By Marianne Monteleone • MM Design
It’s February, the month of LOVE and we Love Lisa!
Lisa Gaugler, owner of Dreisbach House, loves being part of the beating heart of Jim Thorpe. In fact, her love affair with the town started on Valentines Day, February 14, 1995 when she stayed overnight at the Ritz on Broadway – the very building she would buy later that year. Lisa named the house, built in 1899, after original owner James Monroe Dreisbach, the first president of the Mauch Chunk Trust Company.
Treasures Old and New
Shortly after Lisa bought the building, she set up inside as an indoor yard sale using three storage units of collected vintage items as her starting inventory. Soon the shop started looking less like a yard sale and more like a store. What started as all vintage has now evolved to “Past Meets Present”, adding a new product every year: new and vintage sunglasses, new and vintage jewelry, scarves and hats.
Fun and Affordable
A motto Lisa believes in – what she likes, so the customers will like too. She sells nostalgia, creates an experience, blending the feel of the architecture with the product line. The $1 porch items create an invitation for customers to go treasure hunting. Another amazing addition is the work of Dan Becker, a local artist whose whimsical paintings add dimension to her offerings.
Rooted for Success
Lisa attributes her 20-year success story to being open, consistent and versatile. None of which she could have accomplished without the help of her Mom, Laura.
If you are a repeat customer, you will know that Laura’s smiling face and demeanor helped in rooting the business, while Lisa was holding down a hairdressing job for the first 17 years. Dreisbach House has been organically grown without trying – a sure sign Lisa is doing something right. Lisa notes that the slow and steady increase of tourism has been a factor, though local shoppers are her bread and butter.
Look for Dreisbach House’s 20 year anniversary celebration on First Friday this Spring and for some interior changes to her back room to accommodate and display more merchandise. More reasons for customers to love coming back to Dreisbach House.
Visit www.dreisbachhouse.com
Add Comment