Up on the tree top |j
..ii—n»n in " 1 "'ii-1
Tanna Kinnaman/DN
Pam Schneider, left, and Deb Pohlmann search for the perfect angel tree top at Custom
Christmas, a specialty holiday store. Pohlmann said her son, Justin, didn’t like his
grandmother’s tree top.
What’s
instore
Specialty shop keeps spirit alive all year lorn
By Julie Sobczyk
Senior Editor
Christmas comes but once a year
... but not always. At Christmas
Lane Antiques and Collectibles, it’s
the holiday season all year round.
Christmas Lane, with stores at
1265 S. Cotner Blvd. and 311 N.
Eighth St., is a specialty shop that has
collectibles for every season, espe
cially Christmas.
But it’s not any ordinary store with
the average ornaments, bows and
blinking lights.
“In our store, we try to capture the
ambience of Christmas,” said Kim
Underdahl, the store’s owner. “It’s
kind of like walking into a winter
wonderland.”
In the wonderland, miniature col
lectable snowmen, Santas, angels, and
carolling teddy bears line the shelves.
Christmas trees with unique themes
are displayed throughout the store.
One is decorated with farm animals;
another heavenly tree is adorned with
angels. A tree to delight the
outdoorsman is covered with fish and
duck ornaments.
“The Christmas items here are
more unique items,” Underdahl said.
“We supply one-of-a-kind orna
ments.”
The most popular items in the
uWe have a lot of regular
customers, and that makes it
fun. A lot of people come in
after they’ve had a bad day,
and wandering around makes
them feel better.”
PEG BARRETT
Christmas Lane employee
store are hand-painted ornaments,
which customers collect, she said.
“People collect ornaments for a
number of certain occasions in their
lives,” she said. “People often give
sets as wedding gifts.”
One special part of Giristmas Lane
is the store’s offical greeter. Libby,
Underdahl’s dog, is at the store when
ever she’s working.
“I can visibly see the children’s
eyes light up when they look for
Libby,” she said.
For the third year, Libby will have
her own ornament designed by a local
artist. For this year’s ornament, the
dog will be dressed in an angel’s
outfit.
Peg Barrett, an employee of Christ
mas Lane, said working for Underdahl
made her job enjoyable,
“My favorite thing here is the
owner and her dog,” Barrett said. “I
like being around all the happy mer
chandise. It’s all cheerful, and I love
Christmas.”
The customers enjoy the store’s
cheerfulness, too, Barrett said.
“We have a lot of regular custom
ers, and that makes it fun,” she said.
“A lot of people come in after they’ve
had a bad day, and wandering around
makes them feel better.”
With Christmas just a few weeks
away, Barrett said, business had been
picking up.
“The last few weeks have been
busy,” she said. “Most people don’t
come in for a quick minute. There’s
too much to see, and we like to take
time with each customer.”
Barrett said she didn’t know of
any other store in Lincoln that spe
cialized in Christmas all year.
For Underdahl, the best part of
working in a winter wonderland is
the joy the store spreads to customers.
“People walk in and are often sur
prised,” she said. “People wili say,
‘Oh my gosh. I didn’t expect it to be
like this.’”
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