Shopping
1. The Waxwing
NO PHYSICAL STORE, DELIVERY ONLY
Steph Davies started The Waxwing, a shop that has come to showcase work of over 350 local and national artisans, in 2012. She has moved and pivoted over the years, but now the store has landed as an online only store with hopes to eventually shift to a shop by appointment set up. From local apparel to handmade bath and skincare, and from DIY craft kits to hand-made prints, The Waxwing has a variety of gifts, art and trinkets for those who love buying local.
2. URSA
2534 S. KINNICKINIC AVE.
Emily Kopplin’s lifestyle boutique URSA in Bay View has home goods, accessories, self-care items, plants, jewelry and more curated items. Whether you want to treat yourself or need a gift, this boutique has a wide variety of beautiful products to choose from.
3. Honeybee Sage
9141 W. LISBON AVE.
Angela Mallet not only owns Honeybee Sage, but she also is a licensed massage therapist, full circle doula, Reiki master, Yoni steam practitioner and an herbalist “by passion,” according to the Honeybee Sage website. Her apothecary partnerships with over 11 local creatives and healers offer a collection of herbs, teas, supplements, honey, bath and body care and more.
4. Plume
3001A S. KINNICKINNIC AVE.
Maggie Solveson, co-owner of Plume, gained a following from selling at vintage markets and street festivals. Then, she took her keen eye for fashion and taste for vintage items, teamed up with Sheila Teruty, co-owner, and together they started Plume. The boutique offers a collection of sustainable vintage fashion pieces for men and women from across the world, local artists and small business owners.
5. Bronzeville Collective
338 W. NORTH AVE.
Tiffany Miller and Lilo Allen built The Bronzeville Collective MKE to create a collaborative home for makers to sell in a brick-and-mortar location. The two women pitched their idea for this collaborative space at the RISE MKE competition and took home $3,000 to invest into the business. They are a 100% Black-owned business and they’re home to over 25 Black, Brown and queer makers in the city of Milwaukee and beyond.
6. The Home Market
309 N. WATER ST.
Kate Kazlo opened The Home Market in 2006, creating a store with handpicked merchandise consisting of unique home accents, bedding, lighting, upholstered furniture and more. She has worked on custom design projects throughout the country, but ultimately has come home to Wisconsin to share the one-of-a-kind, vintage and unique pieces in the Third Ward.
RESTAURANTS & FOOD
7. Honeypie Cafe
2569 S. KINNICKINNIC AVE.
Valeri Lucks opened Honeypie in 2009 with the goal of creating good food, made from scratch with local Wisconsin ingredients. This Bay View bakery has plenty of delicious and unique goodies to choose from, including pies in flavors like Cherry Old Fashioned, cupcakes like their Spiced Chai or German Chocolate, cookies such as their Brown Butter Chocolate chip and breads including Blueberry Cream Cheese and cornbread.
8. Lazy Susan MKE
2378 S. HOWELL AVE.
Chef A.J. Dixon opened Lazy Susan in 2014. Always gluten free, the menu at Lazy Susan changes week to week, and they are currently accepting pre-orders only. The restaurant boasts its various options for vegans, vegetarians, meat-eaters and those who seek gluten free meals. In-person dining is not available, but orders can be placed by calling or via email.
9. Confectionately Yours
3536 W. FON DU LAC AVE.
A love for baking has run in Adija Smith’s family for three generations. Taking her grandmother’s “southern secrets” about baking, Smith added her own modern flare and opened Confectionately Yours. The menu varies day to day and is posted daily on their Facebook page – it includes everything from turtle cheesecake to cinnamon rolls to lemon bars to crusty cobbler.
10. Urban Beets
3077 N. MAYFAIR RD., WAUWATOSA
Urban Beets, owned by Dawn Balistreri, is a local raw juice bar and café with the goal to “make health eating accessible and delicious,” according to their website. Their juices and smoothies are made fresh to order, and they have acai bowls and salads too, all prepared with freshness and health in mind.
11. The Ladle Lady
NO PHYSICAL RESTAURANT
Maryann Kmet’s delivery-only restaurant sells soups by the quart with rolls and butter, as well as salads and bowls served up in generous portions. The menu, which changes weekly, includes items like vegan tortilla soup, broccoli cheddar soup, strawberry fields salads and creamy pastas.
12. MKE Charcuterie
10600 W. BLUEMOUND RD., WAUWATOSA
In a pandemic pivot filled with snacking and creativity, Courtney Reese and her sister-in-law Patti Wainscott started MKE Charcuterie after Reese was furloughed in April 2020. The two have taken their excitement over cheese and transformed it into a charcuterie board business, creating boards and boxes full of goodies like bagels, fruits, cheeses, meats and so much more.
