The History of Swedish Crafts
Over the decades, their "little-brick-store-on-the-corner"  has provided a
wonderful resource to the many local, national and international customers
they have come to know and serve. While they raised their three children,
(Kathy, Paula, and Tom), Hilding and Esther developed a unique and
sophisticated collection of the very finest international gift-ware. They soon
gained a reputation for providing the best gifts for people to give to others.  

Swedish Crafts in Lindsborg has been providing mail-order gift services for 40
years, it is a natural fit for handling internet orders. Hilding was a pioneer in  
import-mail-order ,  sending an annual catalog of imported gift wares across
the United States.

Hilding also advertised his imports in national magazine ads. This played an
important role in building Lindsborg's reputation as a five-star tourist town.  
Along with the advertising, Swedish Crafts was occasionally featured in a
story in the magazine pages.  On all his advertising, Hilding always added the
little phrase, in italics or quotes, "Lindsborg, Little Sweden, USA."

Through the years, and increasingly after I-135 was laid close by, thousands of
Swedish Americans followed that little promotional cue to Lindsborg. If they
were anywhere near Lindsborg,  whether travelling to ski in Colorado, to bet
in Vegas, or between Oklahoma and Nebraska for "Red Day" football games,
Swedish Americans, along with countless other curious folks, made a regular
pilgrimage to "Little Sweden, USA."

So, along with the century-old Handel's Messiah Festival at Bethany College,  
and the more contemporary bi-annual Hyllningsfest, Swedish Crafts helped
create and develop the tourism tradition that Lindsborg now thrives on.  The
entire town, and many surrounding villages and hide-aways, are rich with
Swedish-American history and lore,  providing visitors a wealth of places to
visit, and events worth remembering.  

But while it surely is a story of rock-hard Swedish pioneers, and the elegant
and cultured legacy they forged out of the wilderness, for their children and
grandchildren, Swedish Crafts in Lindsborg is not just a Swedish-American
icon.  It is as much an All-American story. Swedish Crafts  is a wonderful
example of the small-town, downtown, brick-front retail store, that grew
steadily during the years following WW2, thriving in the post-war American
economy.
  For more of the Jaderborg and Dahlsten family history, click this link.
The Original Swedish Crafts Highway Sign on HWY 81 & I-135
Since 1948, Swedish Crafts has been importing and selling
Swedish and Northern European handicrafts. both retail and
via mail-order,  from the  brick storefront in the little Kansas
town of Lindsborg. What Hilding Jaderborg started as " The
Walton Bookstore" (named after the Destroyer Escort he was
stationed on in the Western pacific during WW2) would
become Swedish Crafts, and Hilding's wife, Esther (Dahlsten)
Jaderborg, joined the partnership. Both Hilding and Esther
are 100% ethnic Swedish,  from the first generation of
grandchildren born to Lindsborg's founding fathers.    
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