Suick Lure Company continues to land the lunkers
‘Walking the walk’ for more than a decade
July 1, 2024
OCONTO – Todd and Lynn Hearley said they see a lot of opportunity for growth along Main Street in the City of Oconto.
So much so they recently opened their fourth business – The Pet Shop – in the city’s downtown.
“There’s so much potential and endless possibilities in Oconto,” Lynn said. “Someone needed to take a leap and show these downtown shops can be successful. I hope more people come to the downtown (area) and open more businesses.”
The Pet Shop joins three other businesses owned by the Hearleys along Main Street – a coffee shop named The Shop on Main, The Candy Shop and an Airbnb property named the Safe House.
“The three shops have taken off, and the coffee shop is a destination spot at this point and brings people off the highway,” Lynn said. “I love all of it.”
With all the businesses, Lynn said, she has kept the names simple – which makes them easy to remember.
“You say what it is,” she said. “It’s a candy shop, it’s a pet shop, it’s a safe house.”
The start of it all
Lynn said their entrepreneurial odyssey began when she was doing metal art under the name Iron Maiden in the building where the coffee shop is now located.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, she said the business leasing the front of the building opted to leave, providing her an opportunity to fulfill her dream of opening a coffee shop.
The Shop on Main, located at 821 Main St., opened in 2021.
“I thought about a business that would draw people to Main Street, and everyone loves coffee,” she said. “Oconto didn’t have a coffee shop before.”
Todd and the couple’s son, Bryce, renovated the building, which was originally an Oldsmobile dealership.
In addition to selling coffee, ice cream and tea, Lynn said she and other artists sell their work at the shop.
“The businesses are a family affair with our daughter, Liddy, also helping out,” she said.
As for the name, Lynn said people knew the location as “the shop” since that’s what she called it when people asked where she would be.
“They knew it as the shop where I did my art, so it made a lot of sense to keep that name,” she said.
The Shop on Main is open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
The coffee shop is closed Sundays.
For more on The Shop on Main, visit its Facebook page.
Next came The Candy Shop (1029 Main St.) in June 2023.
“I wanted another business and thought about what people love to shop for, and candy jumped into my mind,” Lynn said.
The candy store carries various vintage candy, which she said brings back a lot of memories.
“People come in and find candy they haven’t had for years,” she said. “There’s a lot of nostalgia for some kinds of candy. The store is a lot of fun.”
The Candy Shop is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
For more, check it out on Facebook.
The Safe House, the Hearleys’ Airbnb, is located above the candy store.
Lynn said it has three bedrooms, two bathrooms and an on-site, walk-in safe that was converted into a reading nook.
More details on The Safe House can be found on airbnb.com.
Wasn’t done yet
After seeing the success of their other businesses, Lynn said she was eager to open another store.
The Pet Shop (1034 Main St.), she said, was the perfect fit.
“We are big downtown enthusiasts, and I wanted to do something else, so I thought, ‘what do people love?’” she said. “Pets immediately jumped into my mind, so I had the idea to open a pet boutique.”
From there, Lynn said she began researching different products to include in the store by looking at what people were searching for on social media to purchase.
She said she then connected with distributors to put together the store’s products.
Lynn said she also reached out to local suppliers where she could support other local businesses.
Businesses focused on pets, she said, are a growing industry.
According to the American Pet Products Association, the pet industry supplied an overall economic contribution of $303 billion in 2023, an increase of 16% from $260 billion in 2022.
Furthermore, pet care spending is top in the fast-moving consumer goods category, surpassing grocery and dairy.
“The pet shopping industry is huge, and people love buying stuff for their pets,” she said. “It made a lot of sense.”
The Pet Shop carries a variety of products for dogs, cats, fish, ferrets and birds.
Products, Lynn said, include:
- Clothing – such as hats, PJs, scarves, bow ties and bathrobes
- Toys
- Feeding dishes
- Leashes
- Collars
- Treats – including birthday cakes and ice cream
Lynn said pets are welcome to accompany their owners in the store – which aims to pamper both pets and pet lovers.
“It’s all the glitz, glamor and treats,” she said.
The Pet Shop is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
For more, check the store out on Facebook.
Community proud
Todd is an Oconto native. and Lynn has lived in the city for more than 30 years.
“Oconto is an up-and-coming tourism destination,” Lynn said. “There is a lot of untapped potential in the area. There’s so much potential for new growth and new businesses.”
Lynn said people are attracted to Oconto because it’s so close to a multitude of outdoor recreation opportunities, and it’s not as crowded as other tourism destinations.
“We are passionate about Oconto and want to see it continue to grow,” she said. “We’ve been able to grow several successful businesses, and I hope that inspires others to do the same.”
