There’s Something About Mary
Photo: Timothy Thimmes
Owner of Main Street boutique Hilda, Mary Black reflects on her 21 years in business in Park City.
Mary Black thinks on her feet. Literally. An avid hiker and snowshoeing enthusiast, some of her best business decisions are made while she’s trekking in the local mountains with her two golden retrievers.
“I go to the Uintas where it’s cooler and there are water sources for the dogs,” she says. “Sometimes when I’m out hiking, I stop and hold my breath, and sometimes the dogs are holding their breath, too. I love that quiet silence!”
Exercising with her beloved pets in the solitude of the mountains creates the balance Mary needs to make decisions about her business and her relationships with her customers and employees.
Mary says that her position on the common issues that affect Main Street merchants is not always the popular one, but it is one that has been well thought out. Jeff Ward, president of the Historic Main Street Business Alliance, says of Mary, “She does a good job of considering the needs of everyone on the street. She’s not just focused on her own business.”
“When paid parking went in [on Main Street] I was in favor of it,” says Mary. “I’m also in favor of Park Silly Sunday Market. I think about these impacts when I’m hiking, such as the effect of paid parking providing available space for the customers, about the impact of the Sunday market. There was some discussion among the merchants about cutting the hours of the market, but if anything, I would want it to go on longer. It’s a lot of work to set up the stalls, and it’s not fair to the vendors to have to take them down early. My thought is there are all these people coming downtown for the market, and I’ve found that it is good for business. Customers come into the store, show me what they bought, then other people look inside and ask themselves, ‘Why is the salesperson hugging the customer?’ It’s the energy of friendliness that brings them in.”
Hilda resides in the 500 block of Main Street in a building owned by Mary and her husband, Jim Black. Mary’s business strategies have grown from her early experiences in the retail business. Her parents opened a store in Michigan called Hilda of Iceland, selling hand-knit Icelandic wool sweaters. One store grew to many, and Mary joined the family business, rotating from store to store. In 1986, they opened a store in Salt Lake City and then followed it with another one in Park City in 1988. Mary continued to work for her parents until the early ’90s when she acquired ownership of the Park City store.
No longer affiliated with Hilda of Iceland (which is no longer in business), the name “Hilda” was retained because it connotes association with Europe, where much of Mary’s merchandise originates. “When Hilda of Iceland began to falter, we started branching out with other sweaters — cottons and wools. We began including items that matched the quality of the original sweaters, adding shirts, socks, and belts. Over the years, it’s been an evolution of change, with some lines recommended by customers, and others we’ve found while traveling. We’re not really selling designer labels, but merchandise I find that is of value.”
Hilda is primarily a natural-fabric-oriented store, with cashmere being a favorite. “I’m not a polar fleece girl. You won’t find a stitch of polar fleece in my store,” she says. Mary admits to being “a little nutty” when it comes to socks. “I’ve grown to love good quality socks. They’re pricey, but people who like them come back for more.”
Mary is also an exclusive dealer for Paula Lishman furs. “I’m not a big fur person, or an animal rights activist. [Lishman] is very environmentally responsible. She doesn’t outsource her labor, native Canadians trap for her, and everything is handmade.” The creation of fur clothing is often
a controversial topic, but Lishman herself describes the fur used in her creations as “taken in harmony with the natural checks and balances of nature, supporting people who choose to live on the land.”
Also to be found at Hilda are Robert Graham and Georg Roth shirts for men, Leather Island belts, Michael Toschi shoes, as well as Repeat cashmere, Icon shoes and handbags, Virgin, Saints and Angels jewelry (a new line out of Central Mexico), and Cambio jeans.
When it comes to customers and employees, Mary says she always tries to do the right thing, which includes offering extras to customers and benefits to her employees. “I think my attitude is good. Some people you meet are just miserable people. The sun is never shining enough. I love my life. Maybe that reflects in the store, with the people who work for me and shop with me. My accountant says there’s a star shining on my head, and it gets brighter every day. How did I get so lucky?”
Sedona Callahan is a Park City-based writer and photographer who also hikes in the Uintas with her golden retriever. Just a coincidence?
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