5 Local Sheboygan Shops and Boutiques You Need to Add to Your Shopping List

Next week is one of the biggest weeks of the year (according to me). It’s Halloween, and once Halloween ends, the world surrounding me is eager to jump right into getting excited and prepared for the holiday season. Meanwhile, I mourn the fact that the 365 day countdown to Halloween begins it’s slow and treacherous wait all over again. Just kidding (kind of). But there is a lot to start getting excited for at the beginning of November. Holiday lights start lighting up when it’s dark out by 4 pm, there is time spent with family and traveling for loved ones around Thanksgiving, the first snowfall, chocolates and cookies, the frenzy that ensues after Starbucks releases their holiday drinks… and holiday shopping. We’re all eager to find that perfect, unique gift for our loved ones; both the ones easy to shop for and the ones who are slightly more difficult to find the perfect thing for. Because I am all for planning ahead and being prepared, I think it’s never too early to start shopping for the people I love. I’ve been on a mission this week to compile a list of my top 5 recommendations for local gift shopping in Sheboygan and I am eager to share it with you all!

TLC Casuals

This boutique, located right along the Riverside Boardwalk, I’m convinced has something for everyone. The store sells clothing, shoes, accessories, jewelry, and outerwear; as well as finds like candles, mugs, wine tumblers, hair accessories, decorative signs, rocks, wrist watch bands, and probably more beyond just that. I’m yet to discover everything in their store, but from the browsing I have done, I have seen a variety of fun and personal feminine gift options. For those who know people that love their glitz and glam in addition to their favorite sport, TLC Casuals is the place to shop for them. If you like repping your love for sports, wine, cats or dogs, Wisconsin- or more specifically, Sheboygan- I assure you you’ll have a variety of options to select from. There were several items that I looked at that stood out to me: starting with sweatshirts and bags with illustrated cats or dogs patterned on them. They were so fun and personable for that friend or family member in your life who is obsessed with their pets. I got a little lost in the outerwear section, the variety of jackets, coats, vests, and cardigans was like the South side of a magnet, and I, the North side. I’m always running on the colder side so I need a good layer or two during the Fall and Winter to keep me warm. The clothing and accessories that related to Wisconsin, Sheboygan, or lake life were so cute and unique, they would make a great gift for someone who lives away from you. That way, anytime they reach for the item, they are reminded of their connection to Sheboygan. And I wouldn’t be able to move on to the next shop on my list if I didn’t mention all of the beautiful, cute, and unique pieces of jewelry that TLC has. Whether you are searching for something classic or a statement piece, you won’t need to look anywhere else. This shop was so fun, I plan on heading back with some of my girlfriends and shopping around for the holidays together.

Victorian Chocolate Shoppe

What is holiday shopping without a little something sweet to break up your errands? This old-fashioned chocolate and candy shop nestled in between numerous restaurants along 8^th street Downtown has become my shopping pit-stop and a place to replenish my blood sugar after I’ve nearly shopped until I dropped. My weakness and guilty pleasure is anything dark chocolate, and the options are endless when I step into the Victorian Chocolate Shoppe. If dark chocolate isn’t your taste, don’t worry, milk chocolates, white chocolates, mint chocolates, fruit-infused chocolates, even coffee chocolates are delicacies that you’ll find inside the doors of this sugar-wonderland. If you like candy more than chocolate, you also won’t find yourself short of options. They have gummy, hard, jelly, and soft candy selections out on their tables that will make you feel like you’ve stopped inside of the candy shop in Harry Potter. Another aspect about this chocolate shop that I find so charming is that the chocolate is being prepared right there in the shop! All of their chocolate is homemade and hand-dipped, including both their truffles, and their assortment of homemade clusters and dipped chocolates. Just by stepping inside the shop, the sweet aroma that greets you is enough for you to be able to tell everything is being made right there. Again, because it bears repeating, what is a day of shopping without a break for a sweet treat?

