Today we’d like to introduce you to Roberta Ekman.
Roberta, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I will give my husband, Steve, the credit for the idea of starting the gift shop. He came home one evening reporting he had purchased the main street building. I was not happy initially about this news as he did not have a plan for its use. However, after attending several community-related meetings and having numerous conversations with my husband, we developed the idea for a gift shop. We were newly “empty nesters” looking for a fun, creative outlet, and Grafton residents’ need for more retail businesses was a consistent request. We wanted to take action.
I’m often asked about the name of my gift shop-Byrdies. It went back more than 100 years ago. The building was built in the 1920s, and I have nods to this era through color and wallpaper prints of Art Deco design. The name Byrdie is a nickname for me, Roberta, but also in honor of my Great Aunt Byrdie Staven, who would have been well over 100 years old today. She and her husband, Lloyd, were business owners in my hometown of Park River., ND. They did not have their children, but she was generous to her several nieces and nephews and me, her great-niece. My memories of her were of a sophisticated, well-dressed lady in high heels and lots of glamorous jewelry. In a nutshell, she was classy and fun-loving.
I will be more behind the scenes in the shop’s day-to-day operations. I have enjoyed the planning, the renovating, the decorating, and certainly the shopping! I will continue practicing dentistry in my Lifetime Dental offices in Park River and Grafton during the week but will help with the extended hours on Thursday nights and weekends. I asked my friend, Tara Halvorson, and her husband, Hans, to help renovate and manage the gift shop. The Halvorson’s were living in Bemidji then, but Tara said it was a “dream” to run a gift shop connected to a coffee shop! Hans has been key to the successful renovation, and Tara’s gift is her kindness. She shines in customer service. She and my daughter, Signe, will be operating the store this summer.
When renovating the store, we have tried to make the back half of the store multifunctional. Our first request was to partner with Cathy Tweten in opening a doorway to her coffee shop, Cabin Road Coffeehouse. The space will provide overflow for the coffee patrons. For example, if a group would like to meet during the day or host a baby or bridal shower, there will be seating for approximately 24 people in the back lounge of Byrdie’s. However, as soon as the renovations are complete, the lounge will be open for classic cocktails and martini’s on Thursday nights only. The signature drink will be Byrdie’s lemon drop martini shaken and served by guest bartenders.
When shopping for merchandise for the gift store, I had the help of my two daughters, Ava and Signe, my sister, Carly (Clemetson) Wright, and store manager, Tara (Burianek) Halvorson. Our first trip to the Dallas market was overwhelming, and we spent a day just looking at the 15 floors of merchandise. We decided amongst the five of us that we would only pick out items we would buy ourselves. The diversity in our ages and tastes helped bring numerous items in all price ranges to our inventory. We strived to buy gifts for babies, weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, pets, and, of course, for retail therapy!
I hope this renovation of a downtown building will catalyze other entrepreneurs in the region who want more events and activities to take a risk. There is an opportunity to make our region a destination, and many people are eager to support such adventures!
Please come check out our gift shop and lounge. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for hours of operation and special events.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Renovating a 100-year-old building had its challenges. We added supplemental heating with the addition of a fireplace and air conditioning and also built a new bathroom to replace the tiny bathroom that existed.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Byrdie’s gift shop aims to have various gift ideas from weddings, anniversaries, babies, and retail therapy in a beautifully renovated shop.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting?
As I begin this new adventure, I have been fortunate to encounter business owners willing to share their knowledge and encouragement. There are resources such as Boutique Hub to connect you with like-minded business owners and helpful tips for success.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.Byrdiesgiftshop.com
- Instagram: Byrdiesgiftshop
- Facebook: Byrdie’s gift shop
