‘Affordable luxury’ at new Blooming Prairie shop
Staff photo by Kay Fate
There’s no significance to the name of Blooming Prairie’s newest downtown business, but somehow, it just fits.
Small’s Emporium, at 418 Main St., offers a curated selection of watches, sunglasses, purses and bags, jewelry, art, pocketknives, and more.
There is a decidedly masculine, industrial feel to the shop, with its antique display cases – including some from Dick Kruckeberg’s glass shop. The storefront itself is where Minimizer’s offices once were.
The vibe is intentional, said Dawn Lubbert, who helped get the store up and running.
“The glass displays bring some nostalgia, and we wanted men to feel like they could come into the store and buy, as well,” she said.
The brainchild of Craig Kruckeberg, “it started out mostly with watches, then morphed into sunglasses, bags, jewelry, and wallets,” Lubbert said.
From concept to completion was about six months, she said.
“We cleaned it all out, went with a vision – and here we are.”
A soft opening, to gauge feedback and reactions, was held in May.
“We had to wait for Phoenix, then we opened a couple of weeks later,” Lubbert said.
That’s Phoenix Carson, who is the manager of the shop.
Originally from Bloomington, she was living and working in Owatonna, where she enjoyed her job, “but I needed something different, something that would allow me to have more creativity – and to be a manager,” Carson said.
About four years ago, she had interned at Kruckeberg Industries, helping with a new business plan.
Carson was invited to the soft opening, and her life had suddenly come full circle.
“I didn’t think I’d be back in Blooming Prairie,” she said, “but I get to do all the marketing here; I do all the social media, I purchase all the products. I’m super excited.”
There is no specific focus for products, “but our motto is, we make luxury affordable,” Lubbert said.
“A lot of our stuff mimics a brand, but is not name-brand,” she said, “so we’re able to give them a more affordable price for the same look.”
Carson uses multiple distributors and is always looking for new ones to keep the inventory fresh.
“We want the store to be for everyone,” she said. “I ask a lot of coworkers or friends what they think about certain styles, and I listen to customers when they come in the store.”
She receives new inventory every week, “so every week, it’s like Christmas morning. It’s a lot of fun.”
Carson will also source items for shoppers.
“If they tell us what style they’re looking for, something specific they want, we’re able to find it,” Lubbert said. “We try our best to please and try to have a little bit of something for everybody.”
Despite the masculine vibe, the top sellers so far have been bags, sunglasses, and jewelry.
Prices for watches and sunglasses both begin at $19.95 – and don’t top $100. In fact, one of the shop’s recent offerings was a man’s watch, a pair of sunglasses and a wallet, all in a case, for $100.
Luxury may mean different things to different people, but what it doesn’t have to mean, Carson said, is expensive.
“I think luxury is something that makes you feel good,” she said. “Some things that are just gorgeous make me feel confident and good – and it doesn’t have to cost a million dollars.”
To some people, name brands are a waste of money, said Lubbert, who said she has gotten multiple compliments on a watch she got at Small’s Emporium.
While it looks like a well-known, high dollar brand, “I know it’s not,” she said, “and I’m not afraid to say that it’s not, and I tell them where I got it. It just gives you that confidence.”
Carson has already seen it happening.
“It’s super to see their faces light up when they walk in,” she said of shoppers. “Everybody has such nice things to say.
“I’m just enjoying that we’re here,” Carson said, “and bringing something extra to this town. It’s perfect for Blooming Prairie.”
SIDEBAR GRAPHIC:
____________________________________________
BP’s Newest Business
What: Small’s Emporium
Where: 418 Main St., Blooming Prairie
When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Saturday
Find them on Facebook and Instagram