Biz Buzz- Merrifield Business Combines Docks and Gifts
Merrifield, MN – In a tough economy where the silver linings are often illusive, a Merrifield business owner is trying to carve out a living on rough retail ground.
Jim Bergquist’s shop, Crow Wing Docks, Lifts & Gifts, has a distinctive look on County Highway 3. The business name hangs on a shingle above the front door, moving with the breeze. On the rooftop, a figure — which appears to be a man relaxing in a chair fishing — is designed to attract eyes from the moving vehicles.
There are plenty of those it would seem as the traffic moves steadily by. For Bergquist, the mission is to get them through the doors. Inside he has 30 artists contributing items — pottery, wood furniture, jewelry. The majority of the artists live in a 60-mile radius. Bergquist said they are older, in some cases etired, and offering their work to bring in extra income.
