Chris Writing Anything

I guess ‘a roadside attraction’ is how you’d refer to today’s featured place. I mean, it goes by a name, and I’ve seen similar places, particularly on highway roadsides, but I don’t know if there is a distinct label for their category; I’ve always called them tourist traps. And as derogatory as that may sound, I actually enjoyed my time at the Evanswood Village Shops.

The metaphor I care to use for such a place, or ones slightly comparable to Evanswood, would be a circus sideshow. It basically staves off boredom before the main event, but instead of a big top show, being that this time I was road tripping, it would be a prelude to your planned destination. And, as was the case today, just like a circus sideshow, the weird and different piqued our interest, so much so, that one day, we might stop by again.

Being that this place is simply a roadside attraction, I’m going to approach this post rather lightly.

Evanswood is located on Wisconsin Highway 10, somewhere in between Waupaca and Appleton. If you’re traveling that highway, don’t bother to google it. Big yellow billboards, and I’m talking the size of barns, are clustered all around this curious collection of shops. These stores are fun, if not a bit odd, and totally crammed with a crazy array of merchandise.

We first checked the liquor store.

Did I mention it was crammed? Along with things like moonshine,

we also stumbled upon game sausage and cheese

And, if you want to sample some good whisky, they’ll actually pour you half a shot.

Let’s say you’re not an alcohol drinker and, for some odd reason, you came all this way, suddenly remembering that you forgot to furnish your cabin. Man, did I find a shop for you.

In this place, you’ll find rustic furnishings galore.

Many of these pieces are simply slabs of log fixed to stripped branches.

Of course, with your new found rustic pieces, you’ll need similar accents. I found a shop for that too!

There’s some very creative lighting here.

And, while I’m not sure if this is merchandising genius, or a contrivance doomed for failure, this place’s bathroom had items for sale.

Finally, and I say finally only because not all shops were open. Maybe it’s because we visited this spot in early October….but, as I was saying, finally, we strode inside a confectionery.

Not only were there fudges from Mackinac Island,

but you can’t have a candy store without honey mustard sauce, right?

Or as an excellent punctuation, at least a punctuation to this spot, these dolls accentuate the randomness at the Evanswood Village Shops.

I know, I kind of made light of this stop. But why not? For the family driving for hours, this place is pure entertainment-and you might come away with a very eccentric souvenir. And sometimes, when bored with the road, it’s great to get out and stretch a bit.

Safe Travels!