By Sharon Resnick
Lisa Loberg knew nothing about the culinary business when she took her
life savings and purchased the Fireweed Restaurant in November 2006.
But since giving up a "cushy" position in the
corporate world three years earlier, she was at a point, she said, where she needed a job.
She loved the feel of the space at the Fireweed, then owned by Avi
Gilette, and she also loved Haines.
Loberg, who grew up in Gig Harbor, Wash., and spent her high school
years living with her family aboard a 97-foot wooden military tugboat named
"Adak," had originally come to Haines on the advice of a friend. She found just
about everything about it to her liking.
"I like living by the sea," she said. "I find the people
here friendly and accepting. When you first come to Haines people are kind to you even if
you are a stranger. Haines’ size works well to create a happy atmosphere. Everyone
here adds to the pot."
It was a good counterpoise to the disillusionment that caused her to
leave her executive job at a Japanese seafood company in Seattle, where she had been in
charge of domestic and European sales and inventory.
Loberg, 37, said she had hit the "glass ceiling" in an
industry dominated by men and in a culture where women typically work only until they are
30 and then leave the workforce to have children.
It was her second experience with Japanese culture, as previously she
had spent 18 months in a small rural village in Japan teaching English to Japanese
kindergartners. It’s a time she remembers with great fondness.
Now that Loberg has settled into her latest endeavor, she credits the
success of her restaurant to the Fireweed staff.
"It’s all about the people who work with you," she said.
"It works in spite of me. It comes down to respect and trust."
She’s looking not only to expand the Fireweed menu, but also to
attract a more diverse clientele.
"I’m hoping we’ll attract a wider group of people just
because we have good food," she said. "I want everyone to be treated well here
and to feel comfortable."
Because the Fireweed isn’t open during the winter – due
mostly due to an inability heat the space efficiently – Loberg’s new
"job" allows her to continue to pursue her many other interests, both during her
work season and beyond.
Though she doesn’t consider herself a daredevil, she does love to
ride her off-road Yamaha XT 225. It’s a way to explore places she otherwise
wouldn’t likely visit – like the old mining areas around Haines.
She isn’t that keen on competition now either, though her
competitive spirit was strong between the ages of eight and 14, when she was a gymnast.
"It was good for me," she said. "I learned how to be
independent and how to carry myself. I’m not sorry I did it."
But now, Loberg just likes to do things for the joy of it. She
especially likes to snowboard at her other home base near Mt. Baker, Wash. and has gone as
far afield as New Zealand "chasing the snow." She also likes to surf in Hawaii
and Mexico. Most recently, she’s added sailing to her list of interests. She said
she’s not particularly good at any of these sports.
"But I don’t have to be the best," she said.
"I’m more competitive with myself than with others."
Though Loberg "doesn’t live my life like my mother
does," she said she’s learned a lot from her tax-accountant mom.
"I have a really great mother," she said. "She’s a
hard worker and intelligent, but she has a great sense of humor. I respect that."
Jessica Edwards, who works for Loberg, had similar praise for her boss.
"Lisa has a knack for getting things done," Edwards said.
"She is incredibly savvy and intuitively smart."
