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main street mercantile: Unique Collection of Gift Ideas Founded in 2005, The Mercantile offers 10 different businesses, each one offering something unique. It’s your destination for local art, jewelry, Wisconsin products, and much, much more – gifts for all occasions. Carol Shogren has two sections in The Mercantile: H&A Jewelry and Ampers&nd Gifts. Shogren started her career early, making accessories and pretending to sell them when she was 6. “As I grew up, I continued to make my jewelry, or change the jewelry other people gave me until it transformed into something unique,” she says. “I love to shop, and I love jewelry, so my two sections in The Mercantile are a natural fit for me…Each hand-made piece is one of a kind, and inspired by the world around me. Sometimes it is the beads, the clothes, the music I am listening to or the clothing I need to match, but I love it all!” Liz Gregory, owner of Functional Pottery, started throwing pots in 1972 and has loved clay ever since. Her pottery is thrown, glazes are mixed, pots are designed and fired in her backyard studio. All
pottery is highfired, dishwasher and microwave safe. Eulberg Brewery was in Portage from 1884 to 1958. While no longer a brewery, The Mercantile offers T-shirts and pub glasses with copies of the old beer labels from Owl Mountain Enterprises. Interlacing Threads sells one-of-a-kind hand-woven vests, jackets and scarves. The garments are made from natural fibers, many handdyed and from Wisconsin. At Peg Napralla Designs, you will find beautiful, handcrafted glass bowls, platters and other tableware. Handcrafted jewelry, garden art and cheese trays are also available. Peg Napralla has been making handcrafted glass since 2004. Bowls by the Woodchuck was opened by Tom and George Dugan in 2012. You’ll find wooden bowls, plates, pens, pepper mills and much more, made of local and exotic woods. In the Studio with Pat offers framed oil paintings & prints and cards of original paintings by Wisconsin artist Pat Eckert. At Giggles for Kids, Joan
Indermark sells children’s toys, books and clothing. Recently religious items have been added, including those for baptisms. Halcyon Studio, Roberta Condon sells her original watercolor paintings. Halcoyn also sells fair trade and handmade items of beauty, from jewelry to scarves to baskets to chocolate. The Cubby Hole is Pat Atkinson’s shop celebrating eight years in the Mercantile, featuring
Wisconsin products, handmade gifts and “The Taste of Wisconsin” goods.
The Mercantile is located at 117 W. Cook St., in Historic Downtown Portage. Store hours are Mon., Tues., Wed. & Fri., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thurs. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. & Sat. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Find out more at 745-5768.
Welcome to the Mercantile Home of Handmade and Unique gift items sure to please the most discriminating person on your list.
The Mercantile
117 W. Cook St., Downtown Portage 608-745-5768