Jan 19, 2010

Willowcreek Gifts offers a local alternative to jewelry, unique giftsBy Greg StilesMailTribune.com

Editor’s note: This is one in a weekly series of profiles on locally owned and operated businesses in Southern Oregon.

What do you do and how long have you been doing it? (Susan speaking) We have jewelry, unique gifts, home and garden decor in our garden out back, and home decor inside. We have fresh flower bunches, silk flowers and French body and bath as well as baby gifts. We’ve been doing this for nine years.

How long have you lived in the Rogue Valley? Both of us were born here. My mom went to Crater High School, I went to Crater and my son and daughter (Jennifer) all went to Crater. So we’ve been here three generations.

What inspired you to go into this line of work? My grandfather always had stores. He had one in Prospect and later in Woodland Heights off Columbus Avenue in Medford. I remember helping him with the store when I was little. I’d stand on the stool and help the customers; that’s how I learned to make change. It just gets in your blood.

What decision or action would you change if you could do it again? When we started, we were out in Phoenix at the Shoppes at Exit 24, it was still an outlet market and booming. It was thriving at first and then it went downhill. The timing for being there wasn’t good. We then moved out to Jacksonville to be closer to home. That was just when the economy turned bad.

What’s the toughest business decision you’ve made? It’s whether to keep hanging in there. We’re not doing this to make any money right now. We have so many loyal customers that just come in and tell us this is there favorite spot and don’t close. We depend a lot on local people, that’s why we try hard to cater to local people with birthday and anniversary gifts. We try to find the best prices on unique and different things. We carry different things by both local artists and around the world. We even work with a village in Nepal, where ladies make hand-made winter caps. We try to work with fair trade and help anywhere we can.

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