Glittering Gifts and Stained Glass on Thompson Street

The front window of glitters with blown glass ornaments, depression-era estate glass and, of course, stained glass. Inside, the shop it's overflowing with everything from holiday decorations to ready-made gifts such as music boxes, jewelry and blown glass vases.

Many of the items are handmade by local artisans, including blown glass made by a man in Worcester and ornaments and beadwork from a New Hampshire woman who once managed the now-defunct Winchester shop Betsy’s Clothing. There are also pewter items handmade in Oregon. 

The shop, owned by Roger Graf, has been in the Thompson St. courtyard since 1990. Graf sells gift items made by others but, in between walk-in customers, he focuses on his own work: stained glass windows. Late last week, he was dusting off a stained glass window to be delivered to a Winchester customer in a few days.

On a large nearby work surface, pieces of clear glass were arranged. Graf pointed out the type of glass used in that project: reproduction glass, which simulates the old, slightly distorted look of antique glass.

Graf never intended to have a career in stained glass work, earning a degree in marketing and business. Then one of his housemates in Syracuse, NY took a stained glass class and taught Graf and his future business partner the basics of stained glass work. Graf enjoyed it as a hobby.

When the housemate moved out, leaving a spare room and some stained glass materials behind, it became more than a pastime.

“We decided maybe we could make a business out of it,” Graf said, and that’s what he and his business partner did. Decades later, Graf works in Winchester and his partner works thousands of miles away, but they’re both still in stained glass.

“I’ve got windows in homes all over Winchester,” Graf said.

His windows also grace the , the , and businesses and public buildings throughout the area.

Graf does repair work, including some on-site work for smaller jobs that don’t require removing the window. He also creates new stained glass windows based on customers’ designs, books, and his own custom designs.

For a custom job, Graf does most of the design work on the computer and prints out color options and pattern variations for the client to see. If a client wants a stained glass window but doesn’t know where to start, Graf gives them books to flip through and mark and then, based on their tastes, is able to suggest ideas.

Depending on the complexity of the project, it can take one day to one week to complete a single stained glass window. Graf said he is keeping busy lately, after a couple of slow years due to the economy.

Standing at the front counter boxing two glass shamrocks for a customer, he said, “This year’s been good, so you just hope it keeps going.”

This month, Winchester Stained Glass is open Mondays 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. In January, the shop will revert to its normal schedule of being closed on Mondays.