Bargain Outlet Space is Now Rendered Unique

After being empty for 10 years, the first floor space at 115 West Water Street will now be host to local shop Rendered Unique. The Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors helped kick off the shop’s opening on January 30th, marking an important moment in the downtown district.

Rendered Unique, a home goods store that curates products from 35+ women-owned businesses, kicks off their seventh year of business in the new and bigger space four blocks west of their original location. The shop features and sells Iowa-made products including flour sack towels from Doe a Deer (Stuart, Iowa), candles from Dirt Road Candle Co. (Atlantic, Iowa), and apparel from The Midwest Girl (Dubuque, Iowa). Owner Jamie Gavle is pleased to be in the new space. “This location is in the heart of downtown Decorah and it became available just when we were talking about how we needed to graduate into a bigger space. We loved the brick house space at 309 East Water, it was just time for the business to grow.”

Gavle says that customers can expect a similar product portfolio with expanded options and fun new product lines that complement the aesthetic she’s curated for years – a warm, modern home with nods to vintage and cheeky humor.

Most residents – and a lot of visitors – will remember the 115 West Water Street retail space as Bargain Outlet which was in operation from December 1993 to December 2015. Before that it was home to Sears Catalog (1943-1993) and farther back it was A. & P. Grocery and Hutchinson Grocery.

Gavle is sure to give credit to new building owners Sean and Annika Brown who purchased the attractive downtown structure from Janet Porter at the end of September. Gavle says, “the Browns worked really hard to prep the first floor space. They invested time and money into basic improvements, of course, but also understood the value of making choices that honored the historic nature of building. They exposed original brick walls, honored the beautiful tin ceiling, and chose a new floor that was practical and ready for lots of foot traffic.”

Sean Brown said he was happy to get the space ready for a new tenant but wanted people to also know the role that Porter played during her tenure. “The building is in amazing shape, both the interior and exterior, and that is really a gift from Janet who purchased it in 1986 and took ownership very seriously. She kept up with maintenance and repairs even when there wasn’t an active business on the first floor. She cares a lot about the building and about Decorah. She was a good caretaker. We are thankful for it and everyone who comes later will be too.”

The space that Rendered Unique left is already home to a new store. Storied Folk & Co. is the new tenant at 309 East Water. Owner Linley Cavin is opening her first brick and mortar location after a decade of pop-up markets and online sales. The store’s soft opening is Saturday, February 1st.