It’s an awning and storefront you might expect to stumble onto in Cedar or Suttons Bay…but just blocks from the Pacific Ocean on Main Street in Santa Monica, California? Yes, that’s where you’ll find the only retail location of Leelanau Goods, the women’s apparel and home goods shop and brainchild of Leelanau native Laura (Hagan) Siladke. The Leelanau Ticker caught up with Siladke during one of her extended visits back home to the County to hear more about how Leelanau is doing on the west coast — plus her recollections of the past and dreams of a future back home.

Leelanau Ticker: Welcome home!
Siladke: Thank you! Yes, I grew up in the County in Timberlee. My parents have one of the first houses built up there. That was my stomping grounds. I went to elementary school at [the now closed] Norris Elementary, and I remember well riding bikes around Leelanau County. My high school job was at the [Leelanau] Historical Society in Leland.

Leelanau Ticker: And your maiden name is Hagan. We know Mark Hagan, the realtor. Any relation?
Siladke: No, not unless we’re very distant cousins!

Leelanau Ticker: So how did you get from Timberlee to the shores of the Pacific Ocean?
Siladke: When I was in high school, my sister moved to New York City, and I’d go out to visit in the summer. Then I spent six weeks at the Fashion Institute of Technology for six weeks when I was 16. I had been sewing with my mom since I was ten, always making my own pants and wearing funky outfits. And then I realized I liked photography too. I did one year at NMC and then went to Kendall [College of Art & Design in Grand Rapids] and studied photography, and then moved to New York City and went to Parsons [School of Design] for commercial photography for a few years. Then a few months shy of graduation with a masters, I didn’t really have an interest in teaching, and I got a job offer in LA for commercial photography for a few different designers, so I flew out to LA — my husband now was living in LA. We actually went to elementary school and everything together and had kept in touch. So after working with a few different clothing designers, I started working with one in particular, first as creative director and then COO of their company. It was great business experience but not creative enough. And then just I realized "I can do this!” That’s when I kind of took the leap of faith and started a small clothing line.

Leelanau Ticker: Very cool. And the name?
Siladke: I didn’t have a name for my clothing line, but I was wearing a Lake Leelanau sweatshirt from the Thunderbird Gift Shop in Lake Leelanau. Remember that place? I loved it so much. But this lady looked at my shirt and asked, “What’s Leelanau?” And I just decided that’s what my line needed to be named. So my first collection got picked up right away by Free People, and that really helped fund me.

Leelanau Ticker: And you were off and running with the new brand. That’s a busy life, designing apparel.
Siladke: Yes, there’s the rat race of trying to keep everything going. It’s such a go, go, go thing. As soon as you’re done with one collection you have to be doing the next one. And I’m a one-woman show, though I do have some great help. But last summer I came out to Leelanau County — like we do for six weeks every summer — and I just knew I wanted to have my own store in Leelanau, but the reality was that my life is in California. So I said, “Alright, I guess I’m going to open Leelanau Goods in Santa Monica. And the Historical Society was such a part of my adolescence that I’m now donating to them and the [Leelanau] Conservancy. I’m using the name, so it’s just great to give back in some way.

Leelanau Ticker: And the shop…it’s beautiful. Such a comfortable feel. Describe it to our readers.
Siladke: It’s always been important for people to come in and feel comfortable. Because that’s what northern Michigan is. You feel like you can walk around and touch things. It’s an open and airy space, and the floors probably have sand on them. Less is more in terms of inventory. Most of the clothing is mine, though I also curate other designers — and they’re actually all women designers who have the same ethos as me. My line is mostly linen and organic cotton. Everything I design is something I’d wear here at home.

Leelanau Ticker: But the coolest part is the product names!
Siladke: Yes, so we have an all-Leelanau line. We have the Cedar t-shirt, and the Cherry Bend shorts, and the U&I dress…even a Thunderbird jacket, which is awesome! I only made four of them, and every time they sell, I just think, “There goes Thunderbird Gift Shop, out into the world!”

Leelanau Ticker: And what’s retail like now in Santa Monica during the pandemic? Looks like lots of shops have closed, and the rents are not cheap…
Siladke: It’s insane. I see how busy downtown Traverse City is. On Main Street people aren’t really coming out right now. Downtown Santa Monica is helping with rents, which is great. But yeah, not a good year to open retail. But online has been a huge help right now. It’s kind of amazing that as soon as pandemic got serious in March, we saw a real uptick online.

Leelanau Ticker: So how often do people stroll into the shop and have no idea what or where Leelanau is?
Siladke: I try to keep it undiscovered! But you would be surprised how many people come in and say, “Lake Leelanau, Michigan?” I’d say one person a week. Everyone else thinks it’s Hawaiian. But basically I tell them it’s a beautiful place but I’m not going to tell them where it is because it’s so great and we don’t want any more people to discover it!

Leelanau Ticker: Right! And what’s the big dream?
Siladke: The big dream really is to have a shop here in Leelanau, honestly. I hope we can get back here and have a store here. I love designing and making clothes so much, and that was my always dream. I’m kind of in a “pinch me” state right now with my life, but I’d love to bring the business back home.