Business TypeMisc. (Galleries, Florists, Pets)

NAICS Code 0

Location 310 Second Street, Hudson, WI 54016

Nearby Businesses Banks, Pharmacy, Attorney’s office, Retail Shops (children’s, women’s), Restaurants

Owner/Manager Ruth Misenko

Special Store Activities “First Fridays”- A monthly event to launch a new artist’s gallery and provide locals a social networking opportunity

Year Opened 2000

Website http://www.seasonsonstcroix.com/

Phone 715-381-2906

E-mail ruth@seasonsonstcroix.com

Community Profile Hudson, Wisconsin (Population: 8,775, 10 mile radius population: 100,205), is 15 miles east of St. Paul, Minnesota and uniquely nestled between the St. Croix River and the bluffs of Western Wisconsin. With many unique, independent shops and restaurants in the downtown, Hudson is a quaint river suburb and a growing tourist destination, especially due to its close proximity to Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area.

Products Sold & Niche Developed

Seasons on St. Croix is an art gallery, devoted to North American handicraft work. Featuring around 150 artists year-round, the artwork at Seasons emphasizes a mix of local, regional and international work. Approximately 75% of the gallery is work from local artists within a 75-mile radius and offers unique products not found elsewhere. The owner of Seasons emphasizes the gallery’s conscious effort to connect customers to the artist, responding to this unique connection people are craving and high standards to demand quality, local work. The gallery displays a variety of mediums, such as metalwork, wood, glass, fiber, pottery and some fine arts as well as houses an in-building glass and ceramic studio, allowing customers to experience art, meet the artist and further the customers’ connection to the origin of the artwork.

Market Segments Served

Seasons on St. Croix customers are predominately women, varying in age range. The target age is somewhere in the late 50s to early 60s age range. Typical customers are from Hudson and nearby areas, including Stillwater (located on the other side of the St. Croix) as well as tourists from the Twin Cities metro area. Seasons caters to any price range, with products offered in a wide price spectrum. The gallery experiences its busiest season between April and December; January through March is a bit slower at Season, yet the gallery maintains a strong customer base.

Contributions to the Business Community

Seasons on St. Croix is part of a diverse mix of independent businesses in downtown Hudson. Much success is due to the downtown business owners’ initiative and character to be active community members. Engaging with fellow businesses, owners work cooperatively, promoting one another’s stores and pooling their limited resources to collaboratively market their downtown to the Twin Cities and other outlying areas. Seasons on St. Croix further contributes to the community due to their unique location. Housed in an old Ford Dealership, the gallery exemplifies how to innovatively renovate the old downtown building building, contributing to the community maintaining their history. Establishing various events and activities at the gallery, Seasons also encourages people to come downtown. Their main event is First Fridays, a monthly event in which the gallery launches a new artist’s exhibit. The event has developed into a social networking opportunity with three typical groups of attendees: the “First Friday Groupies,” or the usual community members who are quite supportive of the local art scene and regularly attend the events, the “Artist Groupies,” or those who come based on interest in the featured artist, and the new attendees, or those who have just recently discovered the event. The event has the ability to continually attract new people, foster a social network to connect locals and the opportunity to encourage people downtown to the gallery and to stay and enjoy the evening in the surrounding restaurants and shops. Seasons also hosts a variety of other events and activities, including an art tour, held in conjunction with six other sites