Baby shop opens in downtown Shawano

Local owners also operate expanded business in Howard
By: 
Lee Pulaski
City Editor

Anyone looking for baby gifts or clothing won’t have to travel beyond downtown Shawano after Thornberry Cottage Baby and Gift recently opened.

The business, located at 152 S. Main St., next to ‘Til the Cows Come Home, held a soft opening in mid-February but is now fully operational for the community. It is an extension of the business that now-Shawano residents opened in Howard four years ago.

“We were traveling back and forth to Green Bay, which isn’t a big deal, but sometimes we wished our store was closer to us,” said Suzette Hackl-Kroll, who co-owns Thornberry Cottage with her sister, Saundra Laskowski. “When we looked at the property, it was actually our husbands’ idea to bring the baby (shop) here.”

Hackl-Kroll added that the business in Howard does a lot more than baby stuff, noting that home decor and gourmet food are sold there, too, along with a lot of other stuff.

“When we had the opportunity to open in Shawano, we asked what can we do in this space, and it turned into an adorable boutique,” Hackl-Kroll said.

When folks first come into the shop, a brightly lit tree catches people’s attention. It’s decorated for spring at the moment, with a few Easter eggs adding a little color, but the owners plan to decorate it for a variety of different seasons and holidays.

“I think that it’s a staple for our store,” Hackl-Kroll said. “The little ones think that it’s really magical.”

Opening the Shawano shop gave the women the opportunity to expand its products to include toddlers, as well. Hackl-Kroll noted there are some home decor items also.

“We have custom Shawano Lake pillows,” she said. “We tried to do some custom Shawano items in the store.”

Signage is still in the works, so it has been a little difficult for people to find Thornberry Cottage, but once people found out they were next to ‘Til the Cows Come Home, people have been very receptive. The two shops are complementary, the owners noted, as ‘Til the Cows Come Home offers baby toys.

“We’ve had very good traffic, a lot of people stopping in to say hi and introduce themselves,” Laskowski said.

Besides baby clothing and shoes, new parents can also buy a variety of books to read to their little ones, according to Hackl-Kroll, as well as books helpful to first-time parents in how to care for their child.

“We’re starting to have a moms and grandmothers and parents section,” Hackl-Kroll said. “If you’re getting a gift for a mother or grandmother, we have a whole section.”

Laskowski added that there are also gifts for baptisms, confirmations and other religious occasions.

The pair are planning to add more items in the coming months. Summer swimsuits for the little ones are on the way, and toddler clothes will also be added.


lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com