Stamp stores: Milwaukee, Madison, NW 'burbs of Chicago
 

My hubby and I will be making a fall trip to Chicago (just the 'burbs this time), Milwaukee and Madison, WI. Any recommendations on good stampin' stores in these areas? Steve is very supportive of my addiction (bless him!) so he wants to make sure I get to feed said addiction at least once on our journey. Thanks for your help!

Gink K! Gina K! She is very close to Madison. :)
http://www.ginakdesigns.com/

There is also an Archivers in Madison, and if you just Google "scrapbook Madison, WI" you will find a few others. I did a tour of Madison scrapbook stores last June. :)

This is my favorite in Milwaukee:
http://www.scrapbook-store.com/

Another fun shop:
http://www.broadwaypaper.com/

And totally unrelated to scrapbooking, there are amazing shops and restaurants in Milwaukee. Be sure to find a Kopp's Frozen Custard. Their burgers are HUGE and the custard is amazing! If you want any more MKE tips, PM me. I grew up there. :)

In Brookfield, just west of Milwaukee, there's Creative Pals, a cute store with stamping and scrapbooking stuff. (Next door is another bead store called Eclectica. Even if you aren't into beads, they have some interesting things to look at.)

http://creativepals.com/

I second the vote for Creative Pals in Brookfield. I live in Pa, but my brother and his family live in Brookfield and I always take an afternoon for this shop. I always find rubber stamps there that I can't find anywhere else. (It isn't too far from Kopps, you could do both :)

In Mukwonago (in between Milwaukee and Madison, sorta) is PolkaDots. Very cute LSS.
There is an Archivers at Gurnee Mills mall (north of Chicago)...check out the Ben Franklin in Oconomowoc (right off I-94 between Milwaukee and Madtown)....will think of more but on my way out the door--pm barbaralynn (she's hostessing some swaps on SCS), she knows the area quite well--will be back on SCS later tonight with more--or I will pm you--

Joy

Joy

There's the Cottage Stamper in St. Charles. They do a nice job with Amuse, Northwoods, and a few others. Small, but lots to look at.

http://www.thecottagestamper.com/

St. Charles is a very pretty area too.

I live in Oak Creek, just south of Milwaukee. My fav stores are the Scrapbook Store for scrapbook supplies and some clear stamps. Also, not far from the Scrapbook Store is Kopps. Chances are you will smell it before you see it! YUMMMM!!!!!! Also, Creative Pals is great...lots of stamping and it is the home of Whipper Snapper. I haven't been to Gina K's even though my family lives in Madison. Just keep in mind she is only open on weekdays so schedule accordingly! Have fun and enjoy this great part of the country!!

subscribing

Thanks ya'll for all the great tips. My hubby humorously commented that all of you are a little TOO helpful! Tho' is eyes did light up at all the recommendations for Kopp's. Just goes to prove that, indeed, the way to a man's heart (and wallet??) are through his stomach.

Oh, hon, if you're looking for great custard places, that's a whole other thread! <giggle>
Personally, I think Uncle Harry's in Waterford is even better than Kopps (heresy, I know). It's way smaller than Kopps but you can watch (and smell) them making the custard....
Seriously, you could do a Custard Road Trip (hey--is that a great idea, or what??).


Joy

If you want to come a little farther north, (from Milwaukee about half an hour) you could visit Legacy Scrapbooks in Cedarburg. And if you're there on a Tuesday or a Thursday, they accept competitor coupons! Or on Saturdays they do a free Make n Take from 10-2. :)

You guys are killin' me with the Kopps references.....I really need one of their chocolate milkshakes right now.....mmmmmmmmmmm! :) As for the Chicago suburbs, hit Craft Fancy in Arlington Heights/Palatine.....this place is great!

I second Kopp's (and Uncle Harry's-we used to go to them when they were also located in Mukwonago).

If you scrapbook there is a store in Waukesha- Serendipity Scrapbooks (they have a few stamps, but are primarily a scrapbook store).

