When a person hears about a bogart, many people would think of Humphrey. But, Bill Cass insists that his charming leather puppet that greets visitors coming into Nymbol’s Secret Garden of Imagination in Langley is a bogart.
This one of a kind store in the heart of Downtown Langley has only been in business since 2009, but already it has become a must visit place to see amazing puppets, costumes, masks, jewelry and whatever strikes the imaginations of owners, Bill and Sam Cass.
The couple had lived in the corporate world for several years in Portland. Sam was a graphic designer and a shoe designer. Bill designed footwear for Keds and Converse and spent 13 years designing shoes for Nike, including Lance Armstrong’s seven-time Tour de France winning cycling shoe. Sam and Bill were getting nervous about possible layoffs at Nike, and they realized that they wanted to live and raise their children in a different environment. In February 2009, they visited Whidbey with some friends. Sam says, “The Island called to us.” Two months later they came back on their own and saw the “Retail space available” sign in Langley. It felt right to them, and they made the leap to a new business and a new home.
Bill got hooked into the puppet world through seeing the excitement in the eyes of his two young daughters (Tabatha,and Isadora) when he read to them using puppets as the storytellers. He drew the character of Nymbol in time for Halloween one year and decided he wanted to make his own puppet. After much trial and error, Nymbol emerged ready to hand out treats at the door.….to the great delight of every trick-or-treater.
Bill and Sam are currently designing masks for the International Ballet's production of 'Dracula' to be performed in Bellevue in October, along with masks for their black tie masquerade Ball. Their masks will also be shown at the Bellevue Museum of Arts in September.
Their business is expanding and they are increasingly doing more custom design work for theaters, ballet companies, children’s books and live performances. They also do special parties at the shop.
Nymbol’s Secret Garden of Imagination is currently open Thursday through Monday, 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM and closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Nymbol is there to meet Check out the website: http://www.nymbolssecretgarden.com/ (click on the “eye” to enter); or give Bill or Sam a call: 360-221-0322.
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