"Custom, Quality, Friendship": 50 Years of Heavenly Made Gifts & The Gnome Store

DECORAH — Heavenly Made Gifts & The Gnome Store is celebrating 50 years in business this month with an open house March 12-14 featuring a chamber ribbon-cutting, refreshments, discounts and specials. For owner Linda Wolfs, the milestone feels almost unreal. "Where did the time go?" she said with a laugh. "I raised six children during that time. It's hard to believe it's been 50 years. To me, it's a great accomplishment. Being self-employed and bringing joy to my customers means everything to me. It's always been about the people." Wolfs' journey began in West Union five decades ago, long before online storefronts and social media marketing. She started with ceramics and crafts, teaching classes in her home and transforming her garage into a makeshift showroom. During her busiest years, she traveled to 41 craft shows a year across eight states. She advertised in an international magazine, shipping her pieces across the country and overseas. Shops carried her work wholesale. In between shows and classes, she raised her family while steadily building a name in craftsmanship. Linda Wolfs works on her ceramic gnomes, 2013. Heavenly Made Gifts Quality has always been her priority, said her partner, Chris Hick. "Linda has always been in tune with what customers look for and values quality," he said. "If it's not quality, she won't have it in her shop." Wolfs moved to Decorah in 2009 during a difficult season of transition, working briefly at JCPenney while continuing to sell ceramics out of her home. She and Hick, originally from Eau Claire, met in 2012. He later moved to Decorah to be with her, and together they began hosting open houses in their basement, welcoming customers into their creative world. They later opened a storefront on College Drive, where they remained for five years before moving to their current Water Street location on March 11, 2021. The larger space allows for the full expression of what has become both a gallery and a gathering place. "We quickly grew out of our home workspaces and smaller shops," Wolfs said. "This building just feels right." Chris Hick and Linda Wolfs of Heavenly Made Gifts and The Gnome Store. Cydney Weitzel While the shop carries printed dish towels, custom wind spinners, canvas prints and an ever-rotating collection of handpicked gifts, it's the gnomes that often steal the show. Wolfs has been crafting ceramic gnomes since the beginning, making hundreds for Nordic Fest over the years. The figures became such a fixture that customers began referring to the shop simply as "the Gnome Store." "I like to kid with people," Hick said. "People come in saying they love gnomes, and I say, 'Well, have you ever been to a gnome store? They exist!' We make other things, of course, but the gnomes connect to Decorah so strongly." Eventually, the unofficial title became official. Today, Heavenly Made Gifts & The Gnome Store is known for its ceramic gnomes and ceramic Christmas trees, longtime best-sellers. Ceramics at Heavenly Made Gifts. Cydney Weitzel Ceramic Christmas trees at Heavenly Made Gifts. Cydney Weitzel Fifty years in retail also means weathering change. When Wolfs started, success meant craft shows, word-of-mouth and print advertising. Today, it also means competing with big-box retailers and online marketplaces. "It can be difficult now because people come in, take pictures and try to find the pieces cheaper on Amazon or at big-box stores," Wolfs said. "That's hard. People might not always realize that supporting a small gift store means supporting the livelihood of a small-business owner and taking part in the fellowship of connecting with your neighbors." During the COVID-19 pandemic, the store closed for six weeks. Wolfs shifted her energy online, building a stronger digital presence and reconnecting with customers virtually. It was a challenge, but also a reminder of the loyalty they had cultivated over decades. "It's much harder today than it was years ago," she said. "But it's been getting better. People want that connection to shop owners and the artists who make their products." Their current downtown location benefits from steady foot traffic and close collaboration with neighboring businesses. Previous building owners expressed gratitude that another retail storefront would inhabit the space. "We feel a strong sense of collaboration with other businesses and with the community as a whole," Hick said. Over time, many shoppers have become friends, and even multi-generational patrons. "We've become great friends with so many people who started as just customers who kept coming back with their families," Hick said. "That's been a remarkable part of this experience." A newspaper article on Heavenly Made Gifts, circa 2012. Heavenly Made Gifts Chris himself credits Linda with opening his eyes to art. Though he always had an interest, he hadn't fully explored it until they met. Now he handles casting for the shop, freeing Linda to focus on creative design. "Linda is the best thing to ever happen to me," he said. "And I've learned how to appreciate beautiful art through her." The pair attributes the shop's uniqueness to custom work, quality, fair prices, friendship, listening to customers, and a large selection housed in a beautiful building. Heavenly Made Gifts Storefront Heavenly Made Gifts When asked what advice she would give aspiring small business owners, Linda's answer comes without hesitation: "Be kind. Have integrity. Be fair. Listen to your customers." As for retirement? "This shop is our life, our retirement, our everything," Linda said. "I love what I do, I love the people, and I love creating. As long as our health is good, we'll be here." Discover what's happening near you! The free DecorahNews.com newsletter brings updates, inspiring stories, and practical tips right to your inbox.