Fashion, Furlongs, & Film Susan Bala’s inspiring journey as a local entrepreneur by Josiah Kopp | photos provided by Susan Bala
eing in the world of entrepreneurship is impressive enough, yet Susan Bala has given the word a whole new meaning, having worn many hats over the span of her career—investing her work in Fargo and the state of North Dakota. Bala is a first generation American who grew up in the Fargo community. Her family migrated to the States from England and Poland after WWII, settling near Felton, MN. Bala recalls growing up as a true Fargoan a blessed experience that helped shape who she is today. “It seemed like an idyllic period when I look back; local businesses lined Broadway, local sports were important events, and ‘dragging Broadway’ to the dairy queen at the end of the street by Island Park as well as dances at the YMCA were the thing to do on Friday nights,” she reminisced.
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Susan Bala enjoying the loft at Teddy's Eatery & Bar, a project that she helped back, financially.
Early Years in Business and Mentors Bala studied art, psychology, and english at North Dakota State University, supporting herself by working at one of Fargo’s long standing main line department stores, Herbst. There, she eventually moved into management, merchandizing, and became an assistant to the buyers. Bala then moved from there to a local women’s specialty store called Black’s. There, she became a Buyer and spent time in New York City.
What is a Buyer? A Buyer is a person that goes to the national markets to identify trends and buy merchandise for the retail stores. Black's was a specialty store for women's clothing and accessories, so the primary market Bala went to was in New York City’s 7th Avenue fashion district, often called Fashion Avenue.