Linda and Cliff are two happy retail nerds doing what they love to do. They have been fortunate enough over the years to have run an assortment of retail operations from remote mom & pop stores to national big box chains. In 2012, it was practically love at first sight for them when they began to work together in in Juneau. They married in 2014 and work eventually brought them to Seward, AK. In October of 2017, they had the opportunity to resurrect one of Seward's oldest stores ,Brown & Hawkins (B&H), which was originally founded in 1903. In May of 2018, they added the the second B&H store and worked to bring them both back to their original luster and place in the community. After the B&H building was sold in June 2019, they rebranded as Forests, Tides, and Treasures (FTT) and then moved the whole operation to the Seward Boat Harbor in January 2020.  

When rebranding to Forests, Tides, and Treasures (FTT), Cliff and Linda had brainstormed over 200 different names with local friends and shoppers trying to capture all that they cherished about Seward and its community. Seward is a welcoming port community nestled in between the Kenai Mountain range covered by spruce, birch, and aspen trees that flow down to the black rocky beaches that are refreshed endlessly by the waters of Resurrection Bay. With this as their inspiration, they organized FTT into three interconnected spaces: Outdoor, Gallery, and Gifts. In this way, each  guest, whether a local or visitor, can metaphorically walk with them everyday through the Seward that they love which includes the Forests (Outdoor), Tides (Gallery),  and Treasures (Gifts).

When chatting about FTT, Cliff and Linda will always tell you that FTT is a community-based business. There is a specific person or story behind every product that they carry. And it is always their goal to incorporate the community’s needs into their merchandise to ensure that these selections reflect the practical and aspirational needs as well as the fun, vital and ever-changing environment that is Seward.

FTT is directly involved in the community itself. They not only raise funds for SOS Pets, the Seward Animal Shelter, and local School Art programs year-round but are also co-founders of the Seward Business Network & Seward Second Saturdays. For more info about FTT’s community involvement and how to approach them about any needs or opportunities that you have please go to https://www.foreststidesandtreasures.com/blogs/community-involvement

Simply put, Cliff and Linda love what they do. Every day at Forests, Tides & Treasures, they strive to provide a unique experience of discovery that forges the connections between each guest and the artisans & vendors found within. Those connections are the reflections of all that there is to discover and celebrate in the Seward and Alaska that they love.