Photo: Darold and Janet Larson (top), standing in front of Treasure Cove gift shop in Hovland. Bob and Shel Busch, standing in front of the same building, decades later.

By Laura Durenberger-Grunow - Boreal Community Media - June 26, 2023

In early 2023, Shel Busch was driving through Hovland, Minnesota, when she passed a building she had passed many times before. 

This particular building is located on the corner of Highway 61 and Hammer Road, and has been around since the 1940s. It has been home to a cafe, which closed in 1975, and a few other businesses that have since come and gone. 

One of those businesses was a gifts and antiques store called Treasure Cove, which was around from 1980 through 2000. The shop was owned by Darold and Janet Larson, who just so happened to be Shel’s grandparents. (Darold Larson was also a well-known pointillistic painter in the area.) 

Since Treasure Cove closed, and now that her grandparents have passed, Shel has been watching the building in hopes of someday bringing it back into her family. 

On that day in early 2023 when she happened to be driving by the property, her dream was revived, because the building was for sale. 

“I called Bob (Shel’s husband), who was in the Twin Cities, and said we need to jump”, she said. 

Bob and Shel technically call the Twin Cities home but have owned a property very close to the gift shop building for over 20 years. “We kind of do a hybrid thing. It’s a lot of back and forth,” Bob said. But, they love the area and hope to one day make Hovland their main place of living.

“Our three kids, who are now adults, were all homeschooled here and practically grew up in the area. My parents live here too,” she said.

The couple ended up getting the building, bringing it back into Shel’s family. What are they going to do with it? “It’s going to be a unique gift shop with vintage and antique things, nature-based items, as well as practical necessities,” they said. 

 Bob and Shel Busch announcing their store opening, Objects to Crave Facebook page

Running an antique shop with unique gift items runs in the family. Not only did Shel’s grandparents own and run Treasure Cove, but her parents also used to own an antique shop. And, Shel used to co-own and operate a gifts and antiques shop in the Twin Cities with a friend.

“We love unique and fun items,” Bob said, with Shel adding “Quirky”, to the mix. 

The gift shop will be called Objects to Crave, and along with the items mentioned above, the shop will be a homage to the history and stories of the area. 

“We’ve had so many people see us out here working on the building, stop by, and share memories and fun stories of when they were kids in the area,” Bob said. 

“We are working on compiling photos, items, and stories to display and share with anyone who comes in, which we plan on displaying,” they added.

The couple mentioned that they not only love hearing stories, looking at artifacts, and learning even more about the area they love, they actually encourage it. 

“We’d love to have more people stop by, and share their stories, memories, photos, or any other piece of history they know.”

As they’ve been working on the property and building, they’ve found some fun items, including a 1974 Fritz Sobanja brick, a knife, a 1949 Canadian nickel, a howling wolf on ivory, and more, which they’ve shared on the Objects to Crave Facebook page. 

Shel shared that the objects they found may be signs from her grandparents, showing that they’re on the right track. 

“There have been so many signs from them,” she said. 

Shel’s mom, who had been called over during the interview to clarify something discussed, said, “Darold and Janet would be beaming right now if they were here.”

“It’s been a total family affair. Our kids, my parents, and sister have been working super hard to help us get this off the ground,” Shel said. “My friend is also helping us with our social media and website,” she added. 

Much remodeling and updating has been done to prepare the shop for its July 1 & 2nd grand opening, which will coincide with the Hovland Art Fair. 

 Bob and Shel Busch, working on remodeling the building, Objects to Crave Facebook page

The shop will be open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, from 9-5 through the end of October. In the future, the couple plans to open the store around the beginning of May - end of October. 

Online ordering on their website will be available year-round. 

If you have any old stories, photos, memories, or items to share of the building or the area, you can email them to Shel and Bob at [email protected] , or stop during their business hours.