Back To The 'burbs: Historic Downtown Waukesha
Decider heads out to the boonies in search of old-fashioned charm
Article Tools
Decider might make its home in Milwaukee, but that doesn't mean we don't occasionally leave the city to brave the 'burbs. This week, we headed out to Waukesha to check out the historic downtown.
Why we drive there: The heart of downtown Waukesha is a three-block strip of historic buildings crammed full of art galleries, cafés, specialty stores, and antique shops, offering a quaint, old-fashioned Main Street experience without feeling sterile or contrived. Even Milwaukee’s hippest, most city slicking East siders and Riverwesterners could pass a pleasant afternoon strolling the tree-lined sidewalks and perusing the eclectic selection of retailers, like gourmet chocolate shop Allo Chocolat, Nice Ash Cigar Bar, and even a Mexican carniceria.
Standout spots include the Almont Gallery, a cozy corner purveyor of local art, like prints, paintings, glassware, and jewelry; and The Potter’s Shop, which kindly encourages you to make your own art with an array of pottery classes. Historic Downtown Waukesha, as it likes to be called, isn’t just another pretty façade, either: the district is also home to seasonal art crawls. Aside from the juried work of more than 70 artists, there’s live music, artist meet-and-greets, and other special events.
Tired of art? There’s hocus pocus here, too. Head over to the Celtic Gypsy for all your magic spell supplies and goddess wear, or browse through the Jest For Fun Joke Shop, a throwback gag emporium that also stocks magic tricks, disguises, and the mysterious 95-cent grab bag of unknown trickster delights. Just don't sniff the clerk's boutonnière.
