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 Mackinac 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.

Owning the Outfitter for so long and living on Mackinac Island for 20 years, one cannot help but learn (and maybe naturally) love nature!  We hiked, biked, watched sunsets, took hayrides, and REALLY cold plunges in the lake.  And sometimes all in one day!  The winter months were sometimes that of a Hallmark snowglobe...no tourist traffic, the horses hooves silenced by the snow.  It was just magical.  We loved all the seasons.

When Sams Grandmother Decided to sell the Hotel Iroquois, and soon passed, we too, decided to sell our business.  I worked a couple summer's at my Mother-in-Law's Art Gallery.  I learned so much those summers, in heart-ache and in business.  For us the island had changed, it was time to move on.  Also, my husbands job was ever changing and he needed to be in closer proximity to a larger airport.

Soon after deciding to move, I lost my mother to cancer.  I needed a break.  I truly thought I could retire after moving...tore the new house apart here in TC.  Tore down wall paper, put new built-ins in, and a partial bathroom, and re-did half the upstairs!  When all had settled down.  There is a little part of a retail person, and more than that, a person who has owned business, who just can't sit still.  TC is such a beautiful place, with such beautiful people, places, and culture.  It was time to start checking back in; be a part of this community instead of sitting on the sidelines.

Hiking the dunes here, watching sunsets, and enjoying nature are very much a part of our everyday life.  Walking the dogs and finding new and interesting places to explore; YES!  Now we add in the wineries, Fishtown, Glen Arbor, Lighthouse tours, secret gardens, and all the things that make this area so awesome.

Business Woman, art collector, nature enthusiast, small town girl; I truly hope that curating this space @ Art on Union will be a great collaboration not just for artists, but YOU the community and tourists that have the opportunity to stop in, share your experiences of travel, and relish how these artists have captured nature and the beauty up in Northern Michigan.  See you soon, friends & soon to be friends!