They say you cannot go home again. After a move to other parts of Wausau, Sep and Rachel Alwin are now back downtown near where they fell in love to help others find some similar joy through Object Homewares.
The husband and wife began their journey together when working at Shepherd and Schaller Sporting Goods and have set up their Object Homewares business right next door. The establishment sells a mixture of sustainable new and older home goods and antiques the Alwin’s hope will transform the home lives of their customers into something more purposeful and intimate.
It’s a dream they’ve had for awhile.
“I was in healthcare and Rachel was in education,” Sep Alwin says. “At a certain point, we realized following our passions and creativity and hobbies was more fulfilling and decided to go into them full-time as our careers. We had always loved the idea of owning a small shop someday and over the last several years everyone has made big changes, so, now was the time.”
Creating the space
The process of finding their storefront which utilizes the pair’s interests in photography, writing, pottery, drawing, and older things only took a couple of months. Rachel Alwin attributes part of this pace to already having an extensive vision in their heads for some time.So far, everyone is loving the store.
“We have gotten absolute support,” she says. “When we have talked about this idea, so many people have said to me we have something special with what we bring as a couple. I think we complement each other’s strengths … it does not feel like work, it is like decorating our home.”
Setting Object Homewares apart
Of course, boutiques in the same vein are common in smaller and mid-sized communities. On a trip to Minocqua one can find similar storefronts, but, the Alwins add they do have things which set them apart. There is the mix of older and newer items, and many long-running legacy brands like Falcon Enamelware.
Sep Alwin says this is cool because, ultimately, given the longevity, the odds are people will be a part of the item’s lives, and not the other way around.
“I source antiques from Europe I import and sell which sets us apart from other antique stores,” Sep Alwin says. “They’ve been here a lot longer than we’ve been here and will certainly outlive us. It is a testament to the quality of these objects which we want to sell here within our store.”
Object Homewares is located at 314 Scott St. and has not set an official opening date as of this story’s filing. More information can be found on their Facebook page and they can be reached by phone at 715 – 298 – 0728, [email protected], or their business website in addition. Future updates may include a café, and, possibly, collaboration with Shepherd and Schaller, too.
Evan J. Pretzer is a contributor to City Pages. He can be reached at [email protected].
