Downtown Stillwater is well-known for its historic charm and antiques shops. Take a closer look when spending an afternoon shopping, and you’ll find that fashion boutiques and home and gift stores also have popped up.
With more than 50 shops to choose from, it’s best to decide what you’re in the mood for and go from there. In addition to shops, dining options abound for an afternoon expedition.
FASHION AND APPAREL
Downtown Stillwater is home to several clothing and apparel boutiques.
Off Main Street in the Brick Alley building, Betty June’s hosts a large selection of clothes for women and is where you’ll find Sloggers rain and garden boots and shoes.
The shop also carries children’s and men’s clothing, plus gift items such as wine accessories. In the front of the store, you’ll find products from Trade Winds Spice Company. Also in Brick Alley, Simply Chic features women’s apparel at affordable prices. A popular item: fleece leggings for $10.
Head north on Main to the St. Croix River Exchange Merchants Building, where Lori’s New York Fashions offers trendy styles in clothes, scarves and sunglasses at down-to-earth prices. Continue north, where 45 Degrees carries top brands and stylish apparel — puffyjackets, trendy footwear, down skirts — for enjoying the outdoors. Brands include Patagonia, Lole and Prana.
Closer to Chestnut Street, Feel Good has a relaxed island state of mind as you’ll see in the jewelry, handbags and tie-dyed clothing.
Just north of Chestnut, you’ll find Collaborations. This second-floor women’s clothing boutique channels a boho, L.A. chic-inspired style at reasonable prices. Brands include Bobi, Billabong, Staccato and Cello Jeans. A few doors down, Katydid’s/Stokes Jewelry offers fashion accessories including handbags, matching necklace and earring sets, sunglasses and hats. In the back of the store is a jewelry service that offers custom design jewelry and repairs.
On the opposite side of Main Street, several other apparel fashion boutiques await. Start on the northern end, where Studio One Yoga Massage houses a small retail area in front of the studio, offering activewear and yoga accessories. Continue south, where River Jeans carries not only denim for men and women but other items, including cowboy boots.
Just south of Myrtle Street, The Shirt Factory features sweatshirts, custom T-shirts and tropical-inspired clothing and accessories.
On the corner of Main and Chestnut streets, Art n Soul/Stillwater Beads is where you’ll find ready-to-wear, hand-made artisan jewelry as well as supplies for making your own. Some gift items are available as well. Next, Britta’s BJQ has trendy clothing for women in a variety of cuts, colors and patterns. Make your way to the The Fun Sisters, where clothing, jewelry and handbags are front and center. In Grand Garage, Nina Marie Studios is not just a photo and design spot, but it also hosts a clothing boutique for the little ones, teens and the young at heart.
Off Chestnut Street, fashion enthusiasts won’t want to miss the boutiques lined along here. First, Urban Violet offers stylish women’s apparel with youthful flair. Next door, Enchante is the place to go for quality, fashion-forward pieces that look like they’ve been pulled straight out of the latest fashion magazines.
Continue west on Chestnut, where you’ll find some retail stores in the Chestnut Building. Sash women’s boutique offers apparel with European flavor. Standouts include felted wool purses from Echo design, Eyebobs eyewear, Grizas tops and Krazy Larry stretch pants that can easily be dressed up or dressed down.
In the same building, Matt Nate menswear opened in June with a hip vibe and rare, quality finds. Brands include the hard-to-come-by Bills Khakis pants, dress shirts by FX Fusion, the Jon Randall label and cashmere scarves from Fraas. HappySocks are also sold here.
HOME AND GIFTS
Besides clothing, downtown Stillwater offers plenty of home and gift shops — art lovers especially will find a variety of options for home decor.
Stillwater Farm Store on the southeast corner of Main and Nelson streets features home decor pieces — throw pillows, candles, kitchenware — with rustic and outdoorsy accents. Just past Nelson Street, Alfresco offers quality pieces for the home, garden and cabin, ranging from casual barbecue accessories to fine-dining serving ware. In addition to home pieces, Alfresco also has unique gifts, kids’ clothes and toys.
In the St. Croix River Exchange Merchants Building, Designs of Sweden has top Swedish brands, from Sagaform glassware to Ekelund woven textiles. Coveted clogs by Troentorp and UGG are also carried here.
