AUBURN – Sometimes, the timing is just right.

That’s what Rachel and Harvey Desgrosseilliers came to when they decided to close the Gooseberry Barn.

The landmark gift shop, with its bright pink exterior, has been a fixture on Minot Avenue for 20 years. But increasing costs of doing business, plus increasing competition from places like the Internet, have made operating the business more challenging. Add to that a heart condition that Harvey is seeking treatment for, and it seemed like closing the business was the right thing to do.

“We tried to work though the decision intelligently and keep our emotions out of it,” said Rachel. “We’ve had 20 wonderful years and now it’s time to go.”

The business, which features collectibles and many one-of-a-kind gifts, has won prestigious awards from the giftware retail industry. Last year, the couple received the Gold Crystal award from the American Gift and Decorators Accessories association. Theirs was one of only three shops honored nationally. The trade association put up the couple at Park Plaza Hotel in New York City where the ceremony was held.

Big screen tribute

During the ceremony, photos of the Gooseberry Barn were displayed on video screens throughout the room. It was a little overwhelming.

“I sat there looking at it all, and said, ‘That’s us, Lewiston, Maine…yeah!’,” said Rachel as she waved an imaginary flag at the memory.

The couple invested a lot of hard work to bring their business to that level, and the chance of a more leisurely – and healthier – lifestyle has some appeal. But they’re not retiring. Harvey, an arborist, plans to continue his tree and landscape business.

“And I’m too young to retire. I still have a lot to offer,” said Rachel with a laugh.

She’s not sure what kind of work she’ll look for, but her energy and enthusiasm are well-known throughout the community. One of the early organizers of the Great Falls Balloon Festival, Rachel has a long history of community service. She figures with her organizing, marketing and people skills, she should find something.

“I’m just staying open right now,” she said.

The couple hopes to close the business by mid-January. They’re having sales to move several hundred thousands of dollars worth of inventory before then. Gifts that range from Boyd Bears to collectible porcelain figurines, from Maine-made foods to garden accessories all have sales stickers.

Once empty, the property will be sold. The four-acre lot is one of the largest in-town commercial parcels. The building, whose history Rachel traces back to 1857, has three stories and 15 rooms.

Victorian shade

They have no plans to request that the new owners keep the attention-grabbing pink exterior. The couple picked the shade from a palette of Victorian Lady colors that were common during the Victorian era. Locals use it as a beacon for giving directions, and kids have called it the strawberry sherbet house for years, said Rachel.

She gets a little wistful when she thinks of the schoolchildren who’ve made the store a place of their own. She said one of her greatest thrills is seeing little kids return as grown-ups to introduce her to their spouses or tell her about college.

“It’s the people we’ll miss,” she said.

But not the aggravation. Increasing costs for electricity, heat, freight, even snowplowing – Harvey said the cost for sanding the shop’s parking lot went up from $25 to $50 this year – make turning a profit more difficult.

“And we can’t increase the price of our products,” he said. “We try to be fair, and you just can’t do it.”

So the couple is seeking balance in other ways. They bought a home in Minot recently and hope to take it easy for a while after the business closes.

“Retailing has changed a lot,” said Rachel. “After 20 years, it’s time to move on to something else.”

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