The Waxwing

Local art & handmade gifts in Milwaukee

Mmmm shopping local... It's such a wonderful thing! I've hailed Milwaukee shops for home décor, soaps, antiques, cards, and the list goes on. Now it's time for a Milwaukee-made gift shop: The Waxwing.

It's a spacious shop on the corner of Oakland and North — right across the street from Beans & Barley, in case you want to shop with a smoothie in hand like I did (the Coco Kale is great!). As you walk in the door, you'll see a few carousels of quirky and handmade greeting cards on your left — a sure sign of more good things to come.

In the back left corner of the shop, there's a whole slew of apparel — Milwaukee shirts for grown-ups and kids, onesies for the babes. There are also pillows, coffee mugs, pint glasses, candles, soaps, and art prints of Milwaukee-isms like maps of Bay View and Shorewood.

The right side of The Waxwing is reserved mainly for jewelry made by (mostly) local artists. The vibe is definitely bohemian with lots of stamped metals, turquoise accents, and metal filigree pieces with colorful patinas. It's easy to get lost in the lovely array. In trying to pick out some earrings for a gift, I hemmed and hawed for a good half-hour or more before buying an extra pair just in case.

Once you're done ogling the jewelry, check out the terrariums. Look closely — one has a Star Wars theme! Or it did — it's probably sold by now — how could it not be?! By the register, you'll also find little goodies worth a look/taste: fun fridge magnets, striped candy sticks, and a gumball machine (bring a quarter!). With so much wonderfulness to choose from, I really can't wait for another excuse to visit The Waxwing. Go check it out for yourself!