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Eclectic Empty Nest Under New Ownership
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Shelley Leadem, new owner of The Empty Nest, invites everyone to come in and see all the wonderful treasures currently waiting to be discovered in the eclectic shop of repurposed and restored items. - photo by PHOTO BY KIM VAN METER

Shelley Leadem is no stranger to the business world, having been in real estate for 20 years in her native Hollister, but the new owner of The Empty Nest admits that working in retail is a whole new world.

Leadem and her husband relocated to Oakdale three years ago due to a job change and quickly fell in love with the small town.

“My husband got a job in Modesto and we relocated to Oakdale because it reminded us of Hollister with its small-town environment. We love Oakdale. Absolutely love it. It’s close enough to big shopping if we need to and so centrally located, it’s awesome. Plus I love the community. They’ve all been so wonderful since opening.”

Leadem reopened the shop on May 1 and has been working to keep the same feel as the previous owners had with the eclectic shop, as well as adding her own personal flair. One of the projects she’s undertaken is transforming the upstairs area to hold classes and birthday parties in a room that has a ‘50s retro look.

“I used to be a shopper here. I always knew I could get a nice gift and have it wrapped and walk out having spent $10 to 15,” Leadem said. “I want to continue to offer that same kind of value to my customers.”

For those new to the scene, The Empty Nest offers repurposed items that have been restored and renewed from their original purpose. For example, an antique coffee pot that has been restored can start a new life as a unique flowerpot.

“We have repurposed furniture; old furniture that has been redone and restored. We have the old flavor with a new spin on it,” Leadem said. “I just absolutely love my products. I love homes and decorating. How great is this? I get to shop for a living.”

Leadem also has vendors offering their wares for sale in the shop and she’s open to seeing new items if they fit within the sphere of what she offers. If she likes what she sees and the price is right, she purchases the item, as she doesn’t offer consignment.

“I’m open to looking at items from people but I must be able to offer good prices to the customers. The Empty Nest has a reputation for offering affordable prices,” Leadem said.

Prior to her career in real estate, Leadem was in manufacturing as a production control manager. She admits that experience has come in handy as she manages her own inventory.

“With retail, cash flow is key. Managing and understanding inventory is also important,” Leadem said. “I’m very aware of my inventory. We have one-of-a-kind things. Trying to figure out what the clientele is really interested in is the challenge. I’m trying to get a good feel of what the community is after. There’s a sharper learning curve than I thought there’d be, but I’m up to the challenge.”

As a woman in charge of her own business, she offers the following advice to women interested in following in her footsteps to entrepreneurship:

“Pursue your dreams and do something you really love. If you love what you’re doing it doesn’t matter how hard it is. Get as educated as you can. Get a business plan and just go for it,” she said.

The Empty Nest is at 116 North Third Ave. in Oakdale.

For more information, call 209-847-9300.

Roadhouse Bartender Serves Up Smiles
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A warm greeting from Martha Jane Harding is a welcoming site at the 50s Roadhouse in Knights Ferry. - photo by Photo By Ike Dodson

The blend of dim lights and neon signs cast soft shadows across the faces of Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe and James Dean inside the ‘50s Roadhouse in Knights Ferry, but with the beaming smile of Martha Jane Harding lighting up the room, bulbs are pretty much useless.

The Oakdale resident and Riverbank native is about as bubbly as the nearby Stanislaus River, illuminating the Roadhouse with friendly service for her fifth year behind the bar.

“The type of people here makes it easy to do this type of work,” Harding said with a smile. “You meet a lot of neat people, and the people in the five mile radius around here are some of the best you could ever meet.”

The 36-year-old graduate of Oakdale High landed her position behind the bar after meeting the original owner of the ‘50s Roadhouse while working cattle on nearby property in Knights Ferry. When the conversation turned to an employment opportunity, Harding decided to give the occupation a chance.

“I knew nothing about bartending at first, and I don’t drink,” Harding laughed. “But I thought, what the heck a job there might be nice, and now I can definitely say that I enjoy it.”

Harding also works at the Farmers Livestock auction house on Albers Road, where her expertise with animals plays a role in the tagging and penning of cattle. She still finds time to work several days a week at the Roadhouse, serving up drinks and smiles with a charismatic persona behind the bar.

Her attitude has made quite the impression on co-owners Manuel Arias Sr. and Manuel Arias Jr. (Manny), who purchased the bar when the previous owner decided to sell the company to their longtime employee, Arias Sr.

“Martha is very good and reliable,” Manny said. “If I need something done she is there, and she has never taken a sick day.”

In the rare moments when Harding isn’t working, she cares for her assortment of horses, sheep and other animals at her Oakdale home. She’s a hunting enthusiast who enjoys spending time with her brother and sister-in-law, George and Brandy Harding (also of Oakdale). Her favorite movie is the legendary Australian tale, The Man From Snowy River, which is no shock considering her love of horses.

Her passion for the outdoors is a perfect match for the ‘50s Roadhouse, which nestles just outside of Knights Ferry off Highway 108 on Kennedy Road. It’s a hotspot for characters of all creeds.

“We get every type of person here,” Harding said. “We have had people here from Spain, Germany, China and Japan and of course we get the local veterans and cowboys.

“Everyone in here makes it a fun different mix of people.”

And she is certainly a welcoming face to most of the regular patrons, including self-described ‘best customer’ Terry Whitaker, a 64-year-old Vietnam veteran from Knights Ferry who frequents the Roadhouse.

“I’ve known Martha for what feels close to 20 years,” Whitaker said from his spot at the end of the bar. “She’s always been great and she’s one of those people that you first meet and like them right off the bat.

“She’s very outgoing.”

The Roadhouse is a popular gathering ground for veterans of a different sort when the area hosts its annual Civil War reenactment at the nearby Knights Ferry Recreation Area.

“They come in here and it is packed, with both sides drinking together,” Harding said.

“My first question is usually did you die today?” she added with a laugh, noting the reenactments always include ‘casualties’ from both the North and South.

Harding and the ‘50s Roadhouse expects to see plenty of traffic in the coming weeks with the implementation of several promotions. The bar offers live music from bands and DJs on every Friday in August and will soon kick off football promotions that include NFL Sunday Ticket and $2 schooners (big frozen mugs shaped like a ‘Flavor Flav’ goblet) during Monday Night Football.

“I think this is a great place if you want to come have a beer in the middle of nowhere,” Manny said. “If you want to get away from the city and hang out with your lady, this is a good spot.”