By Theresa Knapp

The Little Red Shop Museum has reopened and visitors may notice some different (previously hidden) items on display plus some changes in layout. 

The gift shoppe has been moved to the loom room, there are designated docents in each room, and the exhibits now tell the ‘story’ of the town of Hopedale. 

At the June 6 meeting of the Historical Commission, co-chair Suzan Ciaramicoli said, ““On the front wall we have something about the old house (the breadboard, the pictures); we’ve been researching the history of Mother Mendon who was the municipality from which a number of towns broke off, so we’re doing something with that; we’re going to do something with the John Jones chest, documentation and such; so it’s much more ‘museum-like’ when folks come in the door.” 

Historical Commission member Beverly Carver added, “We’ve had several comments, when they come in now, saying ‘It really looks like a museum,’ which is nice - ‘museum-y’ - and our goal is to tell the story, from beginning to end, as you walk through on a timeline.” 

What specifically is in the museum? 

According to www.littleredshopmuseum.org, “The Little Red Shop Museum holds artifacts related to the town’s development, the region, and the textile industry (in which Hopedale played a starring role)...The Little Red Shop began as a machine shop, and the Draper Corporation, which it became, produced the looms used all over the world to create high-quality, cotton-woven fabrics.

“Because the Draper Corporation was the single most significant and longest-lasting influence on the town of Hopedale, it often overshadows other important histories of the area. The Little Red Shop Museum preserves this history’s many facets and shows how that history is still relevant today.”

Regarding the building itself, “The circa 1845 Little Red Shop, the oldest remaining industrial building in Hopedale, was the original home of the Draper Company, which manufactured parts for textile looms. The company expanded to the complete manufacture of looms and all of their parts, eventually becoming the world’s largest textile loom manufacturing operation.”

The museum is open limited hours, primarily select Sundays and Wednesdays; hours can be found at www.littleredshopmuseum.org.