Monday, March 26, 2001

Each year a bird must find a new place for a nest and rebuild what was built the previous year. Following the wing beats of his feathered counterparts, Milo Mach is building a new nest in the same city where his former business still resides.

Mach opened Milo Mach Garden Center and Nursery 33 years ago and sold the business on contract to Mary and Terry Arens four years ago. Employees who worked for him at the garden center went on to businesses of their own, including Brian Dolan of Dolan’s Landscape and Spas. His former business retains his name in the title.

Today he is the owner of Milo’s Bird Nest on Oakland Avenue West, across from McDonald’s in Austin. His new business has been open for about a month. Mach gives the credit for designing and arranging his store to Kathy Hill and Maureen Bawek.

He fills his new store with birdhouses and a variety of gifts. Stuffed animals, thermometers, rain gauges and fountains dot the floors and shelves of the quaint shop.

He stocks bird seed for a variety of species of birds: safflower bird seed attracts cardinals, Mach said, and thistle seed brings gold finches.

Unique gifts include birdhouse facades arranged in the shape of a wreath and welcome-sign trellises. Wreaths with butterflies are hung around the shop, alongside the burlap curtains that frame the large windows on the south wall of the store.

He expects to stock specialty gifts for upcoming holidays, including Easter and Mother’s Day. He also said he will stock many baskets as shipments continue to come in every day.

"I want to have unique gifts in here, that other people don’t have," he said.

Yard whirligigs and wind socks decorate the inside and outside of his store. Mach said he hopes to place stepping stones in the strip of earth outside of the front of his business in the near future.

Mach was born in LeSueur and later moved to Rochester. He served in the Navy during World War II. At one point in his life, he was paralyzed by polio and yet today only carries some shoulder pain on occasion as a reminder of that time.

He lost his wife 11 years ago, but has a family that includes three children, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

When asked if he plans to stay in Austin, Mach said, "Yeah, hope so."

He is a planning an open house for two to three weeks from now. He expects to be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but said he possibly will be open later on Thursdays to accommodate people who work days.

Mach can be reached at his Bird Nest by calling 434-5072.