Oshkosh has plenty of women-owned businesses to check out this Women's History Month (or any time)
OSHKOSH – Linda Chang knew it'd be difficult to start her own nail salon, but she still set out to prove she could.
Two years and a pandemic later, Chang is proud of how she's built The Finishing Touch Nails, 319 Market St., into a successful business.
"To be a Hmong business owner, I'm super proud of myself," Chang said. "Generations nowadays are a little bit different; there are a lot more Hmong women being independent businesses owners. I would like to keep that going for my kids to see that."
She reflected on her culture, which she said traditionally places women below men, especially financially. Though she said that is becoming less standard with younger Hmong generations, she's hopeful it helps her own children see that it is possible — and, though her parents are no longer living, she thinks they would be proud.
Chang grew up in Oshkosh, where she lives with her husband and five children. She said some days it's still difficult to believe she has a business downtown. But her dreams are growing: She wants to eventually expand The Finishing Touch into a larger salon — she is currently her only employee and would like to be able to offer more availability to her clients.
Of course, making the choice to run her own business wasn't easy: Chang made just enough money to pay the rent her first month open in November 2019. But she thinks it's important for women to model that success is possible if you're willing to make those sacrifices.
That same idea is ingrained in Chanda Anderson, who has owned Caramel Crisp Corner, 200 City Center D, since 2008. The shop started as a 2,000-square-foot cafe and has since expanded into a restaurant, kids' toy store, gift shop, ice cream parlor and — most recently — a bookstore.
"You have to have a strong business plan and you can't expect to make money in the first few years," Anderson said when reflecting on how her business has become successful. "You have to pinch pennies, work a lot of hours. And I still do, for that matter."
Anderson said she's constantly adapting her business. She tries to stay on top of trends and uses trial and error to figure out what's popular.
While it's hard work, these women are grateful for it. Chang said she's also grateful for the support she's found in her community.
"Women are more supportive of another woman business owner," Chang said. "The support that I get is amazing."
In honor of Women's History Month, we've rounded up a list of women-owned businesses that you can support, not only this March but throughout the year.
This is by no means a definitive list. According to 2012 U.S. Census data (the most recent data available in this category), there were 843 women-owned firms in Oshkosh. If you're looking for more, check out Visit Oshkosh's blog post on women-owned businesses in honor of International Women's Day.
Women-owned restaurants and food services
Megan Bartelt owns Carrot & Kale Juice Bar, 110 Algoma Blvd. The store offers healthy juices, smoothies and snacks. Bartelt opened the juice bar in September 2018 as an add-on to her business Bartelt Acupuncture in the same building.
Lisa and Brook Marshall own The Hangar, 1485 W. 20th Ave., an airport-themed restaurant that opened in 1978.
Get fresh produce delivered to your door year-round with Garden to Doorstep Organics. Luanne and Jim Pupeter own this family-run business that has expanded its delivery services as far as Madison.
La Sure's Hall Banquets & Catering
Shirley "Sure" and Tom Heisler opened LaSure's Cafe, Cakes and Catering in 1974. Today, their daughter and Vice President Bev Heisler runs the business that offers made-to-order treats and catering.
The banquet hall and garden, 3125 S. Washburn St., still hosts private events. The bakery offers cakes, pies, cookies and more.
Mara Rintamaki opened Mara's Brazilian Cuisine, 200 City Center G, in January to introduce her native cooking to Oshkosh. You can get traditional Brazilian dishes such as feijoada, stroganoff and carioca beans. It is currently only open for takeout, but she hopes to offer dine-in services in the future.
Rintamaki is continually trying out new recipes, so be sure to follow along on the restaurant's Facebook page.
Sweet Jules Bakes opened in February at 9 Church Ave. after its owner operated out of a shared kitchen in Appleton for four years through online orders.
The bakery offers from-scratch treats in-person or via custom orders.
Tamara Mugerauer serves up a variety of sweets at her bakery, 2271 Westowne Ave., which will mark 25 years this summer. She offers a tempting selection of cupcakes, bars, cookies, cakes, macarons and more as well as custom orders.
Lizz Redman and her husband own this local bakery that makes fresh bread and pastries.
The production kitchen, 1335 Planeview Drive, Suite 6, is only open from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday for walk-in sales, but you can place online and custom orders at their website or find their products at various businesses.
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Women-owned retail shops
If you're looking for custom-made apparel and "gifts with bling," look no further than 2 Blondes, 461 N. Main St.
Owners and sisters Tamara and Deanna Russell are "the two blondes" behind this vibrant shop that offers all manner of apparel, gifts, custom scrubs and more. Looking to personalize something? They can do it right in the back of the store.
AtomicKatz, 17 Waugoo Ave., is a proud purveyor of fine vintage goods. Owners Deb Toman and Sandy Prunty curate a selection of clothes, jewelry and mid-century modern furniture and home furnishings.
Barb Nelson opened Brinkley's Boutique, 419 N. Main St., in 2016. The shop sells clothing and accessories and is named after Nelson's granddaughter, Brinkley, who was diagnosed with Williams Syndrome at 11 months old.
Frugal Fashion, 420 N. Main St., is a consignment store owned by Danielle Helz. Stop in to find clothing, accessories and decor, or to consign your own lightly used items.
