Swan Island Dahlia’s New Gift Shop Blooms All Year

When is a gift shop more than just a gift shop? When it’s Swan Island Dahlias Gift Shop. A newly constructed showcase with painstaking attention to detail, this gift shop gives back every bit as much as it receives. The shop’s symbiotic relationship with the community is evident the moment you walk through the door. Everything is locally sourced: the building itself, the vintage furniture, the interior design and the many unique items for sale.

The family-owned and -operated gift shop, which is located on the Swan Island Dahlias farm, is open year-round. As the seasons change, so do the themes in the shop. Of particular note is the overhead loft which features unique displays showcasing every season. Throughout the interior, retail items also reflect a seasonal focus. January will be welcoming in the New Year!

Regardless of the time of year or event driving your gift-giving search, there are treasures to be found among the plethora of offerings. Wedding, anniversary and birthday selections, as well as holiday seasonal specialty items, are at your fingertips as you stroll down the aisles.

Available inventory on a year-round basis has “something for everyone,” says Heather Schloe, the owner’s daughter and property manager. Local vendors and artists supply the shop with jewelry, farm goods, kitchen and bath items as well as greeting cards and stationery. Men, kids, babies and pets are all well-represented. The shop’s artfully displayed merchandise can be seen online through the website’s “Visit Us” tab; products, however, can only be purchased on site at the gift shop.

Jellycat stuffed animals are a top seller for youngsters. They’re “absolutely the softest, most wonderful line of stuffed animals and many have books to go along with the characters,” says Heather. The Amuseables line features food-themed stuffies with cute little faces, and customers come in looking for them specifically. Ooly art supplies for kids provide every kind of marker, highlighter, colored pencil and paint imaginable. Teens and adults are drawn to Jotter pens with their multitude of ink colors and the bright, vibrant stationery of Taylor Elliott.

T-shirts and books sport local themes of the Pacific Northwest such as hiking, mushroom foraging, cycling and gardening. Cookbooks, entertaining items, flower growing and more also have their place upon the shelves. Other finds include Dahlias Farm’s own honey as well as additional bee products such as candles, honeycombs, lotions and lip balms. With so much to look at and choose from, you’ll just have to set aside an afternoon!

Heather, poised to take over after her father Nicholas Gitts retires, is proud of her third-generation family farm. She and husband Brendon, along with daughter Gabbie, a freshman at O.S.U., and son Cooper, seventh grader at Baker Prairie, enjoy a rich life on the farm. Heather’s sister-in-law and right hand, Kaisha Bloedel, works full time alongside her in the business.

This impressive 6,000-square-foot structure with its beautiful 26-foot ceiling took two years to build from the time plans were submitted to the county until opening day. “It’s really a dream come true,” says Heather, a dream that was made possible through the efforts of many local businesses. Their builder, Nick Netter Construction, “did an amazing job,” relates Heather, and he deserves praise for “sticking by us for the two years of craziness.” Marcie Harris of HS Interiors helped Heather with the interior design. Aurora Mills Architectural Salvage was instrumental in finding the right pieces of furniture for displays, and their employee Nathan repaired a beautiful piece of vintage glass for Heather to hang in the gift shop. Thea Cutsforth of Henderson & Daughter helped Heather choose the perfect windows to fit the design. All they are missing is you!