Darlene Denny of Green Bay, a member of the Oneida Nation, might say she learned everything she needed to know about running a business the school of hard knocks. She hasn’t taken any business classes, written a business plan or sought out a mentor. Instead, she bought a business at a vulnerable time in her life.
She was born in Milwaukee; her mother was Irish and her father Oneida. After the divorce, her mother moved to Seattle and remarried. Denny didn’t grow up with her father, but she was curious about her Native American roots. At the age of thirty, she felt called to return to Wisconsin.
“I wanted to learn about my culture,” Denny said. “I was actually recruited while I was in Seattle by a member of the Oneida Tribal and he wanted me to work for the tribe in the communications department. I made the move and was promoted to marketing director after working there for a number of years.”
She remained in that position until she moved to Oklahoma and took a job with the Cherokee tribe. There she suffered the loss of her husband.
Denny said: “When my husband died in 2012 it was a difficult life change and I had to start over. I decided to move back to Oneida and try something completely different.”
That something was vending, an activity she defined as selling goods at a stall or stall; usually at festivals, shows and markets. She had done some sales before and thought this would be a good way to make a living.
She said: “Vending is very entrepreneurial. You do all kinds of things: setting things up, working with the money, paying taxes and deciding on shows and inventory. I bought a vending machine from an older Indian couple and inherited the items they sold.”
Although she enjoyed going to pow-wows and other events to sell, it wasn’t long before she had a rude awakening.
“I walked into this blind and stupid, but when I think about it, that might be the best way to learn. I learned that I couldn’t survive vending and going to shows,” Denny said.
That led to the creation of a successful business model. With her love for Native American crafts and desire to showcase a wide variety of them, she looked for a retail space where she could rent out spaces to individual vendors and also sell her own art. The vendors would design and stock their spaces, and the store staff would handle sales for them.
To generate income, in addition to charging rent, Denny calculated what percentage of sales she would need to charge to reach that goal. The next step to achieving her goals was finding a suitable location. After a search, she selected a space on State 29, just outside Green Bay, in a vacant building owned by the Oneida tribe. She negotiated a lease and renovated the space; Turtle Island Gifts was born.
The name is a reflection of tribal lore. Denny said turtles play an important role in Native American culture. It is said that a great spirit created their homeland by placing earth on the back of a giant turtle; Turtle Island refers to the continent of North America and is associated with healing, wisdom and spirituality.
Denny said, “That means when you come into our store you will find gifts from around Turtle Island representing all the tribes and their definitive cultures.”
When the store opened in 2018, she introduced the tribe’s members and interest in leasing space quickly grew. The store gained a reputation for selling unique items and attracted a growing number of vendors and customers. Denny was looking forward to continued success when she was abruptly notified that the building would be closing. She was given 30 days to move.
“We went into panic mode and my staff and I had to quickly find another space,” she said. “I found one (in a strip mall on Commanche Avenue, just off Packerland Drive in Ashwaubenon) that turned out to be ideal. What struck me once we opened in the new location was that people found our space welcoming. Many said they felt calm and connected when they walked in.”
That led to Denny’s next venture. Sensing that many of the people coming into the store were looking for a greater connection, she focused on the vacant space next to Turtle Island Gifts and thought it would be perfect to offer additional services. She asked the landlord for information and began formulating a plan to turn the space into an art gallery and gathering space for classes and spiritual events. It seemed like it was meant to be that way.
She signed a lease and built out the space, ready to welcome students, customers and clients. Unfortunately, the timing couldn’t have been worse. It was March 2020; just a few weeks before the pandemic shutdown.
“It was a shaky start. We closed it until the stores opened back up, and finally here we are in 2024, running the business and growing. We are doing the work we set out to do,” Denny said.
She called that business Inward Bound and it offers a wide variety of spiritual teachings, artistic endeavors, art sales and pop-up shops open throughout the holiday season. (Details are available on her Facebook page.)
“There is an intention behind everything I do. When I see a need, I try to find an answer. There are a lot of creative people who don’t have enough supplies for Turtle Island, but have stuff they’re making for Christmas. That’s why I’m offering them space in Inward Bound for a pop-up shop. Not everything I do is about making money, a lot of it is about community service,” Denny said.
The stores are part of a busy schedule, including an open house on November 6. It’s just one of many events Denny has planned. One of these is a free community event, “How to Paint a Turtle,” with Oneida artist Andrea Baird. The classes, scheduled for November 21, December 1 and 30 and January 23, are about more than just learning to paint on a 9-by-16-inch canvas.
As participants delve into the craft, Baird also leads a discussion about how the turtle’s shell reveals the lunar calendar and what the colors used in painting represent. Registration can be done by texting Baird at 920-809-4059.
In addition to offering unique lessons, Denny also delves into more serious courses. She is the instructor (a/k/a WayShower) for Practical Guide to Awakening, a six-week course starting in February.
Denny has come a long way since her first entry into the business world. She hasn’t stopped selling; she still does about 30 shows a year in the Midwest. Those shows are more than an opportunity to earn extra income by selling jewelry, artwork and medicine. They provide the opportunity to teach about the culture.
She said, “If I go to a fair and represent indigenous culture, I will bring different things, such as dream catchers that attract non-natives. Then I can have conversations and explain things in the Native way. I am that person who spends time with you and answers all your questions.”
Tina Dettman-Bielefeldt is co-owner of DB Commercial Real Estate in Green Bay and former district director for SCORE, Wisconsin.
This article originally appeared in Green Bay Press-Gazette: Turtle Island Gifts focuses on Native American culture and artwork
