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Stratton’s Mini-Mall, Five Shops Under One Roof

The corner of Bonner Street and Highway 34 in Stratton was busy on Saturday morning. People from across the area came to see five of Stratton’s newest businesses, all under one roof. Ronnie Ann Richardson of Stratton came up the plan and the building. She own’s, The Jewell, a vintage furniture shop the Ronnie Ann explains it as reimagined antiques. She was had the store in Stratton for some time, starting in another building along Highway 34 and then moving off of the Highway location a few years ago. “I decided I needed to be back down on the Highway,” said Ronnie Ann. “I would get people from California, Minnesota, everyone just driving through and they would stop. But, out of site out of mind, so I said, I have to get another place.” The building at the intersection of Bonner and Highway 34 had been home to a tax preparation business, but the owners decided to close the doors. Ronnie approached the owners about buying the building and they closed the deal in May. She now had a location back on the highway for The Jewell, but that was just the start. “I just thought I really needed to have some other girls come in who wanted to start up their businesses. I thought we could all do it in the same building.” Richardson said she had a goal to have it open on August 1, but quit a bit of work had to be done to the building to be able to have five businesses. Her husband operates an electrical contractor business in Stratton and they did the remodeling work in the building. They added an awning to the front of building, there was lots of waiting and some walls had to be taken down inside to make room. “It was amazing,” Ronnie Ann said. “We were able to get it down to open today (Saturday). Richardson had a good idea of who to approach about having a business in the building. “I told all the girls you can have one room, but the hair dresser had to have two because legally she has to have so much space for hair dressing. It worked out great.” The other businesses include: The Hair Barn owned by Mya McCorkle of Trenton, Tastes From Tuesday’s Kitchen, a bakery owned by Tuesday Forch of Stratton, Gabi Ann, a clothing boutique owned by Shelby Zoltenko and Lisa Faimon, and All Inclusive Massage Therapy owned by licensed Massage Therapist Hillary Dannatt of Imperial. Ronnie Ann didn’t have to do much convincing to get them all on board with her idea. “Mya, the hard dresser, I walked in to the school in McCook and she was the one that all of the girls, before they would do anything, they would have her do their hair. She the one I want.” Mya graduated from the McCook Beauty Academy last August and is a 2019 graduate of Hitchcock County High School. She is open five days a week, 11am to 8pm on Thursday and 9am to 4pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Ronnie Ann said, after visiting Hillary Dannatt she knew she needed a Massage Therapist. Dannatt has been a licensed Massage Therapist for 13-years and works with Mathews Chiropractic in Imperial. She said Ronnie Ann called her on a Friday night and she agreed right away. She was interested in expanding and this was a great opportunity. Dannatt said she couldn’t afford the risk of having her own building, so having the opportunity to be a part of five businesses in the same building, is a difference maker. She will be open in Stratton every other Sunday from 10am to 4pm. People need to make appointments by calling her at 308-882-8820. Ronnie Ann explained that for the Gabe Ann Boutique, owner Shelby Zoltenko works for her husband. “She always wanted to sell clothing and I told her to do it and we will bring you in here.” Shelby and Lisa were best friends in college and said they talked about selling clothes together while in college. Then when Shelby took the job at Dundy County Stratton the two friends were back together. “We never thought we would be in the same place and the same time,” said Lisa. ‘Being best friends in college we always talked about it and doing things together but we didn’t think it would happen, but then it did, so we were like we have to do it.” Lisa is a high school volleyball coach and teacher at Hitchcock County and Shelby is the high school volleyball coach at teacher at DCS. They have growing business as they started their Gabi Ann Boutique line on the internet. “In a sense, I think COVID helped Lisa and I. We were able to have a little extra time in the afternoon to get it online and start the website and that really helped us reach state to state,” said Shelby. The opened on-line in February they started the web site in March. The sell clothing styles that they like and as teachers they always have stuff they can wear at school. They have stylish jeans that high school students like and they keep their prices affordable. They were both in agreement that working with Ronnie Ann and having the multiple businesses under the same roof was “amazing”. “It’s like our own little mini-mall.” Finally, Ronnie Ann said, she needed one more business. “I thought we really needed something to eat in here, so Tuesday I ask her if she wanted to come in and she said yes. It all worked out perfect. Tuesday’s is well respected for her baking abilities. She put together a cookbook that features all home receipts her mom or grandma had. But, she tweaked the recipes for her late father Fritz who was a diabetic. Tuesday has bakery items like breads and cookies, but also is selling some leatherwork and cookie jars. She will also take special orders on bakery items. Ronnie Ann says she couldn’t be more excited that the businesses came together as they did. “The girls have been a blast to work with and it has been fun.” While all the business can have different hours, they are open most days of the week. Ronnie Ann said she will be there Tuesday thorough Saturday from 9am to 5pm and a lot of times on Sunday and Monday as well. So make a trip to Stratton, to see what the five businesses have to offer.

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