Launching a new concept

Have you ever wondered where ideas for small businesses where born? If so, you'll love to hear about how Berry Red Stick Designs came to be. Sit back, grab your favorite beverage and read a story about how a family experience launched a new idea. ~Anna

My sister, Jenny, used to live in Grand Forks while her husband was finishing law school. During her time in Grand Forks she came across a little store called the Plain and Fancy Antique Mall. This antique mall is unique-it has all sorts of antiques as you might expect but it also has several vendors that carry a variety of new gifts as well as traditional antique items. Jenny fell in love with this store and introduced the rest of the family (my mom, dad, and me) when we came to visit. We are all big shoppers, in fact, we LOVE to shop. This store offered everything we could possibly want in a store-fun antiques, unique gifts and crafts, and my favorite-an endless supply of primitive snowmen! We were excited to learn that every holiday season they hosted a holiday open house, complete with Christmas cookies and hot apple cider. We were sold! So every year for the past several years the Berg family takes a family trip over the opening weekend of deer hunting to Grand Forks, ND to visit the Plain and Fancy Antique Mall's holiday open house. Every year I somehow manage to find new and unique snowmen for my ever growing collection. Our fun annual trip doesn't end at the antique mall. We spend the entire long extended weekend shopping at various stores around Grand Forks including Cabelas, a few other unique craft and gift stores and Home of Economy (kind of like an old fashioned Fleet Farm but better).  We usually spend a day shopping around Fargo, ND too. My sister and her husband live there now so  we are regulars at the West Acres Shopping Mall and our favorite Scheels Home and Hardware. If you have ever been to Fargo and never visited Scheels Home and Hardware then you are missing out. They are actually an Ace Hardware store so have everything that a normal hardware store would have but more. They are beautiful furniture, home decor, gifts, and even a nice selection of high end women's clothing, jewelry, and accessories.

Ok-so you are probably wondering how this all relates to how Berry Red Stick Designs came about-don't worry, here it comes...

So, one year we were in the midst of our annual trip and were hitting up the shops in Grand Forks and Fargo. We kept noticing that many of the stores were carrying either individual red sticks or small bundles of red sticks tied together with string or burlap ribbon.  My parents really love to decorate with red sticks, especially around the holiday season, but they have always just found some sticks in the woods, cut them, and tied a ribbon around them. Typically costing no more then a little time and a couple bucks for the ribbon. The sticks being sold were cute but BOY were they expensive. Stores were charging $10, $20, $30 or more for these small little bundles of red sticks. Women (the other shoppers) were buying them up like hot cakes. We couldn't believe that people would be willing to spend all that money on STICKS! We joked that we should go into business and make money off of people willing to buy red sticks. We talked about it all weekend long and continued to joke about Berg's Berry Red Stick Company over the next few years.
We quickly learned that it was likely illegal to sell and ship wood and sticks over state lines so the dream of having a business selling sticks didn't seem feasible. But then came the crafting.

My sister and I started designing and making cards and gift tags on our annual family trips a few years back too. It was something we liked to do and was relaxing. I started creating more cards and scrapbooking family photos as a way to relax after my children went to bed. My interest in creating items that others could use, give as gifts, and share personal messages in has now become a passion that I am launching into Berry Red Stick Designs. I am currently in preparations to display and sell homemade greeting cards and other gift items at my first craft fair in early December. With the support of my loving husband to keep watch over my children so I can create and craft as well as the inspiration and design consultation of my sister and parents, I'm hoping this will be a success.

So that's the story-a fun family story turned into a new adventure for me. I hope you enjoy as I share my passion with you!

Have a blessed day! Anna