MERNA- The Nebraska Passport program is celebrating its fifteenth anniversary of helping those from Nebraska and beyond discover Nebraska’s hidden gems. This year’s passport includes The Secret Garden, just outside of Merna.
Located west of Merna off of Highway 92, The Secret Garden offers passport visitors a unique blend of shopping. Owner Kelli Safranek said she’s excited to show visitors everything.
“We are a very unique store, because we are a half mile off a paved road. So we have the country view. Also inside of our store we use primitive crafts with antiques with spiritual sayings and devotions all tied into one. Plus we have food and drinks and a greenhouse so there’s lots of different things to see when you come in.”
Just as the Nebraska Passport is celebrating an anniversary, The Secret Garden’s 20th anniversary had Safranek wanting to complete some building renovations, which were competed not long ago.
“Well we’ve been in business for over 20 years. This building we’ve been operating at for over 15 years. So I thought it needed a new, little freshening up. We did all new flooring. We painted everything in the store, the walls. We ‘beefed up’ is what I call it, the beams so it looks a little bit more modern, adding more lights. It looks like we added on, but we really didn’t. The lightness just makes it look bigger in the store.”
As far as the renovations and the decision to apply for the Nebraska Passport? Separate thoughts, separate decisions.
“I hadn’t even thought about applying for the passport when I did the new look in the store,” said Safranek.
Boasting that fresh look, The Secret Garden is one of 85 stops on the passport this year. Of those stops, 70 are new for this year with 15 extra past passport stops added to celebrate the 15th anniversary. From Brownville to Scottsbluff, Valentine to Superior, Safranek said that being a passport stop isn’t just exciting for the stop itself but for the area as well.
“It’s just not for me that’s going to benefit, it’s anybody in the area for these people that are coming from all over Nebraska to travel with the passport.”
To accommodate passport travelers, The Secret Garden will be open every day in May (Weekdays 11:30-4:30, Saturday 8:30 to 4:30, Sunday 1:00-4:00). Beginning in June through August 17, doors will be open Fridays from 11:30 am to 4:30 pm and Saturdays from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm before a break for the Nebraska State Fair. First and third monthly Friday and Saturday hours will continue after that in addition to the weekend of Junk Jaunt.
Those interested in participating in the Nebraska Passport can visit nebraskapassport.com to request a booklet or download the app, which will be updated May 1 with this year’s stop information. Visits to stops can be completed through September, with stamps being collected along the way. Those stamps can be turned in to earn prizes.
You can find information about The Secret Garden by visiting their website, thesecretgardenonline.com, or by following their Facebook page.
