Liana Franklin, owner of The Totem Post.
After graduating high school, Liana went on to college and an internship with Disneyland.
“ As a teenager, coming back to run the store was not something I was interested in,” she said.“ But when I was at Disney, I realized that people didn’ t care about each other like they did in Nashville. I missed that.”
In 1981, Liana returned to Nashville to help run the store. Her father had retired and her mother needed help.
“ We ran the store together for about 20 years,” Liana said.“ Those were special years. We became really good buddies.” While she runs the business today with her own ideas,
Liana said she learned a great deal from her parents.
“ Dad was very quiet and methodical. I learned a business sense from him,” she said.“ He taught me that you have to have something in the store for every member of the family. That way nobody wants to leave. It’ s about meeting the entire family where they are at that moment.” She also learned work ethic from her father.“ He was at the store all of the time,” she said.“ If the weather was bad and he couldn’ t drive, he would walk to work.”
From her mother, Liana learned to genuinely connect with customers.
“ She had a really good sense for what would sell. She always felt, and I do too, that customers were friends, not just people who buy stuff. She felt a great devotion to the customers and to this town,” she said.
Liana’ s two children, William, 21, and Lily, 17, had similar experiences growing up with the store.
When William was 6, he made things out of paper and set up a table in front of the store to try to sell them.
“ One day he decided he was going to tell fortunes. He told me he was only going to tell good fortunes because nobody wants to hear bad fortunes,” Liana said.“ He had a sign that said,‘ Fortunes. $ 1 or free, whichever you want.’ I think he made $ 13 that day.”
Her daughter Lily has worked at the store and also made earrings to sell at the store.
“ Neither of them want the store to go anywhere, so I hope it will continue beyond me,” Liana said.“ I think it’ s cool to be part of a legacy.”
While the store looks much the same as it did 67 years ago, some of the items on display have changed.
“ Over the years, we have had to change directions a bit. I’ ve learned to roll with what’ s going on in the town and in
Continued on 54 July / August 2019 • Our Brown County 49