photo by Dennis Dalman
Jodi Wilken and Sue Mishow are co-owners of Enchanted Floral and Gifts, which is located within the same space as the Pantry in Rolling Green Plaza II, 1001 2nd St. S., Sartell. 

Unique products – many of them locally crafted – are the specialty of two new businesses in Sartell – The Pantry and Enchanted Floral and Gifts.

Both businesses are located within the same store at Rolling Green Plaza II, between Mastoni’s Pizza and Westside Liquor Store.

The 2,500 square-foot store, flooded with light from its large front windows, features dozens of displays on tables, shelves and walls with plenty of room to wander and browse. The Pantry features gourmet food products and a wide variety of unique home decor items. Locally produced products include Heavenly Treats toffee by Kathy Carton of Sartell, Uncle Pete’s Mustard from Rice, Four Cheeks barbecue sauce from Randall, Smude’s sunflower oil from Pierz and jams from Clearwater. In addition, there are deluxe chocolates from Germany and Switzerland, peanut brittle from Texas, spices and herbs from just about everywhere, coffees and teas and an entire wall filled with two brands of quality candles – Yankee Candles and Swan Creek Candles.

Soon, there will be the addition of specialty meats and cheeses, including goat cheese made in Royalton.

Entering the Pantry is a bit like walking into a fragrant museum filled with unusual objects, paintings on the walls and a warm ambience of colors and aromas. Customers are encouraged to browse, converse and take their time.

“I love the uniqueness of the many different products,” said Sandy Wolter of Sartell, manager of the Pantry.

“We are more than happy to create gift baskets from products that customers choose.”

Wolter said one of her favorite gift items is a bag of ingredients designed to spark cooking fun between children and adults. Wolter tried one of the Snickerdoodle Cookie bags with her grandchild, Dylan. They both had a blast whipping up a batch of the cookies. Hesitant at first, Dylan had trouble stirring up the cookie dough.

“Let me show you a trick, honey,” Sandy said.

She washed her hands, then plunged them into the dough, mixing it by hand.

Dylan gave her an alarmed look.

Then she helped him wash his hands, and she rolled up his sleeves before he put one hand, then the other, a bit squeamishly into the sticky dough. He made a squishy face.

“Yeow, grandma,” he said. “This is em-bearasking.”

Wolter said all of the products in the Pantry are like that cookie kit – unique, fun to use, enjoyable, life-enhancing.

The Pantry is owned by Bob and Linda Feuling of Rice, who also own the next-door Westside Liquor Store and Events Center, as well as Westside Liquor stores in several other cities, including Rice and Waite Park. They also own Liquid Assets, which Wolter managed for nine years. The Feulings have long been strong advocates of developing local businesses and local talents. Refurbishing the space for the Pantry, for instance, was done completely by people in the immediate area, and the Feulings and their staff plan to continue nurturing local talents in the products they offer for sale.

Before they opened the Pantry, the Feulings asked Wolter if she would manage it. She leaped at the chance.

Besides Wolter, there are three other employees, all of Sartell – Jenny Brix, Jody Eisenschenk and Bobbi Studenski.

Tenative hours for the Pantry are from 8 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday; and from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Its number is 281-3447.

Business partners and friends Jodi Wilken and Sue Mishow, owners of Enchanted Floral and Gifts, lease space within the Pantry for their business. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement because their products tend to dovetail perfectly. Customers who want gift baskets, for example, can add flowers to baskets filled with – say – lotions, candles, coffee and chocolates.

All flowers at the shop are grown in Minnesota, and come spring Wilken and Mishow plan to grow their own flowers to sell. Enchanted Floral and Gifts also features silk flowers and jewelry, including hand-crafted jewelry by Wilken.

The two owners are currently developing a delivery service.

“I have a background in customer service,” Mishow said, “but I’m learning a lot from Jodi. We are friends, and we are starting this adventure together.”

The business hours for Enchanted Floral and Gifts are from 8 a.m.-7:30 p.m., but if Wilken or Mishow are not in the shop beyond those hours, the staff of The Pantry will contact them if customers request it.

The number of Enchanted Floral and Gifts is 281-5480.