Today we’d like to introduce you to Urvana Tracey Morse.
Hi Urvana, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I began my first summer season on Mackinac Island at Stonecliffe Inn on June 17, 1990, at Stonecliff, a beautiful 1904 Tudor mansion with 14 rooms. Located two miles outside of town in the woods. It was a very unique property built by a meatpacker from Chicago named Michael Cudhay. I started at the front desk, but it was a property that needed all hands on deck. So I was wherever I was needed. It completely captured my heart! I loved the hospitality business. I also fell head over heels in love with the charming island cottages, the incredible amount of wildflowers everywhere on the island, and the unique characters and lifestyle of the residents. There is truly no other place like Mackinac Island.
By 1994, I was living on Mackinac Island year-round. I managed properties around Stonecliffe and worked at the Village Inn during the winter. At that time, the Village Inn was owned by Ron and Mary Dufina. The Village Inn and Mustang were the two restaurants that remained open during the winter months.
Mackinac Island is seasonal; you need to make hay when the sun shines, which is May to October. I often held multiple part-time jobs. One of these was working for Dawn and Gary Kiracofe, who owned Scrimshanders. Gary was the artist, and Dawn managed the business. They started their shop on the island in 1979 and opened another location in Door County, Wisconsin, in the early 1990s. Eventually, they hired a manager to oversee their Mackinac Island shop.
Working part-time for Scrimshanders, I learned a great deal about scrimshaw, history, antique collectibles, and other handcrafted items. I easily absorbed all the information about their products. I truly loved the work and learning about the artists and history!
At that time, the current manager was finishing her last season and suggested I apply for the management position. I remember nervously meeting with Gary Kiracofe for the interview. I told him that I didn’t mean to sound cocky, but I believed I would be really good at this. That was one of the best things I ever said, and it set me on a new path—learning about retail, managing staff, and handling the bottom line to turn a profit.
I am grateful to have worked for wonderful employers who encouraged education. They sent me to many management classes, which helped shape my skills.
I managed their business for 16 years and eventually purchased it in January 2016. I decided to change the name to Urvana’s—a difficult decision. Still, I thought it was necessary because many scrimshaw artists were aging and retiring, and laws regarding the sale of antique ivory had changed. Continuing solely with scrimshaw became increasingly challenging.
I wanted my customers to know that it was still me in that space—the familiar shop they had trusted for over 16 years. While I will continue to carry scrimshaw as long as possible, I’ve expanded to include pottery, art glass, handcrafted jewelry, and my most extensive and most popular collection of custom knives.
I’ve strived to bring unique, high-quality, artisan-crafted products from Mackinac, Michigan, and across the United States. About 90% of what I sell is made in the USA.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Running your own business always presents challenges, requiring you to push through the fear of failure. For example, the pandemic had a significant impact on our seasonal business. COVID-19 kept the island closed until mid-June, and people were understandably hesitant to spend. The stress of determining how much inventory to buy was immense! I didn’t know if I would even have customers who would come over on a ferry to shop. I ultimately decided to take a calculated risk. I needed to purchase merchandise, so I reached out to my artists and requested extended payment terms. Instead of the usual 30 days, I asked for 60 and even 90 days. Many were struggling to stay afloat and agreed. Unfortunately, not everyone was able to make it through. This experience taught me the importance of diversifying my offerings. I now sell items ranging from $5 to $3,900 and beyond.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My artist-based shop allows me to curate and display a truly unique shopping experience for my customers. I work with multiple artisans who produce stunning art glass, beautiful pottery, handcrafted jewelry, custom knives, and intricate scrimshaw artwork from an artist with decades of experience in their craft. This means that I offer items you won’t find just anywhere. Whether you are looking for handcrafted treasures under $20 or a one-of-a-kind heirloom piece to pass on to your loved ones, you’ll discover something special here. I love what I do, and I work in my shop on a daily basis
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I am not a risk-taker by nature. If I could be careful and calculated in all my decisions, that would be wonderful! However, that is not reality. As a shop owner, I often find myself taking calculated risks. Each winter and spring, I need to decide what to invest in to sell at a higher profit during the summer and fall. Thankfully, my instincts are usually pretty solid, but there are always a few choices that completely fail to pan out. I’ve learned that it’s all part of the process. You can’t expect to be 100% correct all the time. The trick is to be mostly right and to identify what isn’t working so you can try to liquidate it and recover at least some of your investment. Risk, as much as I would like to avoid it, is the only way to grow and learn from your experience
Pricing:
- knives $15.95-$2900.00
- Scrimshaw $50-$1600.00
- Jewelry $7-$4500.00
- Art Glass $28-$1600.00
- Pottery $7-$3600.00
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.urvanas.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/urvanas_mackinacisland
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/urvanas
- Other: https://urvanas.com/blogs/news/can-you-live-on-mackinac-island-by-mi-live