Kaitlin Tompkins owns this little shop that sells "locally sourced goods and greenery" to brighten up your home (and has the cutest Instagram presence, too).
The physical store, 757 Bowen St., is currently closed, but Tompkins is taking online orders and offering curbside pickup. Follow Kin and Co.'s social media pages for news on pop-up shops.
This shop at 224 N. Main St. sells all manner of unique and Oshkosh-themed gifts, as well as homemade candles and soaps. Owner Connie Day recently remodeled the space to make it even bigger and better.
Elizabeth Wolk opened Moss + Grant, 428 N. Main St., in the middle of the pandemic and never looked back. The clothing store also sells fun, quirky gift items for people of all interests and ages.
Moss + Grant closed its storefront in December 2022, but its online shop is still open.
The Turquoise Door, 511 N. Main St., is a boutique-style consignment shop for women. Sonia Ochowicz co-owns the business with her mother, Melissa.
Women-owned specialty stores
Carrie Olson and her husband opened 920 Tattoo Co. in 2012 and offer custom-made tattoos as well as piercings by appointment.
You can find just about anything at Caramel Crisp Corner, 200 City Center, including their famous "best cookies ever."
The shop also has a gift store featuring kitchen, food and home items and local goods as well as a cafe and ice cream selection. It expanded into a kids' toy store in December 2017.
Anderson's recent expansion is a bookstore, which features a large selection of nonfiction and fiction titles, children's books and cookbooks. She said she'll also order books for customers if they can't find what they're looking for.
Elsewhere Market/The Gibson Hall
Elsewhere Market & Coffee House, 531 N. Main St., offers an eclectic mix of home wares, beauty supplies, paper goods and other gift ideas. The market opened in December and the coffee shop followed in early March.
Kristen Hoopman owns Elsewhere, and Jessie Tadder is the managing director for the market and coffee house. Hoopman also owns the next-door Gibson Social Club, a private event space that opened in August.
It's not every day you see a local eye doctor, but Dr. Jill Anderson runs this boutique practice at 101 High Ave. Dr. Jill's offers family eye care services and frames and sunglasses.
Kristi Meredith has your furry friend covered with Pampurr'd Pet, 528 N. Main St. The pet supply store offers high-quality food, supplements and other pet supplies as well as grooming and trimming services.
Lynsie Bernier also offers pet training through Ideal Dog out of the store.
Owner Sydney Todd offers pet grooming services, pet sitting and dog walking.
Women-owned entertainment and activities
Stop by Adventure Games & Hobby, 408 N. Main St., for a wide selection of board games, fantasy games and more.
Owners Charlene Alecos and her husband moved Adventure Games to its current location in 2019 to expand for game nights and tournaments. It has a large area filled with tables for gaming and offers a schedule of weekly events.
Try your hand at solving a log cabin mystery, underwater adventure or a cold case at Escape Oshkosh, 146 Algoma Blvd.
Britney Racine co-owns the escape room with Sam Zamesnik. The two opened the business in May 2017.
Unleash your inner artist at this do-it-yourself pottery and art studio owned by mother-daughter duo Rebecca and Jessica Graf. Fire Escape, 423 N. Main St., offers walk-in opportunities to paint pottery and signs as well as classes, including a wheel throwing workshop.
Women-owned beauty and wellness businesses
Owner Stephanie Matulle opened her wellness center in November 2022 and provides a variety of services including Ayurveda, acupressure, yoga classes and an herbal pharmacy.
Rebecca Dailey has been offering beauty services in the Oshkosh area since 2019 but only recently expanded to her own storefront at 513 N. Main St.
Divine Beauty offers 3-D areola tattooing, sunless tanning, eyelash extensions, lifts and tints and brow services, facials and waxing.
Lea Ann Schneider owns the city's only hot yoga spot at Embody Yoga, 579 N. Main St. The studio also offers regular-temperature vinyasa and restorative yoga classes.
Chang's nail studio at 319 Market St. offers a personalized experience. As the only employee, Chang gets to know her customers individually and feels she has relationships with each one.
"I tell people, I'm not just your nail tech, I'm your counselor also," she said. "People can come in and vent without being judged, and I get to do the same."
It's also allowed her to get to know different parts of her community and state — some of her clients travel from as far as Waukesha, Manitowoc and Stevens Point.
Marissa Armstrong offers a custom, one-on-one approach to fitness classes at Marissa's Fit Boutique, 13 Waugoo Ave.
That unique approach allows her to create targeted workouts for each of her clients and improves overall strength training education.
Armstrong opened the studio in fall 2017.
Tamara Adelmeyer Ybarra offers haircuts, colors and styling services at Salon La Rousse, 317 Market St. Ybarra starts each appointment with a consultation to find the hairstyle that best fits each customer's lifestyle.
Stephanie Duwe owns and teaches at Simply Yoga, 2325 Highway 44, a yoga studio that focuses on power yoga, a type of vinyasa flow.
Tricia Wagner opened Trillium Salon in 1994 and moved into its current location, 200 City Center Suite H, in 2001. The salon uses Aveda and Kevin Murphy products to offer hair and spa services.
Contact Katy Macek at kmacek@thenorthwestern.com or 920-426-6658. Follow her on Twitter @KatherineMacek.
This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Shop these women-owned businesses in Oshkosh this Women's History Month
