It’s easy to discover something special when you visit St. Germain – it might be a lazy day on a glacial lake, a story you heard by a crackling fire or a trip down a forest trail. Head into town, and you can find some more wonderful things to discover in St. Germain. Our businesses are little treasures worth exploring, run by hardworking and friendly locals who love St. Germain as much as you do. Stop in and see what these shops have to offer – it’s a chance to pick up things for your vacation home, a unique gift for someone back home (or yourself!), or something to make your time here more comfortable. And one of the greatest gifts of shopping here can be meeting the person behind the register – spend some time here and you’ll soon have many more friends in St. Germain. Here’s a small sample of the shops, and the shopkeepers in St. Germain.
Step into this St. Germain bait and tackle shop, and the first person you might meet is Bix, the friendly shop dog. He’ll greet you, but for more detailed assistance you’ll want to chat with the owner, Pete Stoltman, a knowledgeable angler who also operates a guide service.
“It’s a nice little hometown shop,” Stoltman said. “We’re a very small shop so I have to be selective of the products that we have My philosophy is, if someone comes in here looking for fishing stuff, we’re going to be able to give them the stuff they need to fish in our area and have a reasonable expectation of catching a fish.
Stoltman said St. Germain is an outstanding destination for fishing.
“We’ve got the lakes right in town, but we are also centrally located to a lot more fishing,” he said. “There’s so much variety to types of fishing, whether it’s a family group that wants to bend their rod or a guy going out looking for trophy potential.”
If you don’t see Stoltman in the shop, you might see him on stage. He performs in a number of bands, including his own, Flying Blind, a classic rock band. He plays drums and guitar and you’ll see him perform in the St. Germain area as well as places like Tomahawk, Manitowish Waters and the U.P.
“It’s every weekend,” Stoltman said.
Don’t set your alarm clock for a trip to this St. Germain business – as indicated by its tagline, “Open at the crack of noon” this place is permanently on St. Germain vacation time. That vibe is at the heart of this special business. It’s The Hammock Hut, a place that celebrates Northwoods relaxation by elevating the simple hammock into a well-crafted work of art.
“I love that I get to make a living by being creative,” said Shawn, the shop’s owner. “Everything that’s here, if I sell it, I make it myself. It gives me a chance to meet a lot of great people and it’s a lot of fun being creative.”
If you want to make your corn hole set really nice, check out The Hammock Hut’s corn hole bags – Shawn carefully crafts them with beautiful and durable fabric – they are little gems!
If you dream of traveling the world, just head to the heart of St. Germain. This little knitting store carries yarn from places as far as South America and Scandinavia, and as close as Lost Lake!
Kim Christensen and Nancy Anne Miller opened the shop in 2015 with the hope of doing much more than simply selling nice knitting supplies. Their slogan: “Where Knitters Connect.”
The shop has a community table – knitters can come in and receive help on a project, or simply socialize with others.
“There are days when we have all the chairs filled, plus a couple of folding chairs,” Christensen said. “People talk about their projects, talk about books, talk about whatever interests they have. In the winter, for some this is the social activity of the week. They know their friends will be here and they will be able to knit and make something.”
Here are a few more shops you’ll want to check out in St. Germain.
Looking for some fun apparel or home décor that will remind you of St. Germain? Make sure to visit The Plaid Bear, a delightful shop owned by Signe Ziolknowski and Brian Joanis. The shop has lots of fun lake life items, candles and more.
One of the most colorful corners of the St. Germain area is always worth a visit. This sprawling cranberry marsh, owned by the Zawistowski family, has a winery and gift shop and it’s the perfect excuse for a scenic drive. Sample and buy some great wine, and shop all things cranberry. The shop has everything from jellies to candles. Be sure to come back in the fall for a marsh tour!
Owned by John and Vicki Langer, Bear Paw Pottery is a gallery and studio that showcases some beautiful handcrafted pieces. Visit their location on the backwaters of the Wisconsin River Pick up a unique item for your home, or a gift for someone special.
See the full St Germain shopping directory here.
