SANDPOINT — Tina Carter is one of the family.

For the past 40-plus years her warm smile, outgoing and caring personality, and desire to help others find the perfect gift have helped make Sharon's Hallmark a cornerstone of the downtown.

Wednesday, May 15, will be Carter's last day at the store, as she plans to retire from full-time work on that date.

Carter, store owner Deanna Harris said, is a special person, co-worker, and friend — and has been since her first day.

"She goes out of her way to help," Harris said. "She's addressed people's invitations for them. She has delivered gifts that she does the shopping, for a customer that might be in a nursing home. She goes above and beyond for everyone."

Carter started working at what was then Bi-Rite Drug Store when she was 17. A friend had suggested she try applying at the store, saying they were looking for someone and that Carter would be the perfect fit.

"I was hesitant," she said. "I don't know why, but I went in, and they hired me right away."

The store, purchased by Don and Sharon Rench in 1967, was the perfect place to work. Don Rench handled the pharmacy, and Sharon Rench handled everything else.

"We had a lot of customers that I connected with," she said. "I just loved them, and if they needed a little extra care, I could run their prescriptions up to them or drop things off if they needed something. That was important to me [to take care of them]."

The Hallmark store, then located a few doors down First Avenue, was combined with Bi-Rite Drug, and the pharmacy closed after Don Rench passed away in September 1988. After Deanna Harris purchased the store roughly 19 years ago, she transformed it into Sharon's Hallmark, a cornerstone of the downtown for residents and visitors alike.

With various zones in the store — cards and ornaments, cabin and lake decor, pajamas and handbags, and pet-themed gifts — there is a variety of items available with something for everyone. Carter loves helping customers find the perfect gift. A few questions and a quick conversation soon found her shepherding a customer to what they were seeking.

"It's always fun to help people find the perfect gift," Carter said. "You always hope that you're helping them find just the perfect thing that makes their friend or family member happy."

It takes knowing the inventory, knowing the right questions to ask, having a genuine love for people, and wanting to give them the kind of customer service that the store has become renowned for. While it can be challenging, Carter said it's also a lot of fun. 

Being able to help customers find just the right card or the perfect gift, regardless of whether it is a happy occasion or a sad one, Carter said it fills her heart to help.

"I love helping people shop. I absolutely love it," Carter said. "I love to be able to wrap their gifts in a pretty package and see the smile on their face."

Both customers and co-workers have brightened each day, making her job fun and keeping her coming back because she said she couldn't imagine doing anything else.

"It's a happy place to be," she added. "People are here because they want to be. There are sad things … and sad moments that customers are going through, and we help them."

Carter said she couldn't pick just one customer or co-worker who's had the biggest impact or prompted the most memories. All, she added, are special.

"You just make family out of your co-workers; you really do," Carter said. "The same with many customers. I have a lot of customers who mean the world to me."

That knack for helping customers has become a hallmark of the store's newsletter for employees through "Tips from Tina," which offers practical advice on how to help customers and how to work in a retail environment.

From "never judge a book by its cover" to "treat everyone with kindness," the tips are well worth noting for customer service and life.

"Just start the day with a smile and a greeting [when someone comes in the door,]" Carter said. "That's your first step, make eye contact."

While simple in concept, Carter said it lets customers know they are both welcome and appreciated.

"There's always something to do, there's always someone to connect with," she said of working at the store and why it has been so much fun to do. "You just have to make the effort."

Carter said the store was the perfect fit for her personality, and allowed her to take time off to go on field trips with her daughters and spend time with family while serving the community she loves.

Carter's husband, Don, who retired as the city of Sandpoint's building inspector in March 2020, has been hoping his wife would retire for the past few years. She plans to travel, go camping, spend time with family and friends, and "play" in her garden, augmented by a new greenhouse built by her husband to help occupy her retirement. A grandson will also benefit from the more frequent trips that Carter and her husband plan to take to visit their daughters, Samantha in Wyoming and Jackie in Coeur d'Alene, as well as the couple's grandson, Waydon.

While excited that she is embarking on her next chapter, she is confident the rest of the staff will step up to fill her shoes. Harris said she will miss working with Carter and the sheer joy she has brought to the store since she started working for the family at 17.

Having worked together so long, Harris said the pair have a routine that has served the store and customers well over the year. She will miss the camaraderie and common goal of helping customers and serving the community.

"We answer each other's questions, and she remembers things I can't put my finger on, and I can answer something for her, so that's going to be a big hole," she added.

When Carter told her more than a year ago that she planned to retire, Harris told her friend and co-worker that she was breaking their pact "to go out together when we're older."

"She jump-started it," Harris said with a chuckle, adding that she's reminded Carter that she still hasn't officially accepted her resignation letter.

A party is being planned for Carter from 2-5 p.m. Wednesday, May 15. Cake and punch will be served.