Lulu’s on Main opens, boosts downtown retail presence

“Unique, hard-to-find gifts that are one of a kind.”

That is how Joan Sauder, owner of one of Morton’s newest businesses, describes the items that can be found in her shop.

“There’s something for everybody,” Sauder added. “It’s where you can come if you need a gift, and we’ll even gift wrap it for free.”

Lulu’s on Main, located at 142 S. Main St., opened May 26. The building, Sauder said, was chosen based on its charm.

“I really wanted the downtown and I really wanted an older building,” she said. “It had to have character because I knew the direction that I wanted to go. It really had to have that artsy feel to it.”

Sauder worked at a shop in Washington for eight years. This, she said, prepared her for the work that was involved in opening Lulu’s.  

“We had a lot of customers come from Morton to Washington and say, ‘I wish you’d move to Morton,’” she said.

Sauder, who was born and raised in Morton, obliged.

“I was used to the history and charm of the Square in Washington,” she said. “I just couldn’t do anything less than that.”  

Sauder’s mother, husband and three sons help out around the shop, but none are named Lulu. The name, Sauder said, “really represents fun to me.”

“I was a big fan of Little Lulu when I was little and I wanted a name that kind of crossed with young and old and just something very simple and something that would stay in your mind,” she said.

Lulu’s is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. For now, the shop is closed on Sundays but will be open seven days a week beginning Nov. 1 for the holidays.

“So far, Morton’s been great,” Sauder said. “They’ve really welcomed us. We feel really blessed and we’ve felt really well received.”

Sauder said she is happy to be able to play a part in reviving downtown Morton.

“I love the downtown,” she said. “I’d love to see it revived. I love that it’s connected to the Pumpkin Festival, and I love the rich history of the Miller Bakery and Morton Pottery being here. That to me was ... that was it.”

Scarce parking along the street and hidden parking lots that many are not aware of have posed another issue.

“That makes us a little nervous, but I know the Chamber is really working to make some changes, so that’s encouraging,” Sauder said. “I feel like they’re on it and they recognize the need for it.”

Sauder added that she plans on getting involved and helping to solve these issues and bring more business to the downtown business district.

“You’ve really got to work hard to encourage your downtown,” she said. “We just really need to continue to embrace the downtown, revive it and bring businesses in so that we can create this destination area.”

Items that can be found at Lulu’s include women’s boutique clothing, shoes, home decor, children’s clothing, children’s toys, kitchen ware, a variety of jewelry and artisan work.
“We just want to make it special,” Sauder said.