Happy Double Anniversary!

May 27, 2016

Teysen’s Celebrates 90 & Shorter’s Marks 70

Like the feel of much of Northern Michigan, there’s a neighborly relationship between Teysen’s Gift Shop of Mackinaw City and Grandpa Shorter’s Gifts of Petoskey. The former is celebrating 90 years of business this summer; the latter 70 years. Their connection runs almost as long: Shorter’s founder Carl Shorter worked for Ken Teysen back in the 1940s, and was inspired by Teysen to open his own business. Since then, the two souvenir purveyors have stayed in contact, often sending customers back and forth between the competing businesses if something is out of stock at one place or the other. Today, Teysen’s is run by third-generation proprietors Greg and Vicki Teysen (Greg is Ken’s son), and Shorter’s is overseen by Jennifer Shorter, Carl’s Granddaughter.

TEYSEN’S GIFTS:

"I’ve been aware of the early connection between Teysen’s and Shorter’s for many years," Greg Teysen said. "My dad passed away two springs ago, but he’d told me a lot of stories of the early days, and he shared with me years ago that he and Carl knew each other."

Teysen’s grandparents moved from Saginaw to Mackinaw City in 1926, having spent many "healing" vacations Up North. "My grandfather Harry had hay fever, so that nice crystal-clear air would push the hay fever aside for a while," Teysen said. "After several years of vacationing here, they thought, "˜Gee, what a nice place to start a business.’" Initially focusing on food (Harry Teysen was food and beverage manager at The Saginaw Club in Saginaw), the Teysons chose a location right across from the ferry dock and got to work serving up hamburgers and other vacation-friendly fare. "That was in the pre-bridge days," Teysen said, "so that location was critical; there were long lines of cars waiting to get onto the ferries, making it the perfect spot to attract tourists."

In the early days, it was easier to bring in new customers, but as the city grew, more competition arrived – as did wartime. As each decade went by, Teysen’s expanded more and more.

"How they made it through the ’30s and ’40s, I don’t know," Teysen said. "But once we got into the ’50s, they added more gifts and things like postcards, and I think that really helped."

The end of World War II – and subsequent end of restrictions on gasoline and food – sent more tourists northward. "That was an economic boom for a lot of Americans," Teysen said. "My grandfather was still involved with the business at that time, but my dad Ken really took the baton after [the war] was over."

Ken Teysen increased the store’s physical space with a bigger dining room and kitchen, a larger gift shop and more parking. One key to the store’s success was Teyson’s relationships with other local entrepreneurs. "My grandfather and dad developed close friendships and business relationships with the Native Americans," Teysen said, noting that early on Teyson’s showcased local Native American art, with a big emphasis on baskets and quillwork. "Dad was also friends with Paul Gordon of Gordon’s Food Service (GFS). Paul was still delivering right out of his car in the early days, back in the mid-1950s."

The food element of the business was dissolved two decades ago. "We’re strictly retail now," Teysen said. And the location Teysen’s currently occupies is their third in Mackinaw City. Its gifts department has expanded to include everything from Petoskey stone jewelry and upscale Michigan-themed souvenirs to resort wear, candles, and kitchen items, plus Teysen’s own fudge, a separate Minnetonka moccasins shop, and a gallery featuring local photography and art.

Greg Teysen works as general manager of Teysen’s, and his wife Vicki Teysen is gift shop manager. But even though they’ve had a rewarding 90 years in business, they’re not sure how much longer Teysen’s will continue. "I don’t really know where we’ll be in 10 years," Teysen mused. "We have two boys, but one is already a teacher, and I don’t know if the other has any interest in the family business. So we’re going to have to play it by ear. I’m just not sure how far this train will go."

Teysen’s Gift Shop is located at 300 E. Central Ave. in Mackinaw City. For more information, visit them online at teysens.com or call (231) 436-7011.

GRANDPA SHORTER’S:

Jennifer Shorter’s grandfather Carl Shorter was doing just fine working for Teysen’s and living up in Mackinaw City with his wife, Ruth. But with the arrival of World War II, the Shorters decided to move to Detroit to help the war effort, and to keep Ruth close by in case Carl got drafted. "A lot of Michigan families were moving to Detroit at that time, as the wives would be near the men if they were called up for duty, as the training centers were near Detroit," Jennifer Shorter said.

Carl Shorter got his start at a war factory, helping to build tanks for the cause, and he soon became a plant manager. "But he never did get drafted," Shorter said. "We’re not sure why; maybe they thought that his role at the plant was too important." When the war ended, the Shorters moved back Up North, this time to Petoskey, where Shorter, inspired by his time at Teysen’s, decided to start his own store. He and his wife prepared the 10-by-12- foot space over the winter of 1946, and Shorter’s opened on Memorial Day weekend of that same year; Minnetonka moccasins and local Native American art were some of the first items on Shorter’s shelves. "My grandfather always credited Mr. Teysen with teaching him a lot about retail," Shorter said.

"At first it was more of a souvenir store with lots of Native American crafts," Shorter said. "My grandfather would go to Cross Village and Middle Village (Good Hart) and buy directly from them." Carl Shorter was confident that tourism was going to take off once the war was over and the Great Depression was behind them. For the first three years, Shorter’s only opened in the summertime; after that, it remained open year-round. The shop has remained in the same location since day one, although it’s been expanded several times since to accommodate new products.

After Carl Shorter passed away in 1983, his son Bill and Bill’s wife, Mari, helped Ruth run the store, renaming it Grandpa Shorter’s in Carl’s honor. Bill’s daughter Jennifer is at the helm now, and she gets a real kick out of meeting people who have been shopping at Shorter’s for years and years. "Generations of families are bringing their kids in and saying "˜I remember when I couldn’t see over the counter,’" she said. "We even have one gentleman who actually has been shopping with us since 1946!" Shorter believes that it’s the family’s commitment to their customers that has helped make the store such a long-time success. "We have a lot of wonderful employees who all work so well together, and as a team we really work toward making our customers happy," she said. "As times change, we’ve also adapted as far as what we carry in the store, and we listen to what our customers want."

New this year, Shorter’s will be carrying Pendleton blankets, sheets, and towels, plus several new toy lines. As for the future, who knows what it will bring. "My daughter is only 13, but she’s already declared she wants to take over the store," Shorter said. "She wants to put a restaurant in as well, although I’m not so sure that part will happen!"

Grandpa Shorter’s is located at 301 E. Lake Street in downtown Petoskey. For more information, visit them online at grandpashorters.com or call (231) 347-2603.