On the same block, Simonet’s Furniture Company features built-to-last furniture, including dressers and tables. Next, Mara-Mi on the corner of Main and Chestnut streets specializes in stationery and supplies as well as some gift items.
Just north of Chestnut, things are festive inside the Kathe Wohlfart shop. The store specializes in German gifts and collectibles that include hand-painted ornaments, wooden figurines and mugs. The store also has nutcracker toys galore.
Cross Main Street for more home and gift stores. On the northern end of downtown in the Isaac Staples Sawmill building, Stillwater Art Guild Gallery features more than 65 artists. Mixed media, photography, sculpture and jewelry are just some of the specialties represented here. The gallery also houses a sizable selection of paintings featuring St. Croix Valley landscapes from area artists.
Continue south, where you’ll find several more shops. Modern Roots, a bath and body store emphasizing natural ingredients and products made in-house, just opened. This is the store’s second location, with the original located 45 minutes from the Twin Cities in Buffalo.
On the northwest corner of Main and Myrtle streets, Forget Me Not has home and gift items with contemporary style, ranging from bath and body products to home accessories. Just past Myrtle, Tamarack Gallery displays and sells paintings, pottery, sculptures, fiber art, jewelry and more produced by regional, national and international artists.
Gammy Gumpy’s, one of the newest additions downtown, caters to the little ones. The shop houses a wide variety of dolls, choices of pink or blue train sets, plus eco-conscious and educational toys. The store makes a point of carrying no electronic or battery-operated products.
Past Olive Street, at Gallery 3Ten Fine Art you’ll find pottery, sculpture and jewelry. Local Color on Main features home and gift items, including bath and body products and fashion accessories. In the Grand Garage building, Cooks of Crocus Hill is an enduring destination for top-quality cookware and kitchen gadgets.
If you go off the beaten path, you’ll find a few more shops beyond Main Street. On Second Street, Camrose Hill Flower Shop houses items for sprucing up your home and garden. On Chestnut Street, Maybe, Maybe Not? offers a wide variety — home decor, gifts, jewelry and art. Across the street, The Little Parrot carries art and meditation supplies.
Lil’ Tulips is all about the little ones, especially good when looking for baby shower gifts. Located in the Post Office building two blocks off Main Street along Myrtle Street, its stock ranges from bedroom and nursery decor to strollers, clothing and cloth diapers. The store emphasizes organic, natural and BPA-free products. Not too far away, ArtReach St. Croix offers ceramics, painting, glass and more.
REPURPOSED AND UPCYCLED
Judging by some of its newer shops, Stillwater is right on the trend of spotlighting reused, repurposed and upcycled decor pieces and furniture.
In the Exchange Merchants building, the Feathered Nest offers spruced-up home furnishings and decor with vintage and retro flair. Items include tablescapes and dining room furniture. In the Grand Garage, Mama’s Happy features home decor and vintage, upcycled and repurposed furniture, plus gift items such as jewelry. Nearby, My Sister’s Cottage spotlights repurposed, reused or recycled vintage furniture. The store also offers chalk and mineral paints for those who want to undertake a DIY project.
To the north in the Isaac Staples Sawmill, Reincarnations awaits. Look for home furniture and decor that has been reimagined from common items, such as crates transformed into shelving or old typewriter tables turned into side tables. For more in this category, go two blocks from Main Street to Myrtle. Connected to the Post Office building, Reclaiming Beautiful offers home pieces including spruced-up furniture such as dressers, desks and chairs — several with fleur-de-lis flair — as well as remixed vintage jewelry.
ANTIQUES
Antique shops are still a big draw for downtown Stillwater. Just north of the St. Croix River Exchange Merchants Building, Midtown Antiques hosts an assortment of items, including jewelry, stained glass, crystal and serving ware. A third-floor furniture gallery is worth checking out. Just north of Chestnut Street, Our Antiques also has a wide variety to browse. Look for collections of salt and pepper shakers, Precious Moments dolls and Russian nesting dolls. Jewelry, clothing, toys and electronics such as old movie projectors and radios are also on hand.
On the corner of Main and Myrtle streets, Stillwater Antiques features a mix that includes golf clubs, radios, guitars, cigar boxes, serving ware, lamps and lots of built-to-last furniture.
