About Us

Our 
Story

My husband and I just moved to Traverse City, from Mackinac Island.  Both coming to the island in 2003, he was returning from college, growing up on the island, I was coming for the first time.

I worked at Grand Hotel for 5 years, he was returning to work for his family hotel, Hotel lroquois.  His grandmother, Mrs. Margaret McIntire, owned the Iroquois Hotel for 65 impressive years.   After we met (not until 2008!), I stayed working at Grand Hotel in their numerous gift shops as Assistant Manager and Buyer, while he had purchased Mackinac Outfitter from Hugh Ravitz, the original owner of the outdoor retailer downtown.  As the story goes, I ran the Outfitter for about 16 years, and he dedicated his time to the operations of the hotel and Mackinac Marine Rescue.  Purposed to transferring patients off of the island in emergency situations, working with the U.S. Coast Guard when the situation demanded.

As time went by (and we got older!) his Grandmother decided to sell the hotel at the ripe age of 90, and we made the decision to also sell our store and building.  Remaining on the island, I filled my time at my Mother-in-Laws lovely Little Gallery, for two years.  (She is the art degree major, and sheds genius on us all!)

Some back-story; I had sustained a post-concussive head injury and from this, had debilitating migraines, episodes of vertigo, and at times, hearing loss in my left ear accompanied by ringing.  Here is where art and healing took the biggest role, years, yes years, later.  The grueling summers of working 7 days a week for 6 months, unpacking pallets of 100/50lb plus boxes, and non-stop hours, were just not an option for me anymore.   Time to care of myself!  Working in the Little Gallery, opened up an opportunity for me to facilitate a whole new world for the clients and for myself to calm, heal, and learn along the way.   Art is beautiful.  I am positive that those that lived on the island knew me, saw a whole new me take shape in those two years.  

Sometimes  art surprises us in ways we never truly can imagine!  I didn't and couldn't fathom how art can heal, calm, and truly just give me a space to be happy in.  Not just a pretty painting, art has so many properties and energy we can draw from! 

Business Woman, turned art lover; I truly hope that curating a local, equine, and all original artwork space with good music, good vibes, and creating a space where all can explore how they you too, can fall in love with art, today and everyday.