Lakeside gift shop gets rent slashed, charts new strategy
Lakeside — Call it a new lease on life for a Lakeside business that nearly had to shut down after 15 years in the community.
A Trading Post, a 2,000-square-foot store specializing in selling American Indian goods, was on the brink of closing in September because co-owners and husband and wife Lisbet Little Eagle and Robert Dockler couldn’t pay the rent. But when a new owner took over the lease, they negotiated a $1,200-per-month reduction.
“We were 10 days away from losing the store,” said Little Eagle, who is part Cherokee, part Choctaw. “We’re going to give it a shot, the best we can. I’ve taken it as a sign that we’re supposed to be here.”
Little Eagle started A Trading Post in 1997 and moved it to the present location, at 12473 Woodside Ave., in 2004. The store, which has a large tepee next to the front door, has struggled to break even but managed to stay in business over the years, Little Eagle said.
With the gift shop side of the business not generating enough revenue, Little Eagle and Dockler have launched a second endeavor called All Things Possible, which they call “An Institute for Spiritual Awareness and Healing.” It’s been a hit.