Sorry Kopps - but Leon's is the best at 27th and Oklahoma in Milwaukee. They were the one and only when I grew up there. You can watch them make the custard also. Am very interested in the stamp stores in the area so I can plan a little trip down.
Sue

Leon's better than Kopps??? Thems fightin' words! ;)

I love Legacy Scrapbooks in Cedarburg, too! Forgot all about it! And there are so many other cute stores there, too! It's a day trip all by itself.

I forgot about the most important store in the Chicago 'burbs. IKEA!!! No, not so much a stamping store, but they have a ton of inexpensive storage solutions, and I like their square vases for stamping on and using rub-ons.

ETA -- there is a Ben Franklin in Menomonee Falls, which is a significantly shorter drive than Oconomwoc. My parents live just a few blocks from it.

StampinMelis,
By your picture, I really am a LOT older and really, Leon's was the ONLY one unless you count that little ice cream stand at the NW corner of the airport which has been long gone. You see, I left Milwaukee before Kopp's ( but they are good, too.)
Sue

As for NW Chicago 'burbs, here's a few that I've been to and I really liked both of them:

http://www.craftfancy.blogspot.com/

https://ssl.perfora.net/www.stampscr...dex.shopscript

I haven't been to this one, but someone else mentioned it.

http://www.thecottagestamper.com/

From previous posts, sounds like I need to head to WI. :D

This thread is fascinating!! I looked around a little and found the website for PolkaDots in Mukwonago.

http://www.stamperscupboard.com/

Apparently they changed the name from Stampers Cupboard to PolkaDots.

Also, please stop talking about custard!! I have a Culver's in town here and you guys are causing me to have impure thoughts about it! ;)

Happy Days
 

If Leon's is good enough for how many presidents, and other important people, they are good enough for me. When a president comes to Milwaukee, they had to stop at Leon's. St Lukes is a major hosptial and Milwaukee would not allow the streets to be closed so the last president could not visit.

After all, Happy Days is based on 3 different custard stands in Milwaukee and Leon's was one of the three. Leon's is way too close to St. Lukes Hospital so the last president that wanted to visit Leon's was not allowed to visit Leon's.

The scrapbook place NEAR Soutridge also has a Joanne & a half prize bookstore. Creative Pals in Brookfield. The place in Cerdburg I see at stamping conventiond and are great people.

Betty

Yes, PolkaDots used to be called Stampers Cupboard. Same owner, same place, different name.
Sun Prairie...love that town too, quilters heaven there with Itchin' to Stitch and JJ Stitches (are they still in town?)! THen we would head up to Waunakee to Mill House Quilts....that was always a fun road trip. Haven't done that for a LONG time.
I wasn't kidding about a Custard Road Trip. I think that should be planned for sometime in the very near future. Who needs stamping stores--we'll just eat our way through SE Wisconsin!

OK - you all are making me both hungry and itching to find these stores. I'm heading to Milwaukee in 2 weeks, and have to drive through Madison.... Except my parents have lots of activities planned to do with the grandkids, so I might get a Kopp's/frozen custard fix (I worked at Robert's, which took over the original Kopp's building), but don't know that I'll get to any of the stores. I hope you have fun on your trip!

Stores in Madison...

Michael's -- both east and west side.

Joann's -- Again, both east and west side.

Archiver's -- Actually in Middleton, in Greenway Station (Which is also where Michael's is), off HWY 12.

Scrapbook Superstore -- Odana Rd, just a block east of JoAnn's. Mostly scrapbook, but they do have some stamps and many papers & Accessories are grouped together by occassion/holiday.

Wisconsin Craft Market -- A mile east of Scrapbook Superstore, on Whitney Way off Odana Rd. An all-inclusive craft store, with one aisle of stamps and two more of general paper crafting supplies (have to include this one as my aunt works there! *g* ).

Gina K -- Just south of Madison in McFarland, off HWY 51.

Just For Keeps -- Farther south on HWY 51, in Stoughton, WI -- can't miss it, it's just over the bridge as you enter the downtown area.

There used to be a scrapbook store on the east side on Lien Rd, near Michael's, but I don't know if they are still there. I don't get over to the east side very often.

Hobby Lobby -- off HWY 12/18 on Broadway, South Town Mall.

Oh, forget the custard--go for the ice cream while in Madison, either Babcock Dairy (sold at the Memorial Union) or The Chocolate Shoppe (several locations, including West Towne Mall on Odana).