On the northern end of downtown, the multi-level Staples Mill Antiques has an eclectic mix. In addition to the usual home decor, furniture, jewelry and toys, standouts include retro food ads that would make great wall art and vintage magazines perfect for the coffee table.
Next, American Gothic Antiques offers unique furniture, books, toys and collectibles. Let There Be Light Antiques specializes in antique lamps.
SPECIALTY
Downtown Stillwater is also home to several specialty shops, including several bookstores. The Valley Bookseller offers a well-edited selection of books. Bring the little ones and they can hang out in the kids’ play and reading area. For used books, Black Letter Books specializes in rare and out-of-print items. Nearby, Out of Print and St. Croix Antiquarian Bookstore share a space, with Out of Print offering shirts, tote bags, and phone and tablet cases in the front of the store. For each item sold, Out of Print donates a book to the group Books for Africa. Most of the space houses the bookstore, featuring unique books in a variety of categories — children’s, art and photography, world history, automotive and cooking, to name a few.
Besides books, you won’t want to miss the locally owned Spice Tea Co., which offers spices, sugars, salts, teas and coffees. Standouts include spice mixes for making everything from fajitas to chili. Fusion sugars and salts, such as merlot and habanero, also keep things interesting. A few doors away, Stillwater Olive Oil Company features olive oils, balsamic vinegars and some seasonings.
In the Brick Alley building, Darn Knit Anyway offers knit, crochet and sewing supplies galore. Some ready-to-wear pieces are also available, such as knit hats and scarves. Our Shop carries wedding and special-occasion wear and accessories. Jewelers include Stokes Jewelry, Gaalaas Jewelers, Allure by Greaton’s Jewelry and Johnson Jewelers.
EAT
When it’s time for lunch, there are plenty of places for burgers, pizza and comfort food — too many to name. But if you’re looking to kick back and relax, here are a few sit-down, full-service spots to consider.
If you haven’t visited downtown Stillwater for a while, LOLO American Kitchen Craft Bar is worth checking out. LOLO, which stands for Locally Owned, Locally Operated, specializes in street foods with a gourmet twist. The Wedge Wheel is another relative newcomer, a place to nosh on cheeses from around the world as well as charcuterie and a small selection of sandwiches.
Marx Wine Bar serves contemporary American fare cranked up a notch. The Green Room offers a mix of modern American and Indian-influenced dishes. Reve, housed in the Chestnut Building a block off Main Street, is another good option for a contemporary menu.
When it comes to the classics and a menu ranging from casual to fancy, consider Dock Cafe or Lowell Inn.
On the casual side, Smalley’s is worth the visit for its barbecue, plus the side dishes that are just as flavorful. Shanghai Bistro, featuring Asian fare, is also popular, especially on warm days when the expansive stone patio is a hot spot.
For ultra casual, head to Leo’s Malt Shop for its flashback diner vibe. Pub 112 Eatery and Charlie’s Restaurant at Waterstreet Inn highlight Irish fare.
You’ll want to save room for dessert, as downtown has its fair share of fudge, candy, bakery and other sweets shops.
Nancy Ngo writes about food and lifestyle for Spaces magazine, where this article first appeared.
DIRECTORY
APPAREL
Art n Soul/Stillwater Beads, 202 S. Main St.; 651-275-0255
Betty June’s, 421 S. Main St.; 651-351-3194
Britta’s BJQ, 204 S. Main St.
