she loves talking to people at the fair, and it’s very friendly and family-like.

“I love people,” Abbott said. “It’s very nice. Everybody’s so friendly. We know pretty much everybody when they come in.”

Self-defense items, such as knives, swords and stun guns but also cups including Stanley Cups are sold from the business. After starting out with purses at a flea market in Wintersville, her friend sold knives but went out of service, so she picked up a business.

The business sets up at four other fairs as well and has been doing so for 10 years. The only place someone interested could find Keepsake Box is at fairs, as she doesn’t sell products anywhere else besides at Roger’s Flea Market in Lisbon, Ohio, occasionally.

Another business owner, Tim Delello, who operates Cutco, travels to sell products and joins the Harrison County Fair every year.

“I’ve been here for the past four years,” Delello said. “I love the community. Very regional feel, not a big city, but a country feel.”

Delello loves the atmosphere the county fair has to offer and said the kids love showing their animals and embody what is considered to be Americana.

Cutco is an American-made company that has been a business for 75 years with over 19 million customers. The business offers cutlery items but also a full kitchen service through direct sales rather than in stores.

All of the company’s events after this fair can be found at cutco.com.

Another business is there to support the children who show animals. It’s called The Cowgirl In Me, which is a woman-owned business operated by Michele Homier. The boutique is a small business located in Cadiz but set up at the fair this week to support the 4-Hers and the Harrison County Fair. It is a Western-flare styled boutique.

Homier said she loves seeing the kids from 4-H in the clothes and items she sells, such as wild rags and earrings sold from the boutique.

“We sell a lot of the show clothes that the kids wear,” Homier said, “the rodeo shirts, the wild rags. The girls like the earrings; they want to sparkle for the judges to draw the attention to them.”

Those interested can find the business at 155 E. Market St. Cadiz.

Joele Elias, who owns Permanent Jewelry by Joele, experienced what it’s like to sell products from a small business for the first time at this county’s fair. Elias explained how she just started this business last week and wanted to spread her information to people, so she set up a stand at the fair.

Elias sells permanent jewelry including anklets, bracelets and necklaces, which customers can also add charms to and personalize the products. The products lack a clasp, so they do not come off.

Elias thought it would be a good place to start because she lives in Harrison County and would already be attending the fair.

“I just started doing this because there’s not really a lot of people in the area that do the permanent jewelry,” Elias said. “So I figured this would be a good place to start.

“I’m from Harrison County, so I thought I’d give it a try for the week.”

Those interested in permanent jewelry can find Elias at the Rafter M Rodeo in Belmont later this year and at uptown Cadiz events. Elias books for private events as well for those who wish for her to attend their houses or parties.

The fair also has food trucks like Midway Mexican, Fresh Spun Cotton Candy, The Fat Boy Burger, Kirk’s Kitchen and Fresh Lemonade.

Rides, like the Rabbit Racer, Rock Climbing Wall and a small Ferris wheel are present, too.

The Farm Stock Tractor Pull will happen at 6 p.m. Saturday, June 29, for the last day of the fair.