A new day is Dawning.

Scandinavian Imports is one of those downtown businesses that everyone I know has heard of, but few have actually stepped inside. (I actually work across the street and I’ve never been to it.) But on Saturday, it’ll be celebrating 50 goll-dern years of good ol’ fashioned Scandinavian importing. And as it turns out, the “people I know” who’ve never been there seem to be a minority. (Did I mentionI only have four friends, maybe five?) Because what started as a way to offer the merchandise that Scandinavia is famous for (crystal, sweaters, porcelain, glass, pewter) has turned into a big success for owner Dawn Bergstrom.

“I get people here from Minnesota, Iowa, California, even some from Lillehammer, Norway came this summer, and a couple from Iceland came just yesterday! As you can tell, I love my work, and I know it sounds cliché but my customers really have become like family.”

Dawn says, “I get people here from Minnesota, Iowa, California, even some from Lillehammer, Norway came this summer, and a couple from Iceland came just yesterday! As you can tell, I love my work, and I know it sounds cliché but my customers really have become like family.”

On Saturday, from 1pm to 5pm, Dawn invites you to an open house at the shop (16 S. Barstow St.). Refreshments available, plus kransekake – Norweigan ringed cake dessert) in three shapes: the traditional tower, a flower basket and a horn of plenty. So, that should blow your mind.

Note: Thus far,  all of the handbills and invites for the event appear to be handwritten by Dawn herself, as in, not photocopied – they’re Dawn copied.

History:

The store was started in 1960 at the old Eau Claire Hotel by UWEC math chair Lawrence Wahlstrom, who also started the Scandinavian Institute. When the hotel was torn down, it moved into a men’s store for a short time until the fashion store closed at 16 South Barstow in 1970, where Scandinavian Imports has been ever since. One day Dr. Wahlstrom called Dawn to ask her to be director of development for the Institute. She promptly declined, but agreed to come to a meeting. At that meeting, she was voted into the role of store manager. In 1997, she bought the place.

Dawn relies on her nearly 100 vendors to supply Scandinavian goods. And if they go out of business, she buys what’s left of their stock. “I want to be true to the name, and have high quality products. And my customers love us for it.”