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 By K. Reka Badger
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2005 Autumn Home Page |
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| Founded in 1946, Rasmussen’s continues to play a vital role in Solvang’s downtown business scene. From its central location at the corner of Copenhagen and Alisal, the Santa Ynez Valley’s original department store reigns as a landmark treasured for both its old world ambience and eclectic inventory. Over the last half century, the Rasmussen family has flexed with the times, eliminating fading staples such as horse collars and dynamite and introducing new items as demand decreed. In 1998 David, the third generation of Rasmussens to own the store, contracted with Lang Store in a bid to better serve customers looking for fine craftsmanship and unusual collectibles. An innovative leader in home décor, Lang Store markets more than 4,000 products, primarily through placement in specialty retail stores located around the globe. Since 1982, it has produced high quality home and gift items featuring original art and themes that reflect Americana at its best. Among other things, the company produces books, albums, Christmas ornaments, keepsake boxes, decorative mugs and planners. Offerings also include a variety of note cards and stationary, baskets, candles and candle accessories. “We brought in the Lang Store when Mom wanted to retire,” David explains. “She handled the sweaters and ready-to-wear, but we couldn’t find anyone to buy that end of the business, and I didn’t know anything about bringing in women’s ready-to-wear. “The Lang Store is best known for quality calendars, Christmas cards and gift ware,” he says. “They also do these very interesting decorative boxes, figurines and nice note paper. They’re based in Wisconsin and what they do is to find the best regional artwork to put on their products.” An avid supporter of fine art, David appreciates the quality of Lang Store products. He strives to complement them by stocking other display areas with original artwork that he thinks his customers will like. “The Lang Store is downstairs, on the Alisal side of the store, but it is just one part of our store,” he says. “I’m interested in finding original works of art that are reminiscent of the area here, of the landscape, which I really enjoy.” David probably comes by this inclination naturally, for when his grandparents ran Rasmussen’s, their business model was “to import the best gifts and artwork from Scandinavia and Europe.” David’s family began their sojourn in Solvang in 1916 when they arrived from Iowa with five children in tow. Upon graduating from Santa Ynez High School, young Jens Rasmussen, David’s grandfather, went into partnership with Axel Nielsen and George Petersen in the town’s general store, a sturdy edifice that Nielsen had built in 1911. “For a year it was Nielsen, Petersen and Rasmussen,” David relates. “Then in 1922 Jens said, ‘I want to go to college,’ so he sold his interest, went to USC and stayed on in Southern California.” In 1946 Jens returned to the Valley, bought Petersen’s share of the general store where he continued to sell “groceries, appliances, yardage, shoes, hardware, everything.” “In 1959,” David explains, “Axel Nielsen took the grocery part and moved it out of town and Jens stayed on the corner.” Rasmussen’s continued to grow and by 1964 Jens was compelled to call his son Robert, who was working in the defense industry in Southern California, to ask for his help. California’s fourth generation of Rasmussens promptly moved to Solvang, where David’s mom worked as a nurse at Santa Ynez Valley Hospital, while his dad minded the store. “At first we hated it,” David remembers. “We hated Janin Acres where we lived, because there were no sidewalks and we were into skateboarding. We got over it, though, as we found other things to do, like hiking in the river bed.” David’s folks, on the other hand, took to Valley life right away. “They had visited friends here in the past,” David says, “and Dad grew up with Bob Petersen. Bill Hanly, from the hardware store, used to take him hunting. Plus they were Danish and they fit right in.” Since his parents retired, David has lived up to his family’s mercantile legacy and succeeded in keeping the store going strong. He spends many hours tending to customers and running the business, and figures since his folks don’t check up on him much, he must be doing something right. In his spare moments, David volunteers his time and expertise to help build a stronger community. “I was on the Theaterfest board and that was a lot of fun,” he says. “I served two two-year terms on the Solvang Convention & Visitors Bureau, and then you have to be off for a while. This is the first time in twenty years I’m not on any board. “It’s okay to take a break for a year,” he adds, “especially since I’ve gotten so busy with the store, but I’ll probably get back into it again.” Those who venture into Rasmussen’s enjoy the odd sensation of stepping into the past, only to browse sparkling displays of contemporary items. Still centrally located, Solvang’s original department store is well stocked and ready to serve locals and visitors alike. Rasmussen’s is at 1697 Copenhagen Street and www.rasmussenssolvang.com. |
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Copyright 2005, Inside Santa Ynez Valley Magazine, All Rights Reserved |
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