LAKEFIELD — As a self-proclaimed “woman of many things,” recent southwest Minnesota transplant Rebby Lee has added something else to her growing repertoire.
Last week, the new Fulda resident celebrated the grand opening of her new shop, Paper & Soul Productions, where she sells hand-designed stationary, cards, photography, music and more from within Lakefield’s "mini-mall" at 315 Main St.
The main attraction in the quaint storefront is Lee’s unique, hand-designed cards, which are decorated with her photographs, song lyrics or hand drawings.
“It’s like putting part of your soul on paper and sharing that with other people,” Lee said of her work, which provided the inspiration for the store’s name. “I’ve always loved to play with paper.”
Also a photographer, Lee sells prints of her shots, many which are nature-themed. Other printed products like bookmarks and recipe cards also line the shelves.
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Paper & Soul Productions is open Wednesday and Friday afternoons beginning at noon and on special occasion around the holiday season. Lee may open the store upon request; phone (651) 247-2130.
With a history in the gift industry, Lee said opening the store is allowing her to bring new life into a longtime passion that had taken a back seat to her career. She recently retired as an investigator with the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office.
Lee admits that a retail storefront was never part of the plan, but the opportunity came in the form of a visit to Lakefield’s mini-mall, which she described as being just studs at the time.
She thought she’d rent three rooms for her inventory and production equipment to get her "life out of boxes," but she saw further potential. She described a renovation of the building as done "beautifully," and decided to open up shop.
“It’s just kind of evolving and I’m letting it happen naturally,” she said. “I feel good about this town, too. The community is so nice, warm and friendly.”
As a woman with an entrepreneurial spirit, Lee can be found in a number of southwest Minnesota communities through her various ventures , including renovating the Dundee Hotel, which she purchased in 2014. She also bakes Dundee Love Cakes that are often heart-shaped and covered in her signature chocolate ganache.
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She sells the Dundee Love Cakes at Paper & Soul Productions.
As an artist and creator, Lee pictures herself expanding her products to include southwest Minnesota-inspired cards, where she says she’s happy to have settled.
