By Sharon Verbeten
When Ruth Fameree drove down Broadway in east De Pere in 2019, a “For Sale” sign caught her eye. That listing — coupled with her longtime desire to own her own shop — was the beginning of realizing that dream.
Though the pandemic had just begun and she had just donated a kidney to her husband, Fameree —a mom of four — says the happenings reminded her that life is short. She renovated the shop during her husband’s recovery and opened at a time when many businesses faced shutdowns.
About 50% of SmithMaker’s inventory — everything from candles and jewelry to apparel and natural soaps — is made in Wisconsin, but the store also features small makers from throughout the United States.
“I just wanted it to be a fun gift shop,” says Fameree, a native of Luxemburg in Kewaunee County. “I knew I wanted a store that supported small makers.” To that end, she sought out unique artisans on Instagram, Etsy and other sites.
Fameree — whose maiden name, Smith, inspired the business’s name — self-funded her venture. And she’s thrilled to be in an ever-expanding downtown with charming old buildings.
“I really do think De Pere has a lot of good things going for it,” she says, pointing to several other businesses that opened during the pandemic, including La Nostra Strada Pizzeria and another female-owned business, Hey, Soup Sister.
In June 2021, Fameree opened a satellite location in The Marketplace on Third Avenue in Sturgeon Bay. “I’m still learning the seasonality and planning inventory appropriately,” she says.
“As a new business owner, everything I’m making, I’m reinvesting in the business,” she adds. “I wouldn’t rule out expanding to other markets. My goal for 2022 is working out the kinks.”
smith-maker.com