~Heather

Oh I was just teasing! :) I don't honestly know that I have ever had Leon's. I grew up blocks from the Kopps in Tosa that is now Robert's (if it is still there). I also loved Gillies' sundaes. :)

There is also a great scrapbook store in Delavan, WI--west of Lake Geneva and SW of Milwaukee--Memories From the Heart. Web site is www.memoriesfrom the heartwi.com They are definitely more for scrapbookers than stampers, but great selection of paper.

I thought the Stoughton store closed (last year maybe?). I'm not familiar with Stoughton especially, but I know that a stamp store located there closed. Is there more than one?

The scrapbook place just off Lien Road is still there and has more stamps now (there was a stamping place in the very same strip mall that closed and I'm sure that had an impact). I should know this, as I drive by it regularly and stop by when I can, but I'm pretty sure it's called Scrapbooking and Stamping Memories (there's one in Janesville, too).

As to the quilting places in Sun Prairie (I don't know how to quote more than one post at a time, doggoneit), the one in the strip mall on Main Street closed and I'm not sure about the other one. There was a stamping place that closed about 5 minutes after we moved here, too (just over two years ago).

subbing!

Yes, unfortunately Just for Keeps closed last year. :(

Hey ladies! Leon's Custard is great...so is Kopps. To be honest, I like Kopps food better...JMHO! The stores in Cedarburg make it a great stop, if you have an afternoon to spend! If you do hit the 'burg (as the natives call it!) make sure to have lunch at the Chocolate Factory, they have great subs. Then, walk next door to Aunt Amy's for a massive caramel apple! YUMMO!!! JJ Stitches, the quilt shop in Sun Prairie is still open and is a great stop. I know the store in Stoughton is closed but you can always hit Fosdel's Bakery for a chocolate donut! You should go to Stoughton anyway. It is my hometown and a really neat place to visit...sorry, I am a little biased! Have fun and enjoy your visit!

Well, shoot everyone already mentioned my favorites. But The Scrapbook Store is literally on the same street as one of the Kopps (on S 76th St near Southridge), so you've got to go there. But Leon's is also worth a stop--I used to live on south 25th about 4 blocks from there... And the Archiver's in Gurnee is pretty nice. I seem to always spend money there... For stamps, I think the store is Janesville has a nice selection, but that will be a bit out of your way if you were going straight from Milwaukee to Madison on 94.

OK--frozen custard and stamping--two of the best addictions to have! Leon's, Kopps and Uncle Harry's are all awesome for custard. Food is great at Kopps too!

Stamping---Creative Pals in Brookfield--home store for Whipper Snapper stamps, Gina K in McFarland (need I say more) and stamping memories in Madison or Janesville are must stops! And, in Chicago, Ikea for sure. We have some good Michaels, Joann's and Archivers in the area of SE Wisconsin and NE Illinois, so check them out too. Polkadots in Mukwonago is a cute store to stop at also. OK--all of the stores mentioned in this thread are great!

Have a great trip and let us know where you stopped! Hope we have helped--Barb

They are still there as of last weekend, when I drove past, had the hubby with so I was not able to stop.

That's too bad. I usually stopped in during Syttende Mai, but wasn't able to get down there this year, and when I was trying to search for them they were still coming up in the Stoughton business directory. I second what another poster said about stopping at Fosdel's bakery, though. Lots of yummy treats to tempt your taste buds!

It's good to know the scrapbook store on the east side of Madison is still open. I did know Jazzy's (stamp store) had closed, as one of the vendors at the annual Nov stamp expo had mentioned buying a lot of their close-outs.

Heather

If you go through Janesville, Crackerbox Palace is also a great stamp store to visit.

I have heard good things, but have never stopped. Where is it?

It's in a residential area:
http://yellowpages.rrstar.com/cracke...331p.home.html

Crackbox Palace
 

I love the Crackerbox Palace...and the owners too! :-D

Check this link out... http://durandconnie.blogspot.com/200...ox-palace.html
If you need to know me just ask - they are one of my favorites. I think I will escape to their place now. LOL. I need my fix.

I am SO up for a custard road trip.