Road Trip! Treasure Hunting in Wisconsin

As the unofficial end of summer, the long Labor Day weekend seems to be one in which people like to cram in a trip to the lake or some other fun activity. Then again, there are folks who take on projects around the house or just work. For Lyn, the weekend was a combination of fun and work. She went garage saling, antiquing, and thrifting in Wisconsin. Simply put: road trip!

Lyn and her mom, Shirley, headed just northwest of Menomonie, Wisconsin, to Boyceville, a village with an area of a whopping 3.9 square miles and fewer than 1,100 residents.

The Grain Bin

The trip included more than garage sales and antique shops. Stopping at the Grain Bin was required. Located at E4548 County Road FF in Boyceville, the Grain Bin has LOTS of good stuff. Sweet, sour, salty, savory. See for yourself!

Colored sugar in a variety of hues, hard candies, gummy things, salty snacks, baked goods, herbs—you’ll find them all at the Grain Bin.

Pat was a big help at the Grain Bin. Lyn and Shirley had to stop there for the map and directions to the sales. They partook in a scrumptious cinnamon roll. But that was just their first visit to the store during their trip. The duo returned after sale hopping, and we’re reaping the rewards here at the shop. Yum!

Beautiful Barns and Great Finds

Lyn snapped pictures of all kinds of things. She walked out of the Grain Bin and the yellow barn below caught her eye. It was just perfect.

Top row: Who says barns have to be red? The yellow one is like butter! The white one had stuff for sale in it. Bottom row: One sale included bikes, a trike, and a tractor.

Giant gumballs for 10 cents. Chew at your own risk!

Food Break!

After all the hunting for treasures, it was time for something to eat. Welcome to Fatboy’s Bar & Grill, located at 805 Main Street, in downtown Boyceville.

Rick, the owner, and Wanda, the waitress, served up a three-piece cod meal with fries and coleslaw. The fish was average. The fries were DE-licious! The coleslaw, however, was not a favorite and tasted like, well, dirty dishwater. And, Lyn notes, “The flatbread square pizza was phenomenal: A+++++.”

To round out the meal, Lyn had a Spotted Cow, the beer she can’t leave Wisconsin without drinking.

Welcome to Fatboy’s beer garden!

This-That-N-Everything 

Some of Lyn’s fabulous finds:
zinc lids, old canning jars, an old 7-Up
wood crate, random milk glass pieces,
and this cool cabinet

Lyn had a bit of a surprise at This-That-N-Everything when met with owner Sharon Seeger’s brusque greeting and numerous questions. But Sharon’s interest in having Lyn there was apparent when she prompted Lyn to tell others about the store (whew!).

This-That-N-Everything offers crafts, angels, antiques, and collectibles—Avon, too. If you call ahead, 715-643-2533, Sharon will gather eggs for you from her chickens. This-That-N-Everything is located on Main Street in Boyceville. The store is open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

It was a good trip: neat barns, great finds, yummy food, tasty beer, and fabulous company. Can you ask for anything more?

These old finds set a great scene.

Changes Are Afoot

It’s my third week at Brown & Greene. The creative minds at work here are apparent. Ideas have been flying about, and we’re trying to figure out what we like, what’s doable, and how to bring possibilities to life. Changes are afoot. Brown & Greene is in the process of rebirth. You’ll see and experience some of the changes soon. Actually, you’re seeing one here: I’m blogging.

Some lovely silver letters that spell out the store’s name were delivered recently as part of our new signage. Sarah assembled the new sign this week. It will hang on the wall behind the front counter.

Sarah, our resident artist

We love the new sign! It'll look great on the wall.

Don’t worry; Brown & Greene will remain the lovely local flower market it’s been for many years. Lyn still owns the shop and leads the charge in designing amazing floral arrangements, buying for the shop, and making Brown & Greene what it is. And Sarah and Lisa continue to help Lyn with the flower fabulousness, as well as their usual tasks, while Nancy’s energy is keeping things going as she mans the front of the store, among other things.

Laurel and I are the newbies. We’re here to help with this and that, including generating marketing ideas and making them happen. I’m a writer. Laurel’s the photographer—check out our Facebook page for some of her lovely shots. You’ll see our work regularly in the blog as we partner to share the store—and whatever else comes to mind—with you. Stay tuned!