Sora Vale began with a simple belief: life feels better when we slow down long enough to truly notice it.

For years, I have been drawn to the things that help people feel more rested, grounded, cared for, and at home in their own lives. I have worked in hospitality, built businesses, helped people plan for their futures, and spent much of my life creating experiences for others. Through all of it, one idea kept returning: beauty is not frivolous. Rest is not a luxury. The way we live each day matters.

I created Sora Vale as a place where those ideas could come together.

The name reflects air, river, and valley—the natural elements that shape Stillwater and the St. Croix Valley. They also represent the feeling I want people to experience when they walk through our doors: space to breathe, room to slow down, and a deeper appreciation for the beauty already surrounding them.

Sora Vale is more than a store. It is a thoughtfully curated lifestyle experience centered around rest, home, travel, art, craftsmanship, and well-being. Every item is chosen with intention—from beautiful sleep essentials and restorative bath rituals to distinctive luggage, local pottery, original artwork, and pieces designed to make everyday life feel more meaningful.

I am especially passionate about working with talented makers and artists from our region. Their work carries a sense of place, purpose, and humanity that cannot be replicated by mass production. These collaborations allow Sora Vale to offer pieces with a story—objects that are meant to be used, loved, remembered, and passed on.

My hope is that Sora Vale encourages people to pause, breathe, and become more present in their own lives.

To see the beauty. To feel it. To live it.

Tamra Hartman - Founder, Sora Vale