Collaborations, 129 1/2 S. Main St.; 651-430-9100
Enchante, 224 E. Chestnut St.; 651-439-7232
Feel Good, 324 S. Main St.; 651-430-1565
45 Degrees, 209 S. Main St.; 651-430-3609
The Fun Sisters, 216 S. Main St.; 651-430-3134
Katydid’s/Stokes Jewelry, 113 S. Main St.; 651-439-0166
Lori’s New York Fashions, 317 S. Main St.; 651-705-6786
Matt Nate, 200 E. Chestnut St.; 651-571-3197
Nina Marie Studios, 324 S. Main St.; 651-214-9368
River Jeans, 118 N. Main St.; 651-342-0464
Sash, 200 E. Chestnut St.; 651-430-1345
The Shirt Factory, 126 S. Main St.; 651-351-0052
Simply Chic, 421 S. Main St.; 651-351-7051
Studio One Yoga Massage, 402 N. Main St.; 651-430-7155
Urban Violet, 226 E. Chestnut St.; 651-342-0669
HOME AND GIFTS
Alfresco, 321 S. Main St.; 651-439-0814
ArtReach St. Croix, 224 N. Fourth St; 651-439-1465
Camrose Hill Flower Shop, 233 S. Second St.; 651-351-9631
Cooks of Crocus Hill, 324 S. Main St.; 651-351-1144
Designs of Sweden, 317 S. Main St.; 651-351-5059
Forget Me Not, 402 S. Main St.; 651-430-8113
Gallery 3Ten Fine Art, 310 S. Main St.; 651-439-6246
Gammy Gumpy’s, 122 S. Main St.; 651-342-0144
Kathe Wohlfahrt, 129 S. Main St.; 651-275-1072
Lil’ Tulips, 216 W. Myrtle St.; 651-300-4257
The Little Parrot, 116 E. Chestnut St.; 651-472-5800
Local Color on Main, 312 S. Main St.; 651-351-0558
Mara-Mi, 201 Main S. St.; 651-689-1730
Maybe, Maybe Not?, 229 E. Chestnut St.; 651-439-0081
Simonet’s Furniture Company, 229 S. Main St.; 651-439-2110
Stillwater Art Guild Gallery, 402 N. Main St.; 651-689-0149
Stillwater Farm Store, 401 S. Main St.; 651-439-6143
Tamarack Gallery, 112 S. Main St.; 651-439-9393
REPURPOSED AND UPCYCLED
The Feathered Nest, 317 S. Main St.; 651-342-0892
Mama’s Happy, 324 S. Main St.; 763-777-3899
My Sister’s Cottage, 226 S. Main St.; 651-351-2030
Reclaiming Beautiful, 216 W. Myrtle St.; 763-238-7900
Reincarnations, 402 N. Main St., 208-484-9051
ANTIQUES
American Gothic Antiques, 236 S. Main St.; 651-439-8202
Let There Be Light Antiques, 210 N. Main St.; 651-351-7580
Midtown Antiques, 301 S. Main St.; 651-430-0808
Our Antiques, 119 S. Main St.; 651-439-3889
Staples Mill Antiques, 410 N. Main St.; 651-430-1816
Stillwater Antiques Mall Art Gallery, 101 S. Main St.; 651-439-6281
SPECIALTY
Allure by Greaton’s Jewelry, 421 S. Main St.; 651-439-9200
Black Letter Books, 102 S. Main St.; 651-430-9805
Darn Knit Anyway, 423 S. Main St.; 651-342-1386
Gaalaas Jewelers, 227 S. Main St.; 651-439-2452
Johnson Jewelers, 210 S. Main St.; 651-439-1377
Kids Oasis, 120 S. Main St.; 651-342-0144
Our Shop, 214 S. Main St.; 651-351-1087
Spice Tea Co., 212 S. Main St.; 651-351-5155
St. Croix Antiquarian Booksellers/Out of Print, 232 S. Main St.; 651-430-0732
Stillwater Olive Oil Company, 208 S. Main St.; 651-472-5789
Stokes Jewelry, 113 S. Main St.; 651-439-0921
The Valley Bookseller, 217 N. Main St.; 651-430-3385
EAT
Charlie’s Restaurant at Waterstreet Inn, 101 S. Water St.; 651-430-0907
Dock Cafe, 425 Nelson St.; 651-430-3770
The Green Room, 215 S. Main St.; 651-342-0215
Leo’s Malt Shop, 131 S. Main St.; 651-351-3949
LOLO American Kitchen Craft Bar, 233 S. Main St.; 651-342-2461
Lowell Inn, 102 N. Second St.; 888-569-3554
Marx Wine Bar, 241 S. Main St.; 651-439-8333
Pub 112 Eatery, 112 N. Main St.; 651-342-0836
Reve, 200 E. Chestnut St.; 651-342-1594
Shanghai Bistro, 324 S. Main St.; 651-430-9000
Smalley’s, 423 S. Main St.; 651-439-5375
The Wedge Wheel, 308 E. Chestnut St.; 651-342-1687