Oilvu 426

Olivu may be a skincare shop local to Sheboygan, but it’s loved across the nation, even being used in Hollywood! You read that right, Caitlin, the founder and owner of Olivu, represented our very own Sheboygan in Hollywood at the 2020 Oscars! Caitlin makes all of her homemade products out of olive oil. Her products are gentle on your skin, all natural, and effective. Lip balms, soaps, lotions, moisturizers, whipped lotions, hair products, facemasks, heel sticks, you name it! I personally have had the chance to try the lip balms and hand moisturizers and genuinely think it’s the happiest my skin has ever been. I had to watch my hands to see if any sort of magic was being cast and healing my dry hands in a matter of seconds. Although I didn’t see any sparkles or visions of magic taking place, I certainly felt it. There are several reasons why Olivu is the perfect shopping destination for the people you love. 1) its name literally is meant to sound like you are saying “I love you!” 2) one of the best ways to you’re your love for someone is by appreciating them, and helping them allow themselves to appreciate their own selves as well. Self-care products like lotions and bath salts are an excellent way to represent this love and care. 3) For skin-care lovers, there is nothing quite as exciting as finding a new and natural skincare product that their skin is sure to love because of its simple ingredients and homemade qualities.

Relish

Quite possibly heaven for all who love to cook and bake, Relish is your one-stop-shop for all things kitchen. Walking inside is like entering wonderland, there are cooking supplies, utensils, machines, dishware, decorations, and more. I could have spent hours inside trying to look at everything they sell, and I’m not even that much of a cook! Relish is the kind of culinary store that carries at least a little something for anyone who has a kitchen and enjoys food. Period. There are of course supplies for cooking ranging from the basics to state-of-the-art utensils, pots, and pans. There are ingredients like sauces, spreads, and spices; cooking books for every occasion, dishware galore, towels, tea sets, aprons, mugs, bowls, pans, crockpots, knife blocks, Sheboygan themed oven mitts, coasters, and cutting boards… the list is quite literally endless. There are even cooking classes offered! If I attempted to list the variety of goods they sell, I’d run out of terms for the products, and time. Being inside of Relish inspired gift ideas for so many people in my life. Similar to skin care, I feel that food related gifts are very thoughtful and caring gifts. They consider an individual’s taste in terms of both the sense, and the aesthetic. Food tends to be a heartfelt gift, whether the gift is the food itself- maybe something homemade and a special recipe, or a favorite store bought treat- or a gift that is used in the kitchen. Whether you have a friend who specializes in cookie baking, or someone who simply loves having a full and decorated kitchen, Relish is a great place to shop for ideas.

Freak Toys

Personally speaking, I have a couple of people in my life who I love dearly, and despite my everlasting love for them, for the life of me they are challenging with a capital C to gift shop for. Usually this is because they have niche interests and anything that could possibly relate to those interests, they already probably have. Readers, if you can relate to this, allow me to share the goldmine with you: Freak Toys in Downtown Sheboygan (Just a couple doors down from Olivu) is packed full of unique paraphernalia for just about anyone’s unique interests and hobbies. If you or someone you know is a collector, Freak Toys is 100% where you will want to shop. Star Wars, Pokémon, Pop Funko’s, My Little Pony, Wrestling, Action Figures from endless movie and TV show franchises, cars, video games, comics, DVD’s, and endless others can be found along the towering shelves that turn Freak Toys into a bit of a maze. The element of nostalgia when you walk in is also incredible, and I guarantee you will feel an element of nostalgia whether you are young or old. There is so much merchandise to shop for spanning across decades. The Star Wars action figures and the old My Little Pony toys in particular gave me flashbacks to being a kid. Wandering into this collector’s toy and entertainment shop really does live up to their slogan that you will revisit your youth when you enter.

And That’s Just the Surface…

There are plenty more shopping stores that I am missing in this particular blog that deserve their own section, but I thought these stores were a great starting place to share on my blog because they are all quite different from each other and offer something completely different from one another. I truly believe between these 5 local Sheboygan businesses, you could accomplish most of your holiday shopping for the people important to you. It’s shocking that we are already entering that time of year where the holidays are on our radar and there are preparations to be completed, but it’s also so thrilling to think of the exciting busyness that this season brings along with it. I hope you enjoyed reading about these unique little shops, and stay tuned for more Sheboygan holiday content coming your way in the next few weeks! Until then, as always, rock on Sheboygan!