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    Juju Gifts and Décor fuses function with fashion
     
    By Julie Lawrence RSS Feed Twitter Feed
    OnMilwaukee.com Staff Writer

    E-mail author | Author bio
    More articles by Julie Lawrence

    Published May 25, 2006 at 5:25 a.m.
    Tags: juju gifts and décor, third ward, launch angel, home decor, nichole nikolic, wendy pawlyshyn

    Everyone's got to live somewhere, and chances are, if you've got a home or apartment, you're going to need to decorate it. With so many styles to explore, home décor stores are something that a city can never have too many of, right?

    Sure, stylish high-end home accents stores are suddenly popping up all over the place in Milwaukee. But what about a hip décor boutique that is actually affordable? Now there's a new concept -- one that business owners Nichole Nikolic and Wendy Pawlyshyn thought they'd try on for size.

    With their combined powers of style and common sense, the two women are opening JuJu at 222 E. Erie St. in the Third Ward. According to co-owner Nikolic, the gifts, accessories and home décor store is stylishly focused on being "hip, yet conventional."

    "I think we consider it to be stylish, but not way out there or over the top," she says. "When we say 'conventional,' we mean 'useful.' Although our merchandise has an edgy, hip flare to it, we wanted to make sure to mention it was conventional, because sometimes when people think 'hip,' they think more artsy, as opposed to useful, pieces."

    Blurring the boundaries of what is functional and what is art, JuJu is a 1,500-sq. ft. space divided up into several categories, including:

    • Home décor -- Vintage, modern and traditional home accessories
    • Novelty items -- Specialty drink merchandise, magnets and humor office items
    • Seasonal items -- Gardening items
    • Paper products -- Stationary, greeting cards, books
    • Bath items -- Relaxation and massage tools, soaps
    • Kid stuff -- Small toys, decorative items for bedrooms, children's books
    • Special occasion -- Birthday, wedding, Mother's Day items

    Despite the store's hotspot location in one of Milwaukee's trendiest neighborhoods, Nikolic says that she and Pawlyshyn pride themselves on being a place people can afford to shop on a regular basis.

    "What's different about us is that we're not positioning ourselves as high-end store," she says. "We're trying our best to stick around the gift-giving sweet spot, which is about $35. That's what most people feel comfortable spending on gifts."

    JuJu also features personal accessories, such as jewelry, priced between $15 and $200, and purses, ranging from $30 to $100. As for brand or label loyalty, Nikolic says they aren't sticking to specific lines -- rather, they are driven by specific pieces and are focused on highlighting their product diversity.

    "We've been inspired by the really great little shops that we loved when we lived in Minneapolis," she says. "When we moved back to Milwaukee we had a hard time finding anything that was comparable to that shopping experience, so we're opening JuJu to help fill that void."

    JuJu was a finalist in Milwaukee's Launch Angel entrepreneurial initiative. It will open in late July at 222 E. Erie St. The Web site is jujugifts.com.

    11 comments about this article.
    Post a comment / write a review.

    Recent Talkbacks ...

    Posted by herbivore on Jan. 30, 2007 at 3:25 p.m. (report)

    I went there during an art crawl, and the place was very lovely. We were offered wine and greeted right away, and they were happy to help me find some unique items for an upcoming party. I found an adorable serving platter and bowl set for under $50. I would definitely go back!!

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    Posted by OMCreader on May 30, 2006 at 3:38 p.m. (report)

    i <3 mpls said: i hope it's like Patina in Mpls. I miss that store since I moved back to MKE.

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    Posted by OMCreader on May 30, 2006 at 7:02 a.m. (report)

    Libby Olson said: Ok kids have a good time and make some money. Don't put me on a give away email list. Say Hi to Chipper and I hope he has success in his new job. Lib

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    Posted by OMCreader on May 29, 2006 at 6:35 p.m. (report)

    Dejan Ristic said: Great idea! Looking forward to see "Now Open" sign! Good luck! Dejan Ristic

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    Posted by OMCreader on May 27, 2006 at 5:41 p.m. (report)

    clai green said: this is clai and ron from fred boutique, smart smart smart, hip trendy and affordable , we have the niche in the clothes market now you take it in the home department, cant wait , girls bring in any thing you want and we will market your store , but please dont carry the same purses, kidding. see ya and you will be a success.

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