Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Frederickson.
Hi Amy, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m Amy. I’ve been happily married to my husband, Keith, for over 25 years, and we’ve called Lakeville home for more than two decades. Together we’ve raised three children—one grown, one heading to college in the fall and one who attends Lakeville South High School. Our family has been deeply involved in the community through school activities, sports, volunteer work, and local events. If you stop by the shop, there’s a good chance you’ll find one of my family members helping out.
Before opening Hello, Loveday!, I spent many years in corporate America. In late 2024, I was part of a corporate downsizing, which unexpectedly gave me something I hadn’t had in a very long time: time to pause and reflect. It also gave me the opportunity to help care for my grandmother during the final months of her life. At 101 years old, she had lived an incredible life, and spending that time with her was both a gift and a reminder of what truly matters.
That time gave me the chance to think about what I wanted next—not just professionally, but personally. While I was grateful for my corporate career and the experiences it provided, I found myself drawn to something more personal and connected to the community where I’ve built my life. Opening a small business was never part of some grand plan; it grew out of a desire to create something meaningful, to build relationships, and to spend my days doing work that brings people together. Hello, Loveday! is the result of that reflection and leap of faith.
The name Hello, Loveday! comes from a character named Loveday in the book Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilcher. I first read the book in college, and the character’s warmth, kindness, and joyful outlook stayed with me long after I finished the last page. In fact, I loved the name so much that at one point I hoped to use it for a daughter. While that never came to be, the name remained special to me over the years. When it came time to name the shop, Loveday felt like the perfect fit—a name that reflects warmth, connection, and finding joy in life’s everyday moments.
Outside of the shop, I’m a wife, mom, dog lover, avid reader, cabin owner, and someone who genuinely enjoys meeting people and hearing their stories. Hello, Loveday! is an extension of those things—a small business built by a local family and rooted in a community we are proud to call home.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
One of the biggest challenges in opening a retail store is navigating the unknown. Will customers like the products you’ve carefully selected? Are the prices right? Have you chosen the right location?
We didn’t even select a property until August 2025 and signed our lease in September. Knowing we needed to be open before Christmas, there wasn’t much time to second-guess decisions—it simply had to happen.
The space itself presented a challenge. What had once been a sterile cell phone store needed to be transformed into something warm, welcoming, and reflective of the vision I had for Hello, Loveday! With a limited budget and an even tighter timeline, we painted, wallpapered, assembled fixtures, unpacked inventory, and worked countless hours to turn the space into a place where people would feel comfortable browsing and connecting. It was exhausting, exciting, and at times overwhelming, but we opened our doors in time for the holiday season.
Fortunately, the hard work paid off. The neighborhood embraced the store, holiday sales were strong, and it felt like we were off to a great start.
What I wasn’t prepared for was January and February. Between the cold Minnesota weather, the post-holiday slowdown, and events happening throughout the Twin Cities, it felt like everyone was hunkered down at home. Foot traffic dropped dramatically, and customers simply weren’t out and about. We organized a food drive, which brought people together and helped support a great cause, but those months were still incredibly slow. It was a humbling introduction to the realities of retail and a reminder that even when you’ve planned carefully, some of the biggest challenges are the ones you never see coming.
As if opening a new business didn’t provide enough uncertainty, just days before our quiet opening, a routine physical revealed an issue with my blood work. What followed were months of additional testing, specialist appointments, and ultimately a bone marrow biopsy. In early 2026, I was diagnosed with Essential Thrombocythemia, a rare blood cancer. Hearing the word “cancer” was frightening, and the months of waiting for answers were often harder than the diagnosis itself. The good news is that Essential Thrombocythemia is considered a manageable condition. While there is currently no cure, it is something many people live with for decades while continuing to lead full, active lives. The experience was a powerful reminder that life rarely unfolds according to plan, but it also reinforced the importance of perspective, gratitude, and focusing on what truly matters. In many ways, it strengthened my belief that there is value in taking chances, pursuing things that bring you joy, and making the most of the time we’re given.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I grew up professionally in Minnesota retail, spending much of my career with Target and Best Buy. While my roles varied over the years, they all shared a common focus: understanding customers and finding ways to improve their experience. Whether that meant developing marketing campaigns, improving communications, simplifying processes, or creating more meaningful customer interactions, I was always drawn to work that helped organizations better serve the people they exist for.
I also spent time at a local advertising agency, where I developed a deep appreciation for the power of data and customer insights. I learned how to combine analytics with human behavior to better understand what customers need, what motivates them, and how businesses can create experiences that truly resonate.
I finished my corporate career working in healthcare for a large West Coast hospital system, focusing on patient experience. My work was not centered on the clinical side of healthcare, but rather on everything that surrounds it—the often-complicated journey patients navigate from scheduling appointments and finding providers to understanding insurance, accessing information, communicating with care teams, and ultimately paying their bills. I worked on programs designed to make healthcare easier to navigate, reduce frustration, and help patients and families feel more informed, supported, and confident throughout their entire experience.
Looking back, the common thread throughout my career has always been people. I’ve never been focused solely on products, marketing, or operations; I’ve been focused on the experience. How do people feel when they interact with a brand, a business, or an organization? What can we do to make that experience better?
What I’m most proud of is the consistency of the work I’ve been able to do throughout my career. While the industries changed—from retail, to advertising, to healthcare—the focus remained the same: understanding people and finding ways to make their experiences better. I’ve always enjoyed solving problems, using data to guide decisions, and looking for opportunities to simplify what can often feel complicated or overwhelming. Whether the customer was shopping for a television, navigating a healthcare system, or searching for the perfect gift, the goal has always been to create experiences that feel thoughtful, intuitive, and genuinely helpful.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I grew up in a small town in Wisconsin in a fairly traditional family—two parents, two brothers, and a revolving cast of pets over the years. My childhood was filled with many of the simple things that seem almost nostalgic now: camping trips, family road trips to visit relatives, board games around the kitchen table, and long summer days spent outside.
Personality-wise, I was curious, independent, and always eager to try something new. I enjoyed school, loved reading, and was generally the person willing to venture beyond my comfort zone. In fact, I was the first person in my family to leave home and attend college in the Twin Cities. What was supposed to be a temporary move turned into a permanent one. I fell in love with the energy and opportunities of the metro area, found a job, stayed for my first summer, and never looked back.
Even though I’ve spent most of my adult life in the Twin Cities, my small-town upbringing has stayed with me. Growing up, local businesses were an important part of everyday life. I still remember riding my bike to the “little store” in town to buy treats and small treasures. The shopkeepers knew who you were, conversations happened naturally, and shopping felt personal. Looking back, those experiences probably shaped me more than I realized at the time. They taught me the value of community, relationships, and the kind of connection that can happen in a small, locally owned business.
While I appreciate many things about city life, I’ve always carried a little bit of that small-town mindset with me—the belief that people matter, relationships matter, and that the places we gather can help create a sense of belonging.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://helloloveday.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helloloveday/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HelloLoveday
