Chickadee’s Gift Shop

Chickadees, tits and titmice form a large family of small birds called Paridae. The term, the name Chickadee derives from chick-a dee dee dee, an onomatopoeic meaning alarm call. These birds live around humans adapting themselves to the surroundings, they are original from Africa.

What is the connection between a chickadee and a gift shop? How do they link? The answer is that a chickadee gift shop creates the mental picture of outdoor, forests, perhaps a hidden cottage among pine trees. You can actually hear the birds making strange sounds. The combination of picture and sound has been transformed into reality by some artistic minds. Such an example is the Chickadee Boutique.<

In Shoreview on the St. Marie Street a small, coquette shop invites visitors to step into a world of unique items. Chickadee Boutique was built back in the 1940s by a stone mason original from Sweden. The architecture of the building has a clear European influence. In 1971 Mike and Jacci Krebsbach moved in for 6 years until their house was built.

Six artistic friends and the owner of the building decided to start a business called Chickadee Boutique in 1979. The concept was a 3 days open boutique. In short time it became something called “seasonal gift shop” and opened three days: Thursday, Friday and Saturday. During spring the boutique awaits client starting with the first April weekend until the day prior to Mother’s day. Fall season starts in October continuing until December, the first weekend to be more precise. In the months April, May, October, November and December chickadee boutique gift shop welcomes customers on the first Sunday.

The boutique sounds like a really special place and it really is. As you’re getting close to the shop, you feel the fresh air and earthly, wooden aromas. Lilacs and maples come with the spring, shortly followed by birds coming home after a long, tiring winter. The secret of this shop resides in the passion and dedication for handcraft original objects. Pottery, fabric and clothing, jewelry and accessories, stained glass or even furniture come into a special display from which everybody can choose something. The pieces are unique and have a design that immediately draws your attention. Each item related to gardening or outdoor settings are beautifully arranged in the open air. Chickadee Boutique is a meeting point for local artists, regional talents. The CDs and the books are promoting the local artistic movement. They promote originality, creativity and high quality standards.

The bottom line can be summarized in this statement: every visit here is an opportunity to experience something else. Just like one of the owners say: it’s not a place to go; it’s a place you “experience”. Intensely.

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