Business Type General Merchandise Stores

NAICS Code 452

Location 117 3rd Street, Baraboo, WI 53913

Nearby Businesses Spa Serenity, Beckpro (advertising), By Boots, The Grainery Organic Grocery, Baraboo Music, An Siopa Eire Irish Shop, Quintessential Quilts, Book World

Owner/Manager Rebekah and Mark Stelling

Special Store Activities eNewsletter, cooking classes, wine tasting, Baraboo Wine Walk HQ, Baraboo Pie Contest HQ

Year Opened 2004

Website http://www.bekahkates.com/

Phone (608) 356-3133

E-mail info@bekahkates.com

Community Profile Located in the Baraboo Hills, Baraboo (population 10,780; 10-mile radius 15,000) is home to the Circus World Museum and the International Crane Foundation. Nearby attractions include Devil’s Lake State Park, Wisconsin’s most visited State Park, containing unique geology due to past glacial activity; and Wisconsin Dells, a regional tourist destination with water and theme parks. Baraboo is the County Seat of Sauk County

Products Sold & Niche Developed

Bekah Kate’s carries a full line of kitchen accessories, specializing in gourmet product lines for the kitchen. Product lines also include gourmet food selections, bath & body products, children’s clothing, and gifts. Bekah Kate’s offers a local destination for Bridal Registries as well.

Market Segments Served

Bekah Kate’s is a community and destination house ware store for people looking for a personal experience with cooking items. The target market segments are individuals searching for quality and specialized cookware. Most customers are women age 35-65, although men and young homemakers are common. In addition to a store website, Bekah Kate’s maintains a weblog to update readers of recipes, store and communities activities.

Contributions to the Business Community

In 2004, Bekah Kate’s completed a renovation and historical restoration of their 1886 building, one of the oldest remaining in Baraboo. The building had been in disrepair and under-utilized. The second story had been vacant for many years, and now serves as sophisticated apartments. In addition to retail aspects, Bekah Kate’s offers well-attended bi-monthly ethnic cooking classes and social wine tasting events for the community. These cooking classes draw customers into the store and downtown area, building community while educating individuals on how to use the range of products available in the store. Cooking classes are sponsored by The Grainery Organic Grocery and Pierce’s Grocery Store to provide locally sourced produce and support local businesses. Proprietors Rebekah and Mark are very active in Downtown Baraboo Inc, the downtown Business Improvement District board, and in planning community events. Bekah Kate’s organizes the Downtown Baraboo Wine Walk, an activity where participants tour 15 businesses while sampling wines in each location.

Certified in the Wisconsin Travel Green program, Bekah Kate’s has strong commitment to the environment through not only store operation, but also education and outreach. All of the glass, plastic, paper, and metals used in the store are recycled, and packaging materials are reused. Bekah Kate’s holds a bi-annual “recycling sale”, offering discounts to customers who bring in pre-used Bekah Kate’s shopping bags, as well as offering a reusable canvas bag which allows customers to receive a discount every time they use it.