Cornerstone Shop & Gallery
Best Specialty Gift Shop
Since they first set up shop more than three decades ago, Cornerstone has carved out a niche in Walworth County as a store noted for its artistic displays, personalized service and unique merchandise. A sampling of Cornerstone’s gift offerings includes personalized frames, glassware and trays, in addition to jewelry, accessories and baby items. In a nod to its locale, the shop also sells a variety of Lake Geneva-themed and nautical items.
Location: 214 Broad St., Lake Geneva, WI
cornerstonelakegeneva.com | 262-248-6988
Angelus Home, Garden, Lifestyle
Best Specialty Gift Shop
With the mission of “restoring, renewing, [and] repurposing,” sisters Jeannene Clark and Therese LaLonde first opened their doors a decade ago, with the goal of intertwining spiritual renewal with gardening and home decorating. The result of this was Angelus: a splendid collection of new, repurposed, vintage and hand-painted furniture goods. Other handcrafted creations within the shop include candles, essential oils, natural soaps and spa gifts. “This goes beyond the physical aspect of products and extends to embracing a lifestyle of nourishment for mind, body and spirit,” their website says.
Location: 325 Kenosha St., Walworth, WI
angelushome.com | 414-815-6638
Elkhorn Antique Flea Market
Best Antiquing
With more than 500 dealers on site on an average weekend, this market has been described in the past as “Wisconsin’s finest.” The Elkhorn Antique Flea Market has been around nearly four decades. At its conception it had around 50 dealers, before expanding to its current participant level. Sellers display a range of finished and unfinished collectibles, including decoys, dolls, glassware, linens and pottery. The flea markets are held in May, June, August and September from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Location: Walworth County Fairgrounds, 411 E. Court St., Elkhorn WI
elkhornantiquefleamarket.com | 414-525-0820
Roscoe Woodstock Antique Mall
Best Antiquing
This 35,000-square-foot, two-level facility features a variety of constantly revolving vintage products, including art, clothing, furniture, glassware, jewelry and pottery. The Roscoe Woodstock Antique Mall also offers unique products, such as antique slot machines, jukeboxes and pinball machines. The venue is open five days a week.
Location: 890 Lake Ave., Woodstock, IL
roscoewoodstockantiquemall.com | 815-334-8960
Lake Geneva Country Meats
Best Butcher Shop
This Lake Geneva mainstay has been noted for its top-tier meats and services since setting up shop in the community in 1965. Co-founder John Leahy, who worked as a grocery store butcher, and his wife Rita Leahy, decided to go into business with the aspiration of providing an even higher quality product and service. Lake Geneva Country Meats has been noted for its placement on the Wisconsin Meat Hall of Fame and for its expanded operation that today includes retail, sausage making and wholesale capabilities.
Location: 5907 State Highway 67 East, Lake Geneva, WI
lakegenevacountrymeats.com | 262-248-3339
Ethereal Confections
Best Chocolate/Candy
“We love food. We love creating it. We love eating it. And we love rolling up our sleeves to create everything from scratch.” That is the mission that Ethereal Confections lays out for their business. Noted for its selections of hand-made, small-batch sweet treats, this shop features a variety of delectable goodies, including truffles and meltaways, chocolate drinks, confections and nibs. Ethereal Confections also has an assortment of baking mixes available for purchase.
Location: 140 Cass St., Woodstock, IL
etherealconfections.com | 815-687-0320
The Bottle Shop
Best Wine Store
Owner Beth Tumas took the cork off her business in 2015, using her years of expertise as a wine sales representative for a distributor, as the foundation for her operation. Their core offerings include more than 800 wines from local vineyards here in Wisconsin, from both the East and West Coasts, and, as part of their international collection, wines from across the globe. The Bottle Shop also offers selections of beers, spirits, snacks and gifts.
Location: 617 W. Main St., Lake Geneva, WI
thebottleshoplakegeneva.com | 262-348-9463
Pesche’s Green House, Floral Shop & Gift Barn
Best Florist and Best Garden Center
For 50 years, loyal local customers and Lake Geneva visitors have relied on Pesche’s Greenhouse, Floral Shop and Gift Barn for their annuals, perennials and birding items. An FTD partner, Pesche’s can send flowers for any occasion, or craft stunning wedding bouquets and arrangements. Additionally, the gift barn offers an array of unique gifts, as well as adorable selections for the new baby in the family.
Pesche’s began with three greenhouses on land three miles west of downtown Lake Geneva. Under second-generation owners Robert and Mary Pesche, the business has expanded to 20 greenhouses with over 1 million plants. The Pesches’ son Nick represents the third generation of the family business.
While the gift barn is open all year, an April Open House kicks off the gardening season for residents eager to get their hands into the soil.
“The annuals just fly out of here,” assistant buyer Shanna Marx said, “and we always sell a lot of birdbaths.”
In the greenhouses, customers can pick up potted plants, cacti and succulents as well as hanging baskets to dress up porches and covered walkways.
At Christmastime, Pesche’s transforms into themed rooms with varied decor, made up of handmade wreaths, artificial trees, ornaments, and decorations. Customers can come here to choose the perfect live tree from its vast selection.
Year-round, Pesche’s plants, flowers, decorations, and gifts brighten Southeastern Wisconsin homes.
Location: W4080 Hwy 50 W, Lake Geneva, WI
peschesgreenhouse.com | 800-601-3434
