Grandpa Shorter’s Celebrates 80 Years as Petoskey’s Longest Operating Family-Owned Gift Shop

Petoskey was barely three decades old in 1880 when Chief Petoskey’s son, Bazil, opened a souvenir shop at the present-day corner of Lake and Petoskey streets. Little did he know that in doing so, he would anchor that corner in the city’s retail history.

The Shorter family arrived in Emmet County, Michigan in 1860, with Homer Alverdo Shorter homesteading along the banks of the Maple River from 1885 until his death in 1932. During the spring of 1887, Homer Shorter worked on Mackinac Island, installing the molding and trim work for the famed Grand Hotel which was built in an astounding 93 days). He and his wife, Ella, had two children: Irving Glenn and Mildred

I.G., as he was known, married Johannah Bosma and they went on to have five children, the oldest of which was Carl Gilbert, who was born in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, in 1913. The family eventually returned to northern Michigan, and after graduating from Pellston High School, Carl married Ruth Cooper. A pharmacist’s apprentice by trade, Carl went on to manage several retail stores in Mackinaw City before relocating his family—which had grown to include three sons (Dean, James and William (Bill))—to Petoskey.

Carl and Ruth had a dream of establishing their own souvenir shop and that came to fruition on the Friday of Memorial Day weekend, 1946. After borrowing $1500, they opened a small 192-square-foot store (8’ x 24’) at 303 E. Lake Street called Shorter’s Indian Craft Shop. Shorter’s first account was with newly founded Minnetonka Moccasins, a Minnesota brand still sold today. It is also believed to be the first commercial retailer in Michigan to sell polished Petoskey stones, the city’s signature souvenir.

Shorter’s also specialized in handcrafted wares like porcupine quill boxes, jewelry, gifts and even birch bark canoes, sourced from local Native Americans. They often hosted in-store events with the artists, stamping their items with “Ottawa Indian Made.”

Bill began working at the store at age five. He often traveled with his father in their 1949 Mercury along the Tunnel of Trees to Cross Village, to procure those distinctive items. From there, they’d venture north to Mackinaw City and travel by ferry across the Straits of Mackinac. In the Upper Peninsula, they’d pick up hand-carved totem poles, some measuring as much as 12 feet in length. By the time they made the trek back to Petoskey, the car was loaded with quillwork and baskets, weighted down by the totem poles tied to the roof.

“I later learned he was a gentleman who was respected for his honesty and for dealings by the Ottawa who were true artisans,” Bill noted in an article on the store’s website.

In 1950, Shorter’s doubled the size of its seasonal shop, taking over the space next door at 301 E. Lake Street. Five years later the store closed in early October, preparing renovate their space. In June 1956, the store held a Grand Re-Opening as Shorter’s Gift Store, to reflect the new merchandise featuring a “complete new stock of genuine deerskin jackets, gloves, mittens, moccasins, handbags, baskets, toys, jewelry, Navajo rugs, Hallmark greeting cards, and many, many more and different items.” A new lower-level establishment called Knit N’ Purl Shop, opened off Petoskey Street in 1959.

The next two decades remained a time of growth for the Shorter family business. A second seasonal location operated from 1960 to 1983 in Indian River. In the 1970s, Carl purchased the building at 311 E. Lake Street for an antique store called The Cameo (the site of present-day J.W. Shorter & Son Mercantile). The Holly Harbour Shop, with its Christmas-themed gifts and décor, was added to the store in 1979.

After Carl’s death in 1983, Bill and his wife, Mari, purchased the family business and rebranded it as Grandpa Shorter’s Gifts—so named because the grandkids would always say “let’s go to Grandpa’s Store…let’s see Grandpa Shorter.” The second generation was quick to pick up where Carl and Ruth had left off, continuing the family legacy within Petoskey’s Historic Gaslight District.

The lower level was transformed in 1993 into the 1,200-square-foot Trapper’s Cabin, complete with pine floors and a stone fireplace. Then, to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 1996, Bill set out to give the 19th-century building a major facelift. Architect Rick Neumann and contractor Brian Shorter (Bill’s nephew) were charged with restoring the two-story façade to its original grandeur. About this time, Bill also put deed restrictions in place, ensuring the building’s historic preservation would remain well into the future.

Bill and Mari’s daughter, Jennifer, began working at the store at the age of 11. She followed her passion for retail, studying marketing and entrepreneurial management at the University of Michigan. While there, she founded JS Publications and created a booklet about the city’s famed Petoskey stones, which is among the many unique gifts found today at Grandpa Shorter’s. In 1997, she returned to Petoskey to work alongside her parents until ultimately acquiring ownership.

Under Jennifer’s watchful eye, the Shorter family retail legacy has grown and changed with the times. J.W. Shorter & Son Mercantile opened in 1998; The Katydid (named after Jennifer’s daughter, Kaitlyn, who was called Katy Bug as a child) operated at 305 E. Lake Street from 2018 until 2025. In 2020, Trapper’s Cabin closed and three years later Jennifer opened Luci & Carl’s Candy Cabin, a “bucket list” store with a one-of-a-kind mural on the ceiling depicting a taffy pull, along with a red-and-white striped awning painted on the wall.

Over the past eight decades, Shorter’s has remained one of Petoskey’s most beloved stores because, as Jennifer notes, there is something for everyone in the family. You’ll find noted brands like Pendleton and Minnetonka to Petoskey stones (and polishing kits) to an array of souvenirs emblazoned with the name PETOSKEY, and so much more. You’ll never know what you’ll find—including several traditional items that have been staples since the store opened in 1946.

“I think it is nostalgia that keeps bringing people back—like the creaky wood floors that were my grandpa’s pride and joy,” notes Jennifer. “And the friendliness and warmth of our staff.”

When visiting Petoskey this summer, be sure to stop at Grandpa Shorter’s to check out the front window displays which Jennifer plans to dress up with her personal collection of historical souvenirs from the city. Historic photos from the family store will also be on display. A party is in the works for Fourth of July week, with details being posted on the store’s Facebook page for those interested in participating.

 

About the author: About the Author: Dianna Stampfler is the president of Promote Michigan and the author of the best-selling books “Michigan’s Haunted Lighthouses” and “Death & Lighthouses on the Great Lakes.” She loves traveling around the Great Lakes state, with Hemingway country being among her favorite destinations.