What's in Store: Red Wing's
must-shop desitinations
Aug 10, 2011, 5:05 am
Red Wing is one of Minnesota's most scenic and historic towns along the
Mississippi, and it's shopping is just as grand. Here are a few must-shop
destinations.
Red Wing Pottery and Shops, 1920 Old West
Main St.
Watch authentic Red Wing Pottery being made the same way it was
in the 1800s — hand turned and hand decorated by skilled craftsmen. Potters are
at work seven days a week in the studio, which is on view for
customers.
Each piece is dated and marked by the potter, making it a
collectible, said owner Scott Gillmer, who is the third generation of his family
to run the business.
In addition to their own pottery, they also sell Red
Wing Stoneware, a huge selection of Fiesta dinnerware and many other types of
gifts. And, like the pottery, The Jenny Lind Bakery and The Smokey Row Cafe
offer good food made by people on site, Gillmer said.
Red Wing Shoe Store, 315
Main St.
The first clue that this isn't just a shoe store is the first
thing you see when you walk in the door — the World’s Largest Boot, a
16-foot-tall version of Red Wing Shoes' signature work boot.
The store
also boasts a museum showcasing Red Wing Shoes throughout history and tours of
the on-site factory where a majority of the work boots are made, said Diane
Tlougan, salesperson. The free factory tours are held at 10 a.m.
daily.
Also, don't miss the third floor clearance and outlet center,
which is as big as the main level, Tlougan said.
The Uffda Shop, 202
Bush St.
The best of Scandinavian imports can be found across the street
from the St. James Hotel. The shop carries kitchen items, jewelry, sweaters,
crystal, linen, books and music by designers from Norway, Sweden, Denmark and
Finland. The Christmas area is open year-round, and the store offers free gift
wrapping.
St. James Hotel Spa & Shops, 406 Main St.
The
Levee, a 3,000-square-foot boutique featuring one-of-a-kind and custom-made
clothing, has been a mainstay since the hotel reopened 31 years ago. The shop,
owned by Jan O'Meara, carries a selection of Blue Willi's from Denmark, special
occasion coats and dresses by Lee Andersen, out of Maryland, and Tessoro jewelry made by
a Minnesota artist often using pearls from the Mississippi and birch
bark.
Also at the St. James is Vestiges, a specialty clothing boutique,
Marita's gifts and home decor that has a mix of Victorian and modern art and
furniture, Refined Skin Medi-Spa that provides therapies and treatments, and
Clara's, a coffee shop that carries St. James-themed items.
• Pottery Place
Mall, 2000 Old West Main St.
Three floors of antiques plus a
selection of specialty stores such as Angel Baby Boutique and Tickle Yer Fancy
Fine Candies fill this historic mall. Pottery Place also hosts special events
such as flea markets each first and third weekend and pottery collectors
conventions.
Share your great finds with me at ckillion@postbulletin.com or on the What's In Store Facebook
page.
Post-Bulletin Company, L.L.C.
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