|
|
"The Timeless Gift of Hope,
Joy and Promise"
Ukrainian Gift Shop, Inc. (Founded 1947)
2512 39th Avenue Northwest
St. Anthony, Minnesota 55421-4207
http://www.ukrainiangiftshop.com
|
THE JOURNEY
"In 1903, Marie Procai, at the age of
six, moved with her family from her birthplace, Dobrochyn,
Sokal region of Ukraine, to Yugoslavia. Eight years later,
at the age of fourteen in 1911, Marie decided to follow her
two brothers, who had earlier immigrated, to America. She
traveled alone by ship, through Ellis Island to join her brother,
Paul, in Pennsylvania. Marie stayed with Paul on his farm
for a year before she ventured out, once more by herself,
to Winnipeg, Manitoba in Canada where her other brother, Kirylo,
had settled.
|
Marie Procai
|
'With a few dollars in a small suitcase containing
all my possessions I set off for Canada. The train stopped in Minneapolis
for the night at the Milwaukee Depot. I decided to go out for awhile.
It was a cold night. I remember asking a policeman if he knew of
any Ukrainians living in the city. He directed me to Seven Corners.
As I walked up the street I could see the frozen Mississippi River
glistening in the moonlight. It was very pretty."
| "I came to five
houses, all of them dark and quiet. The third house seemed like
the right one, so I knocked. A young couple answered the door.
"Do you speak Ukrainian?" They answered, "Tak, Tak" and invited
me in. They told me of a young woman who was living with them.
To our surprise and amazement we discovered the woman staying
with them was my second cousin! Was it not God's will that led
me to this house? I had no idea that in all of the United States
she was living in Minneapolis. It was a miracle. We cried and
laughed at our reunion. I did not go to Canada. It was right
for me to stay in Minneapolis.'
"In 1915, Marie married Tony Procai,
also a Ukrainian immigrant. Together they raised three daughters
and a son, who died serving his country in W.W.II. As a couple,
Marie and Tony were a vital impetus in developing an active
Ukrainian community in Minneapolis.
|
UKRAINIAN GIFT SHOP
2001 CATALOG
Trypillian Designs By
Luba Perchyshyn
|
 |
 |
| 2000 Catalog |
1999 Catalog |
| |
|
 |
 |
| 1997 Catalog (Front) |
1997 Catalog (Back) |
|
1995 Catalog (Ostrich Egg Cover)
|
PYSANKY
"Marie's first Easter in America. 'I
remember my first Easter in America (1912) and how homesick
I felt for the traditions of the holidays which I once knew.
I recalled my mother and grandmother decorating the colorful
eggs and taking them to church to be blessed and decided that
I could not let the Easter season pass without at least trying
to made a pysanka (Ukrainian Easter Egg). So, I made a writing
tool (kistka) from the metal tip of a shoelace. I bought crepe
paper at the drug store and made dyes by soaking the paper
in boiled water. My first attempts were crude, but, I did
it, and made my first Pysanky in America!'
|
| |
|
|
A MODEST BEGINNING IN 1947
"After the children were
grown and married, Marie was not content to sit back and watch
life pass. She and here daughter, Luba Perchyshyn decided
to start a Ukrainian Gift Shop. In preparation Marie and Luba
embroidered handkerchiefs and blouses, purchased Ukrainian
books, tapestries, and ceramics from the few existing shops
in the U.S. In November of 1947, they opened their shop in
the Procai living room."
"On grand opening day Marie
and Luba sold two handkerchiefs for a grand total of $ 1.50.
After a hesitant start, the shop was moved to a store near
the University of Minnesota. Here, Luba put together her first
Easter egg decorating kit---a simple collection of tools,
dyes and wax in a paper bag for $ 1.00."
|
1992 Catalog
|
"As the business grew, Marie and Luba continued
to develop their store which began to include gifts from many lands.
In 1958 another of Marie's daughters, Johanna Luciow, joined in
to help with the ever growing gift shop and she added her talents
in the beautiful Pysanky art."
"Luba's Easter Egg Decorating Kits were further
refined and today are sold internationally. Five detailed books
about decorating Pysanky , an embroidery book, a coloring book,
puzzles, posters and Easter egg postcards have been published by
the Ukrainian Gift Shop, Inc."
"The April 1972 issue of National Geographic
did an eight page pictorial entitled, "Easter Greetings from the
Ukrainians." This article featured the Ukrainian Gift Shop along
with the Ukrainian community of Minneapolis and the beautiful art
of Pysanky. In 1975, a film about Ukrainian Easter Eggs "Pysanka"
by Slavko Nowytski, featured Luba's artistry in egg decorating.
This film won the International Gold Eagle Award for excellence
in 1978 and is now available in video.
Luba's pysanky and ceramic work have won many
awards at the Minnesota State Fair. Ironically, Luba's most memorable
State Fair moments may have been when she sold her first Easter
Egg decorating kits in brown paper bags from a booth. Holding the
bags high, she'd call out, 'Easter Egg kits. One dollar each.'
TODAY
Marie continued to work six days a week in
the gift shop and decorated Pysanky until 1987, when she retired
at the age of 1990. Marie lived until 1993.
Luba, and her daughter and son (Natalie and
Elko) manage the shop today with the help of their greatly valued
assistant Maria Luciw.
Today, after closing the gift shop, Luba hurries
home, plugs in her electric kistka, and settles down to work. A
master of a craft she has elevated to an art, after 70 years, she
says simply decorating Easter Eggs, 'It's what I do.'
Text And Pictures Taken From The Year 1997
And 2000 Catalogs of The Ukrainian Gift Shop, Inc.
2512 39th Avenue Northeast
St. Anthony Village, MN 55421
612 788 2545
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
 |
Easter Egg Books by
Ukrainian Gift Shop |
|
|
The Ukrainian Gift Shop published,
over the years, a series of postcards that show pysanky eggs with
a wide variety of designs. You can view the Ukrainian Gift Shop
postcard series at www.ArtUkraine.com/egg/postcard.htm
For further information
please contact:
Ukrainian Gift Shop, Inc.
2512 39th Avenue Northeast
St. Anthony, MN 55421-4207
Tel: 612 788 2545
Fax: 612 788 1677
websales@ukrainiangiftshop.com
http://www.ukrainiangiftshop.com
|
|
back
)
)
)
 ',''))
',''))
',''))
)
)
)