photo by Sarah Stultz

Celebrations Party & Gifts Owner Mary Ellen Johnson, left, stands with Albert Lean Tami Staker, who she is selling the business to. The switch will be official Jan. 1.

Longtime owner sells Celebrations Party & Gifts

By Sarah Stultz | Albert Lea Tribune

Published Friday, November 28, 2008

Longtime Celebrations Party & Gifts owner Mary Ellen Johnson is passing the reigns as owner of the business starting the first of next year.

Johnson started with the business in October of 1985.

Though she will no longer be the owner of the store, she said she still plans to be closely tied with it and even work in it some. Customers shouldn’t expect her to leave anytime soon.

She will also mentor the new Celebrations owner, Albert Lean Tami Staker, who has been closely tied to the downtown since she moved to the area in 2004.

“This has just been a fun time for me,” Johnson said. “That’s why I don’t want to leave completely. You have friendships down here that when you don’t work you don’t have.”

Johnson said she has been thinking about selling the business for a while and knew that Staker was looking for a downtown property. It was a good fit for both women.

“We’re still going to have Celebrations, but Tami wants to take it to a new level,” Johnson said.

Staker’s daughter, Nikki Hastings, who has worked at the store now for several years, said people can expect some visual changes in the interior of the store, including some renovations and rearranging.

“It’s important for me to always have Mary Ellen proud of the store,” Staker said.

When Staker first moved to Albert Lea, her Realtor suggested she contact Johnson. She wrote in an e-mail to her that it was her dream to own a business in the downtown in the next three to five years.

Magically, that dream has come true.

“It’s where my heart is,” Staker said of the downtown.

“You can’t live in a house like ours and not like something old.”

Staker and her husband, Tom, reside on Circle Drive.

Johnson said she has created a calendar for the month of December that has certain sales scheduled each week. She wants to turn the reigns over on a high note, so Staker can start off positively for the new year.

Celebrations can be found at 122 S. Broadway Ave.