December 01, 2021
Primrose Provisions is a unique shop located on the waterfront in Seward, Alaska, featuring found furnishings & vintage goods, gifts, a local makers market, cheese & charcuterie and wine bar.
"How did it come to fruition? Oh long story, I'll try to keep it short . I've wanted my own business for quite some time. If you sit at the bar at the Cookery after closing you'll hear Chef and I talk about new business ideas for Seward (with a bottle of wine in front of us). But, after COVID and the Cookery closed for the winters, I decided to hang out with my parents in SLC, Utah for the winter of 2020. Did some traveling and car camping through Utah and the parks and did a lot of thinking about my future and what it was going to look like if I stayed on this current course. And to be honest, some tears were shed (okay maybe lots of tears). It's scary being jobless, heart broken, away from your home, friends, living with the parents again, and the life you had planned is suddenly gone.
Anyway, I got back from the road trip, and had a lot of time on my hands. So I talked my parents into getting a puppy. And then I started scrolling through Facebook Marketplace and noticed a ton of really cool vintage and antique furniture and decor for ridiculously cheap...and I wanted to buy it all. I talked to my parents about opening a spot. They always listen to my ideas but I don't think they really thought I was going to go through with it.
I knew of a few empty buildings available for rent in Seward and started talking to the owners to see which would be the best fit for my plan. I talked to other business owners and asked them what they thought about my plan. I knew what I wanted to do but verbalizing it to people and trying to get them to understand was another thing. It was all in my head and getting my ideas out to others was not easy but I had a few people who believed in me and gave me advice and their thoughts. So in December I had decided it was going to follow through with it.
I emailed Judy (Owner of Zudys) and asked her to send me the lease agreement. Then I went and poured a glass of wine and told my parents that I was going through with it. And that their vehicles in the garage no longer had a home as I was going to fill it with goods. Parents were thrilled with that... No, they had a few words of advice and mostly warnings but they are so supportive and without them, Primrose wouldn't exist.
So I shopped and shopped and filled up my parents garage. Also, to be clear, by this point I had found a job up in Park City at a private club serving uber rich people. So I had some extra bucks to spend. Then in March my dad and I drove up all the goods in a trailer! ....That's kinda the short version of how it happened. "
What is your favorite thing to recommend to someone Visiting Seward?
Probably the most epic thing I've done is go on a plane ride over the area.
So incredibly beautiful, this place we call home.
But my favorite thing is to hike Tonsina with friends and dogs.
Primrose Provisions is located in the historic train depot at 501 Railway Ave, Seward, AK 99664. Primrose Provisions is open majority of the year.
Visit their website, or follow their social media ( FB | IG ) to see their incredible views, enticing beverages, appetizing bites, featured makers & unique vintage finds!