People often ask me if I ever get tired of Mackinac Island after spending every summer here. My answer is always the same: no!
Don't get me wrong - summer on this tiny island is busy. Really busy. There are long days, endless to-do lists, deliveries to unpack, shelves to stock, orders to place, bills to pay, and moments when you feel like your really in the weeds. Once I get home, I'm usually thinking about what everything that still needs to be done.
But somewhere in the middle of all that busyness are the moments that remind me why this place is so special.
It's the quiet streets early in the morning before the first ferries arrive. The sound of horses instead of cars. The smell of fudge or caramel corn drifting through downtown. The way the lake can look different every day, even though I've seen the view thousands of times.
I enjoy watching families experience Mackinac together. Parents slowing down enough to really enjoy time with their kids. Grandparents creating memories that will be talked about for years. Couples celebrating anniversaries or simply taking a break from every day life. It's a reminder that the best souvenirs aren't always the ones you take home in a shopping bag - they're the memories you make in the present.
Owning Little Luxuries has given me a front row seat to so many of those moments. Every gift that's chosen has a story behind it. A birthday, A wedding, A thank-you, or just because. I will never take for granted that our little store gets to be part of those celebrations.
Visitors may not realize after all these years, I still notice the little things and always will. It's what fuels me. A perfect sunset over the water, flowers overflowing from window boxes, bicycles lid up at night time with the fun lights around the wheels, the smell of mint fudge being made and so on. These moments never get old.
As a wife, a mom to three boys, and a business owner, life can feel wonderfully full and hectic at the same time. It's our busiest season, but it also reminds me to appreciate the beauty that's right in front of me.
If you visit Mackinac this summer, I hope to see you in the store or maybe in passing.
Nicole
xo.
