Gift shop moves into former pet supply storefront

Locally Inspired owner Kelly Brown said leaving her day job as a sales support director for Johnson Controls and opening a business in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic was a leap of faith, but it has been a childhood dream to have a shop of her own.

“Since I was a little girl, I thought owning my own shop would be fun,” she said. “I want to make this a place where people can connect. That’s what I was missing and I want to be part of the community. The local fabric, to me, is the most exciting and fun part.”  

Brown opened her gift shop at 126 E. Main St. in downtown Port Washington on June 12. The building had been vacant since last July when One Wag pet supply owner Emily Monroe relocated to Franklin Street.

“A lot of the dogs and their owners walking by remember the store as One Wag and they like to stop in and say hi,” Brown said.

Brown worked in retail while attending the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and then spent 12 years in the corporate sector at Johnson Controls in Milwaukee. Her last role with the company was as director of the center of excellence team for HVAC. Although Brown said her work with Johnson Controls was rewarding, she wanted to change her life’s trajectory. 

“I felt like there was something missing for me and I didn’t have that fire anymore in what I was doing,” she said, noting she remained with the company for one week after she opened up her shop and worked remotely at the store.

“Within the last year, I took some time to think hard about what I wanted to do and it brought me back to retail and owning a store,” she said.

The merchandise Brown offers is made entirely in Wisconsin and includes greeting cards, apparel, jewelry, home goods and bath and body products. To promote the Wisconsin-made goods, Brown displays the vendors’ biographies around the store.

“I want to tell their story and bring that connection into the store,” Brown said. “I want customers to come in here and feel drawn to a product or a gift.”

She said her No. 1 goal is to make her storefront a one-stop shop for people seeking gifts for others.

“The gifting idea is very important to me. I want to make this your go-to gift shop in Port,” she said. 

Brown eventually wants to hold events, such as a Meet Your Maker Night when vendors would come to the store to talk to customers about their products.  

“There is something personal in getting a handmade gift. For me, there’s a story there and I get excited to know where it came from, who made it and what’s the story behind the brand and product,” Brown said.

She also wants to tap into area companies that give their employees gifts during the holidays.

“Coming from the corporate world, I want to bring something more meaningful to those gifts, which would be something local that could go a long way for the recipient,” she said.

Brown said she delayed opening for about a month due to the Covid-19 pandemic and spent the extra time updating the building.

“It is scary. At the end of the day, I’m your typical planner and risk mitigator, so this is a huge leap for me,” she said. “By June, I felt it was time. I’ve been planning this for awhile now and it feels like I’m taking control of my life, getting back in the driver’s seat and building something. It’s exciting.”

For people who are still hesitant because of coronavirus concerns, she has an online store where customers can check out the various items. She also offers curbside pickup and will make deliveries in Port Washington.

Brown and her husband Charlie have been Port residents for four years. She said they moved to the area because they wanted to start a family in a growing community outside of Milwaukee.

“I love the town and being on the lake. It’s a growing downtown and it’s exciting to be part of helping build that up,” she said. “People like the local aspect and supporting the people in their neighborhood. I want to highlight those different companies and bring that connection back to the people who live in your neighborhood.”