Cranberry Harvest

Louise Crosby and her daughter, Tawn Shivers, of Seaford, Delaware, are both artists. When they created their first gift shop in 1998, they wanted to give it a unique artistic vision. Their rented location in a Victorian home inspired them to design their Cranberry Hill Gift Shoppe in the style of the 19th century, and to offer an eclectic mix of product that included Victorian-style hatboxes, items for babies, personal care products, antique jewelry, and glassware.

But within two years, Louise and Tawn were forced to look for new space when their Victorian home was sold. Fortunately, they knew of a perfect spot just down the street: the 1887 Sussex National Bank building. Unfortunately, the neglected building, which was then being used as a church by the local Haitian community, was not for sale.

Still, Louise and Tawn wrote to the property owners asking if they'd consider selling the building. After several meetings, the owners agreed to sell, trusting that the two gift retailers would take care of the charming single-story, 1,000-square-foot structure.

By May 2001 — even though the sale was not yet finalized — Louise and Tawn and their husbands, John and Danny, were ready to get to work. Time was of the essence as Tawn wanted to complete the work during her summer vacation from her job as a school art teacher. (Louise is a retired banker).

A major overhaul was needed, as the leaking roof had caused interior wall damage. After a three-ton rooftop air-conditioning unit was removed, new shingles were applied and a rubber mixture was poured onto the flat portions of the roof. The other big exterior task was painting. The ladies chose a color scheme of four shades of pink and mauve to accentuate the "Cranberry" in the store's name. Painting took six weeks and today the Cranberry Hill Gift Shoppe is the only "Victorian Painted Lady" in Seaford's downtown.

When the Haitian church group vacated the premises in July, the interior work began. Antique window frames were rebuilt and a new air-conditioning system was installed. The owners and their husbands did most of the stripping, sanding, plastering, and painting (burgundy and rose, with a floral border) themselves. They also put in a 200-amp electrical service, and added recessed lighting fixtures as well as chandeliers that resemble the look old gaslights.

There were also a few renovation surprises. When John Crosby removed ceiling tiles he found a hidden room over the bank vault. Even after interviewing former bank employees, they still don't know what the room was used for. Today, the room remains empty. One other minor mystery was cleared up, however. The owners learned that the bathroom projects out from the building because the adjacent property was donated to the bank by a neighbor, who wanted employees to quit using his home's facilities!

Louise and Tawn dressed up The Cranberry Hill Gift Shoppe with a mantel woodcarving, a cast iron mailbox, and burgundy lace curtains. They purchased display merchandisers at auctions and unfinished furniture stores and painted them antique white. The finishing bow on the pretty package — dome-style awnings — was added the day before the grand opening in October 2001.

Louise and Tawn have seen their store's receipts increase steadily from year to year, reaching a 2002 total of $35,000 in sales. In 2001, The Cranberry Hill Gift Shoppe won a renaissance award from Seaford's Main Street Committee. But probably the most enduring testament to their success of their endeavor occurs almost every day when visitors stop by and ask how long the shop's been in business.