EDITOR NOTE: The Daily Press will be featuring a series of articles on local businesses, highlighting their history and what makes them unique. The series will run on a regular basis in the Daily Press.

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ESCANABA — Lisa Ann, a fixture on Escanaba’s Ludington Street since 2009, celebrated its 15th anniversary in March after first opening in Delta Plaza in 2008. The lease in the mall allowed owner Lisa LaLonde a sort of trial period, mitigating her risks, an idea that made more sense than purchasing a whole building before knowing if the business would be a success.

LaLonde said she knew she wanted to start her own business, but took a job with Christopher & Banks – a Minnesota-based women’s clothing store that used to have a branch in the Delta Plaza – to see if she truly enjoyed it. She had a knack for arranging displays; the passion for styling encouraged her to pursue her own business goals.

LaLonde said she sought to fill what she identified as a void in the market.

“At that time in town, we did have other stores — you know, box stores and some clothing stores. I felt everything was too young or too old,” said LaLonde. “I was in my forties. It’s like I was having a hard time finding something for my age. … And so I wanted to bring in something fashionable for the middle-aged woman.”

She said that the selection might have veered slightly younger since then, but that the attire and accessories she sells suits people “from their twenties up to death.”

At first, the focus of the merchandise selection was apparel. It has since grown to include jewelry, purses, candles and miscellaneous gift items.

LaLonde was proud to say that people really enjoy the “unique” jewelry she carries. Often she’ll only order one of a certain item, thereby making it particularly special for whomever takes it home.

“In jewelry, we’ve kind of built a name for ourselves, because we’ll have people come in looking specifically for jewelry now, where we didn’t used to have that. Because I’ve been nominated in the Press’s ‘Best of the Best’ awards.”

She says that while an actual jewelry store always wins in that category, she appreciates the recognition there. Besides, Lisa Ann shines where it can take center stage:

“Every year for the past six years, we’ve been voted the best clothing store,” LaLonde said, again referring to the “Best of the Best” contest run by the Daily Press, wherein readers nominate businesses and then vote for their favorites.

The store is often described as a boutique, but LaLonde says that the clothing ranges from casual to dressy, with price points affordable for the area.

Lisa Ann attracts a lot of returning customers, but it draws people off the street and from afar. Assistant manager Jodi Westerberg said that she always asks people how they heard about the store, and it’s often word of mouth.

During COVID, Lisa Ann began posting live on Facebook. LaLonde and Westerberg took turns modeling different outfits, which people then requested for purchase. When stores were still closed, those orders were fulfilled by collection or delivery. But the concept was so popular that the live streams still continue. There may be two or three weeks between videos, but they always occur on Thursdays beginning at 8:30 p.m.

The two women say they have fun and show off all sorts of things, but everyone has their favorites. Westerberg loves the bamboo clothing line for layering; LaLonde says she gets the most use out of her long vests.

New this year are winter coats, which LaLonde said they began carrying after hearing customers say there wasn’t a good retailer for coats in town.

Some items — like Night Scope hats, which have rechargeable light on the front — are popular year after year. But LaLonde said she’s “always trying different things.”

A hot new item sold at the front counter are bracelets from a brand called “fahlo” (pronounced like “follow”). Through partnerships with wildlife conservation groups around the globe, each bracelet tracks one real wild animal, and a portion of the profits go towards missions like Save the Elephants, Sea Turtle Conservancy and Into the Blue.

LaLonde said that the busiest times of year at Lisa Ann are Sidewalk Sales in the summer and Black Friday on Tuesday, for which the store is currently preparing. Almost everything in the store will be 30% off, and they will offer drinks as well.

Regular hours at Lisa Ann are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. In the last two weeks before Christmas, there will likely be a couple evenings during which hours are extended, but the specific dates are yet to be decided.