Purse Fashionista Grows in Unlikely Place

Tool and die shops, machining facilities, and a gift shop and boutique; not the most likely of matchups, but for Shawna Jesse, who has been a distributor and sales representative with Miche Bags, you bloom where you're planted.

Jesse, who was the first distributor for the handbag company in the Milwaukee area, has been operating for four years, and used the warehouse space for her business. Her husband softened the edges inside, so once you're indoors, it's easy to forget where you are. 

Located on S81 W18356 Saturn Drive in the Muskego Business Park, the space has now undergone another transformation and a name change - Purse Fashionista's Secret Nook - and now includes retail selling space to complement her original distribution space. Handmade jewelry, soaps, baking mixes, knitwear and other items are now for sale along with some of the handbags.

"Because I'm a small business, I want to support other small businesses as well," Jesse said. "I'm still hoping to get in a floral designer and Alterra coffee, as they're locally-based as well."

Not sure what to get that hard-to-shop-for woman on your gift list? Talk with Jesse, and she will help figure it out, and can also suggest gift baskets to customize.  She said she is also considering developing a gift registry to allow women to make it easy to pick out the right gift by leaving it in plain English on registry cards.

The shop is open Tuesday and Wednesday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.