Nestled in the heart of downtown Travelers Rest, TR Makers Co. is a well-known hot spot for artisans and art lovers alike. Here you can find handcrafted goods from local and global makers, as well as maker kits, unique gifts for the home, and so much more! Shop in person or browse our website. Then have your items shipped or schedule complimentary curbside pickup.
Looking for an experience or class? TR Makers Co. also encourages everyone to play creatively-regardless of age! Choose from an extensive variety of art-based activities, such as our Play Dates, Arts Lead Learning Classes for kids, Mini Makers, birthday parties, private events and custom experiences. We even offer offsite event planning for groups!
Be creative or be inspired, your journey of the handmade arts continues at TR Makers Co through events and locally curated goods.
Thank you for supporting the artisans who help to make this happen! Follow along on Facebook or Instagram @trmakersco.
Meet the Makers
Kristin LaRoy
Owner, Multidisciplinary Arts Educator, and SmartARTS Certified Teaching Artist
“We are all creatives; it is the unique gift that makes us human.” These words, spoken by Kristin LaRoy, are the basis for her work as the director of TR Makers Co. and as multidisciplinary arts integration educator. While LaRoy enjoys creating her own works of art in the performing and fine arts realm, she is also passionate about helping others reach their own creative potential and experiencing the arts for themselves.
With a career spanning over 16 years in the realm of dance, LaRoy’s journey commenced with her academic and artistic pursuits at the University of South Carolina, culminating in a degree in Business Information Systems and Dance. Throughout this tenure, LaRoy performed across the southern and midwestern regions of the United States. Simultaneously, she held the position of resident instructor at the Center for Dance Education in Lexington, SC, and Columbia, SC.
Upon her return to Greenville, SC, LaRoy undertook developing, directing, and nurturing the dance programs at three branches of the YMCA of Greenville, serving students in Taylors, Travelers Rest, and downtown Greenville, SC. Her multifaceted talents extend beyond the realm of dance and have allowed her to teach various forms of fine crafts for the past nine years. Her role as a printmaker and arts educator has taken her on a journey through various festivals, schools, and educational programs, like Roper Mountain Science Center, where she has helped others experience the creative process and learn new artisan techniques.
In the year 2015, LaRoy founded the Travelers Rest Makers Company—a haven where individuals of all ages are not only inspired by fine crafts but also instructed in the techniques that underpin these artistic endeavors. Beyond adult and student arts programming, LaRoy pioneered a Homeschool and Mini Makers program with a multidisciplinary arts integration approach, an effective conduit for imparting academic lessons using multiple art forms. Her dedication to private education has also spread into the public school system. LaRoy has become a SmartARTS certified teaching artist and works with teachers throughout Greenville County to create unique lessons that integrate dance and fine craft with their curriculum.
In recent years, LaRoy’s endeavors have garnered her several notable accolades, including the Carrie and Skip Gordon Emerging Teaching Artist Award and the title of Travelers Rest Business Person of the Year. Furthermore, her programming has received acclaim as a family favorite, earning recognition through Kidding Around Greenville’s KABOOM awards, where it was distinguished as the best Art Program and secured a finalist spot in the Best Baby/Toddler program category.
In addition to her career achievements, LaRoy takes great pride in her role as a devoted wife, mother of two and dog mom of one. She finds joy in embarking on adventures and embracing the great outdoors. Her adventurous spirit has led her to explore various corners of the United States and traverse the landscapes of seven different countries.
Carrie Perry
Retail Sales Manager, Curriculum Developer and Multidisciplinary Arts Educator
Carrie Perry is a seasoned and credentialed educator with a career spanning over two decades. Her professional journey commenced within the realm of public education, where she dedicated 15 years to honing her teaching expertise in Virginia before relocating to South Carolina. Following this chapter, she transitioned into the world of online ESL (English as a Second Language) instruction, delivering her knowledge to an international audience for a period of five years.
A creative thinker throughout her life, Carrie’s versatile talents span the realms of both artistry and pedagogy. Her comprehensive background in these disciplines renders her an amazing asset in helping to develop Arts Lead Learning curriculum and other programming at TR Makers Co., a role she has successfully fulfilled for half a decade. We have witnessed that Carrie’s lively personality and contagious enthusiasm make her classes so exciting that everyone wants to join in.
Beyond her professional pursuits, Carrie is a devoted mother to three children, and her love for exploration and continuous learning knows no bounds. Her artistic inclinations find their expression through various mediums, with a particular affinity for textiles, dyes, and the intricate art of pyrography.
Linda Hulin
Studio Manager, Curriculum Developer and Multidisciplinary Arts Educator
Linda Hulin brings a wealth of teaching experience to her current roles as Studio Manager, Curriculum Developer and Multidisciplinary Arts Educator, having spent 17 years instructing students in classrooms across two different Midwest states. Armed with an education degree encompassing music and English, Hulin has demonstrated her versatility by imparting knowledge to learners of various ages and across multiple disciplines. Beyond her professional achievements, she wears the cherished hats of a mother to four and a doting Mimi to nine grandchildren.
Being creative, both in and out of the classroom, has been a lifelong passion. In the classroom, Hulin enjoys creating lessons to help students understand new, hard-to-grasp concepts. Outside the classroom, her days are often filled with engaging activities, such as pattern creation, the art of upcycling woolen garments, the manipulation of natural fibers, and the intricate design and construction of quilted projects. Her dedication to teaching the crafts of sewing and quilting has proven rewarding, as she imparts her knowledge to individuals, small groups, and even gatherings as sizable as 75 participants.
When confronted with the declaration of “I can’t,” Hulin interprets it as a compelling challenge to equip individuals with the requisite knowledge and tools to help them attain success. She firmly subscribes to the belief that people of all ages can embrace new skills when multiple senses are engaged: What the eye sees that the ear hears that the hands do, one can learn!
Sarah Groves
Multidisciplinary Arts Educator
In a world of mass production where individuality is often lost, Sarah Groves loves inspiring others to create with their hands by sharing the value only human workmanship can bring to objects we surround ourselves with.
Growing up, art, imagination, and being outdoors were encouraged in Groves family and so her childhood was full of playing make-believe, building fairy houses, and painting outside. Creativity played an essential role in her upbringing, and she loves helping others see the importance of learning to use this ability – no matter their age or skill set!
In 2020, she earned a BFA in Studio Art at Bob Jones University located in Greenville, SC. Her primary focus was drawing and painting, yet she eagerly embraced coursework in sculpture and book arts. During her senior year, she had the unique opportunity to work at the Hampton III Gallery, the oldest gallery in South Carolina, where she learned about installing shows and had the privilege of creating a spread for the May 2020 issue of Carolina Arts Magazine.
Groves holds art education in high regard and has actively pursued this passion throughout her journey. She has shared her expertise through private art lessons and serving as an art instructor, catering to students from K5 to 12th grade, at the Anderson Arts Center and presently at TR Makers Co. Groves commitment to cultivating creativity and artistic expression continues to inspire those she encounters along her dedicated path.