Lori Young didn’t want me to take her picture. Even though she has been the face of Young’s Paint Center in Dundas, MN for 29 years. She’s basically been like a bartender listening to her client’s stories of why they’re painting their homes. She’s heard tales of divorce, children moving, lifestyle changes, etc. and she’s listened patiently. She’s been a trusted creative consultant offering advice and sometimes just lending her ear.
Isabel & Dale Young started the paint store in 1962. Dale was a professional painter by trade and decided to open the store to get discounts on his products. At that time, they had their family home adjacent to the store. Isabel was able to run next door and put in a load of laundry while making lunch. If you needed help, you knew to ring the buzzer on the store’s counter.
Lori and her husband, Bruce, took over the business in January 1993 when Bruce’s parents (Isabel & Dale) decided to retire. The business had evolved and earned a strong reputation for selling quality products like Benjamin Moore paint and providing outstanding customer service.
Lori began her career in retail selling children’s clothing for 15 years. She was a natural salesperson and learned the paint world along the way. She’s extremely shy about discussing her part of the business and kept telling me to use her husband’s name and information. I wasn’t able to chat with Bruce, but I know he would agree that she was a huge part of their shared success.
We discussed all the hard, long hours involved in self-employment. You have to do everything from the cleaning to the book work. Both Lori and Bruce knew that their 30-year anniversary as owners was coming up. So, when opportunity knocked, they deserved to answer the call! The new owners are Bobbi & Josh Horesji who have operated the flooring store right down the road for years. When they take over, they’ll bring their expertise in flooring to the business and relaunch it as Dundas Paint Center & Specialized Flooring.
Lori mentioned several times how thankful they were for the massive support their small business received over the years. Selling is quite a process after this amount of time, so the slow remodel of the space as well as the training of the new folks is underway. If any of you knew their dog, Teddy Bear, he’s getting acclimated to being a house dog instead of being the greeter at the shop. He’s also decided he really likes riding shotgun in Bruce’s truck.
When I asked Lori what she was looking forward to in retirement, she said she isn’t sure yet. The store has been such a huge part of her life, she’s going to have to reprioritize her time a bit. She might even have a chance to read a book or have lunch with her kids (Gwen & Brandon). She also loves being outside and gardening while Bruce is a “car guy.” He loves the Back to the 50’s Car Show at the St. Paul Fair Grounds as well as a good road trip or long hunting weekend. Suffice to say, they’ll both be fine figuring what their next adventures will be. In the meantime, Lori told me to say she hopes folks will continue supporting small businesses that make our community so special!
Josh will take ownership on September 1st and move his flooring business into the building. Lori will stay on during the month of September to help with training for the paint part of the business.
Young’s Paint Center
(soon to be…Dundas Paint Center & Specialized Flooring)
104 Railway Street
Dundas, MN 55019
