Stabo
Fargo, North Dakota
By Nicole Thom-Arens
Published in 2023
Entering Stabo is like leaving the streets of Fargo and stepping into a shop in Scandinavia, but the friendly staff who greet you are a quick reminder you’re still in Downtown Fargo. Stabo, a Scandinavian imports store, has been a Fargo fixture for more than fifty years. Sue Rusch, who has owned the business for forty years, credits great customer service and the timelessness of Scandinavian design as reasons Stabo has been in business for more than five decades.
“Being so specialized has helped us because our customers come here and expect to find Scandinavian things and that’s what we try to deliver,” Sue said. “I try not to get too far away from that because that’s what they expect when they come here; we’re always trying to find something our customers like.”
“Being so specialized has helped us because our customers come here and expect to find Scandinavian things and that’s what we try to deliver,” Sue said. “I try not to get too far away from that because that’s what they expect when they come here; we’re always trying to find something our customers like.”
The store features a wide variety of products mostly imported from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland. With a wide variety of décor, books and cookbooks, Nordic sweaters, food and kitchen supplies, glass- and dishware, and jewelry, a stop at Stabo is a must for Fargoans and visitors. Some of my favorite items include whimsical wooden trees, colorful wooden birds, forever flowers, felt coasters, Norge glassware, and Swedish dishcloths. Stabo also supplied almost all the books I mention as inspiration in Becoming Scandi.
Scandinavian design is known for being contemporary, clean, and simple. Products are made well and meant to last, but with each visit to Stabo, there’s something that catches my eye that I didn’t see before.
“We always keep looking for something new; we redo the store a lot. The Scandinavians are up on many things, so my vendors will come out with new things all the time,” Sue said about how she keeps customers coming back.
Scandinavian design is known for being contemporary, clean, and simple. Products are made well and meant to last, but with each visit to Stabo, there’s something that catches my eye that I didn’t see before.
“We always keep looking for something new; we redo the store a lot. The Scandinavians are up on many things, so my vendors will come out with new things all the time,” Sue said about how she keeps customers coming back.
In 2018, Stabo moved from West Acres Mall to Downtown Fargo. The store is located at 406 N. Broadway, next to BernBaum’s.