Our Story
Article from "Down Country Roads"
Koko Ward has owned and operated A Walk in the Woods in downtown Custer, and now she’s passing the business on to her daughter, Krystal Hegerfeld, who has been the operating manager since 2019.
Since they opened over 24 years ago, A Walk in the Woods has occupied the same brick building on the corner of Mount Rushmore Road and Fifth Street. For many visitors, it’s a must-stop shopping destination for unique gifts and tasteful souvenirs. For locals, it’s a go-to for finding home decor, books and stationary, apparel and more. They pride themselves on providing a unique and joyful shopping environment that caters to a wide array of customers with varied styles, aesthetics and needs. Whether you are looking for a hostess gift, kitchen accessories or that amazing new outfit, A Walk in the Woods has something for every room of the house (including your closet).
“Its not just cabin decor. We have so much to offer for anyone’s aesthetic,” said Hegerfeld.
They are also the only authorized dealer in the region of Old Hickory Furniture. The furniture is popular with customers who want the kid of furniture in the State Game Lodge in Custer State Park or at other parks like Yellowstone. Ward and Hegerfeld explained that people like the furniture because it’s “a legacy purchase,” and will be around for generations.
“We still get a lot of people who walk in the front door, and they go, “this is in Custer, South Dakota?” said Ward.
Ward and Hegerfeld have seen Custer, and attitudes about Custer evolve over the years.
“When we first opened, main street was empty,” said Ward. She explained that when they opened, she was told by one local that “your store looks great, but try and find a customer in this town. If you’re not carrying souvenirs and Black Hills Gold, you’re not going to make it.”
Since then, they’ve proven that a highly curated retail business carrying unique, quality goods can thrive in a small town like Custer.
“It is so amazing to be a part of and watch the growth of the Custer business community. So many great people have started valued businesses and we are all better for it. We believe that the tide rises all ships, and the more opportunities there are to spend time and money in our community, the better for all of us,” said Hegerfeld.
“Part of our success is the fact that so many people have opened up business es and have such a positive attitude about Custer,” said Ward.
It almost seems destined that Hegerfeld would be taking the reins from her mother at a Walk in the Woods. As a young girl, her mom would take her on buying trips to New York’s Fashion District in Manhattan, where she would sit in showrooms filled with apparel and bins of pins, necklaces and other jewelry. The name tags from those buying trips at various markets across the country hang in the office of A Walk in the Woods and show the years of experience they each have in the business. The two of them make for a powerful mother-daughter duo.
Ward has been in the retail business her entire career. She began her college experience in accounting, but soon switched tracks to merchandising and marketing. In her early career, she worked for Allied Stores and Associated Dry Goods, which operated many department stores in the country. Marriage took her to a remote Alaska cattle ranch, where her daughter, Krystal, was born.
Then, life brought them to Helena, Montana where she opened The Paragon Clothing, which she operated for 14 years before the family moved to the Black Hills. It was during her time as the director of retail for Custer State Park resorts that she and her business partners had the idea to open a year-round retail business in Custer, filling a much-needed gap in the community at the time.
“She’s one of the best in the business. She’s just really good at what she does, and I’ve learned by watching her,” said Hegerfeld.
Because of her childhood, retail and customer service seems to come instinctually to Hegerfeld.
“The kids kind of grew up in the store in Montana. It was interesting because we’d go through the grocery store, and [to] everybody that came down the aisle, they would say ‘Hi, let us know if we can help you,’” said Ward.
Hegerfeld studied visual art and interior design in college, and in 2004, started purchasing for A Walk in the Woods and even operated a second branch in Onamia, Minnesota. In 2007, the Hills called her home and she worked as the Director of Retail for Custer State Park Resorts until rejoining A Walk in the Woods in 2019. Her art and design background is apparent throughout the store—from the captivating window displays to the particular and intentional ways of showing merchandise.
“I have the best ideas and the best way to execute the ideas, but so does Koko,” joked Hegerfeld.
“It actually gives us a really great platform to bounce things off each other and make the absolute best decisions for the business. So it’s fun, it’s challenging, but she’s my best friend. She is my mentor,” said Hegerfeld.
In 2019, as Hegerfeld was rejoining the business, she and her husband, Tommy Hegerfeld purchased the building. Soon, their restaurant, The Custer Wolf Food & Drink, took up residency in the west half of the space. The resulting interface between the two businesses has added vibrancy to the corner and increased business for both of them. Many customers enjoy shopping before getting a table at The Custer Wolf, and in fact, Ward and Hegerfeld say that they now get almost as many people entering from the back side door as they do from the front door.
“You build a relationship with people. You know what their favorite thing is on the menu, and you know what their style is in the store,” said Hegerfeld.
As A Walk in the Woods continues to evolve, they plan to shoot for another 24 years, although under new leadership.
“It’s a really emotional experience,” said Hegerfeld, on being passed the reins of the business.
“Respecting the legacy of who comes before you and honoring it is really important,” said Krystal Hegerfeld. Part of that legacy is the tenacity of the business. Like many businesses, they faced challenges during the 2008 financial crisis and during the COVID-19 pandemic, but always persevered. Finding a way through those challenges has been a highlight of the past 22 years for Ward.
“Everything crashed in 2008 and we made it through that. Then COVID hit, and we made it through that. Small retail is not easy. You have to really be passionate about it,” said Ward.
“And really be willing to be dynamic and change,” added Hegerfeld.
The store’s dynamism and willingness to change, while still offering a joyful and one-of-a-kind shopping experience is what will make its future as long and bright as its past.
-Nathan Steele