The Northwoods Niche   Gift Gallery & Coffee Cafe

Our Mission Statement

To support our local artists and offer a marketplace for the endless variety of beautiful handcrafted work created by many talented people living in the north woods. We are striving to create our own little niche on the Gogebic Range. Hence the name, The Northwoods Niche!

Our Story (Our Dream)

The business began as a dream in 1984 when shop owner Deb Swartz was creating too many ceramic items to use herself or give as gifts. Deb began selling her extra ceramic pieces from the basement of her home under the name "The Bridle Path Country Gift Shop" in Saxon, Wisconsin. Deb lives in the country and owned horses at the time, so the name just fit. She also shipped ceramics to her mom's gift shop in Kankakee, IL. Mom's shop was called "Candles by Sue" because (you guessed it) her mom's name is Sue and she started making candles as a hobby, but just had to many; so she opened a shop to sell them. In 1986, Sue closed her candle shop and moved back north to Saxon, Wisconsin, near her daughter, Deb. They then opened a shop together in Ironwood, Michigan and called it "The Bridle Path Country Gift Shop". Sue had also started to create wedding bouquets with silk flowers, so the name fit again, but the spelling remained Bridle (as in horse bridle - it was always a conversation piece).  The shop specialized in wedding flowers and unity candles made with the bridal couple's wedding invitation as part of the decoration. Deb created ceramics, and two other local artists consigned their work to the shop; stained glass and decorative painting. Sue operated the shop on a daily basis, with Deb helping in her free time (lunch hours and Saturdays) after working a full time job and having a two year old to chase around. In the autumn of 1987 Sue made her own wedding candle and bouquet and remarried. The next year, her new husband convinced her that she should retire early and take it easy, and with Deb still working full time, the dream faded away for a few years.

In May of 2003 the opportunity arose again for Deb to revive her dream of an artists' gift shop in the area. She started her research, attended several local and regional craft fairs to sell her new artwork, stained glass. She continued to network with other artists and look for a location to open a shop; then come up with a name and a business plan. In May of 2004, the business opened it doors with 30 artists, as The Northwoods Niche. Deb now makes the stained glass artwork, as the original stained glass artist had to retire do to health reasons. The original decorative painter, Susan Luoma of Wakefield, Michigan, is one of the Niche's most popular artists and helps run the business. When the Niche opened, Deb's mom, Sue supplied the shop with decorative kitchen towels with crocheted tops. She had retired from her candle making and flower arranging several years ago. Sue has now also retired from crocheting due to health reasons, but really enjoys talking about the shop and viewing pictures. She has moved back to Kankakee, Illinois in the last year.

So, some twenty years after her original dream of opening an artisan shop, Deb has accomplised her dream.  She now has over 70 local and regional artists who sell their creations at the Niche.  Her only regret is that she didn't do it sooner, so her mom could fully enjoy the shop and work side by side with her.

Who We Are

Deb Swartz - Shop Owner,          Stained Glass & Oil painting

Susan Luoma - Decorative Painter

Mary W. - Creative Seamstress 

Kitty Ward - Shadowboxes, Antiques

Coros Honey Farm - Beeswax & Soy candles, Lip balm, soaps

Lynn Thomas -  Fur Teddy Bears, Mittens, Earmuffs, Headbands, Hats

Roger Zych - Pure Honey

Jamie Kortemeier - Soy Candles

Jim McKay - American Indian Art

 & Artifacts, Antiques, Painter

Bob & Jim Swartz - Woodworking

Vicki Magaw - Chequamegon Soap,

Beaded Jewelry

Cy Sorrels; Peg Sutherland;

Linda Christiensen; Pam Wilson;

Mike Wilson - Nature Photographers

Carol  & Don Decker - Ceramics

Jana Kozak - Antique China Angels,

Windchimes, driftwood ornaments & magnets, Jewerly 

Karen Kappell - Watercolor painter, slab pottery, jewelry, handmade paper journals  & cards

Pauline Wittry - watercolor painter,

jewelry, hand made cards

Bill & Pat Spars - whimsical wood plaques,  hand carved fish

Jean Hrabak - beaded jewelry

Sue Vogan - birchbark picture frames, mirrors, pins

Bill Kompsie - Bi-planes and ships build from beverage cans

Priscilla Blakeman - Decorative Painter on antiques & discarded stuff

Karen Jelinek - table runners, placemats, wall hangings

Bill Osterman - Taxidermist

Don Laessig - Woodworker

Pam Radtke - Scroll woodworker

Mike Salli - Primitive Woodcarver

Sandy Stella - Clay Jewelry

Roby Williams - Superior Moon Soap

Dee Baross - Leather Goods

Alice Manki - Local Watercolor scenes

Marcene - Wood & fabric crafts 

Jan Richter - Decorative Painter

Kim Balduc - Country Woodworks

Barb Peterson - Baby Sweaters

Alice Tobish - Knitted Items

Sue Bugni - Decorative Dish Towels

Diane Makela -One of a Kind Jewelry

Geri K- Magnetic Bracelets, earrings

Robert Fox - Pasty & Mining History 

Amy VanOoyan; Karl Bonak;

Earl Sell;