Ottertail Shops Work together

Shopping in Ottertail is more than simply making purchases. The businesses in town collaborate to create fun events that generate interest and entice visitors to stop by for vacation clothing, tasty treats, souvenirs and much more. Here, we highlight a few Ottertail shops and the events they put on.

The Williams Company Store & Deli
Ottertail visitors looking for an old, general store should look no further than The Williams Company Store & Deli. Dan and Marnie Whitehead, owners since 2014, kept the same traditions and departments of the store, including gourmet food, clothing, vacation clothing, gifts, toys, healthy sandwiches, salads, smoothies, coffee and ice cream. More recently, they added beer and wine sales, plus outdoor seating.
Sandwiches and coffee drinks are the most popular items, Marnie said. Customers can choose from a variety of Minnesota-themed beverages like the Uffda Latte or the Minnesota Nice.

Periwinkle Marketplace
For a store with “all things lake,” shoppers can browse Periwinkle Marketplace, owned by Stephanie Dykhoff since 2000. Periwinkle is a place to pick up souvenirs, like a lake hoodie, or other vacation items. The shop also sells a lot of women’s apparel, candy and kids’ items. It’s “just an all-around fun, family store,” Dykhoff said.

Rusty Anchor Trading Company
Dykhoff also owns Rusty Anchor Trading Company, which opened in May 2020. The space is -comprised of multiple vendors with individual booths. This store doesn’t focus much on the lake, but rather has a more natural, woodsy feel with “something for the whole family,” Dykhoff said. She plans to add a farmers market on Fridays in summer 2021.

The shop owners in Ottertail work together, including marketing efforts, to put on events each year with the goal of attracting business to the city. They’ve hosted events in the spring around the fishing opener, sock hops, an event around the deer opener in the fall, followed by a holiday open house the next weekend. They typically put togeth-er four big events annually, Marnie said, one each in the spring and fall and a couple in the winter. “It brings more people to town, and then we have door prizes and food samplings and all that good stuff,” Dykhoff said. “Ottertail’s just a fun destination city – really all year long.”
In the past, the retail owners have also done a “Wicked Fun Weekend” for a fun, dress-up Halloween event that’s been a favorite, Dykhoff said. There’s also a “Fall in Love with Ottertail” event.
Dan and Marnie organize the annual “Pumpkin Fest” fundraiser, closing off Lake Avenue for a big festival in the street and in The Williams Company store. People enjoy live music, brats and hot dogs, and all donations from the event go to the United Way’s programs for children.
The resounding theme they hear is “it’s so nice to see everybody working together” to create so many fun things to do, Marnie said.
The Williams Company Store & Deli does a lot of other fundraising for the community. They have an annual winter coat drive and collaborate with the mobile food pantry from Perham. The store also has a “giving tree” at Christmas, working with a local social worker to help families with winter clothing, food and toys.