Twigs + Twine owners announce Dec. 21 as final day
By Jason Arndt
Editor
The owners of Twigs + Twine in downtown Burlington will close their doors this month after serving the community for three years.
Twigs + Twine, 549 N. Pine St., owned by Shannon Walczak and Renee Wallace specializes in home decor, offers locally-sourced products, and sells a wide-range of items, such as embroidery and hats, candles and room sprays, shirts and accessories.
According to a statement on Facebook, the closure will be effective Dec. 21, and the difficult decision came amid changes in the owners’ lives.
“This decision was not made lightly, and we want to most importantly express our love to you for your support over the years,” the owners stated. “This little store was a big dream for the two of us. We came up with this crazy idea and opened our doors nearly three years ago.”
However, since then, both owners have dealt with challenges, in business and in their individual lives.
Shannon experienced a recurrence of breast cancer and Renee became a first-time mother, and both of those changes made running the business difficult.
“The store slowed down a bit, and we struggled to get people through our doors,” the owners said. “…We have decided to take a step back from our store and spend precious time with our families. After this year, we realized this is something we can’t ever replace – and we don’t want to miss a thing.”
The community showed a tremendous amount of support for Walczak, who received $22,326 in contributions from a GoFundMe page set up by Monica Frymier a few months ago.
On Nov. 5, the GoFundMe page reported Walczak had moved forward with radiation treatment after undergoing medical procedures.
Joy for Burlington
Early in 2024, the owners shared their story with Southern Lakes Newspapers on how the business came to fruition.
Walczak said she knew Burlington exhibited a remarkable charm when she taught in the community, a sentiment shared by Wallace, who also had a history of teaching local students.
They never taught in the same school but eventually used their differing specialties to create Twigs + Twine and focused on Burlington after exploring other potential locations.
“We looked at different places to open and there is just really nothing like Burlington, at all, so that is why we picked Burlington,” Walczak said at the time.
Wallace concurred, adding she and Walczak curated the store’s inventory, selecting vendors the two had met while selling their products at pop-up markets in Wisconsin and Illinois.
“We bring in a lot of goods that we create ourselves and then we also try to bring in goods from makers that we have met along the way,” Wallace said.
Fortunate for community
The owners reiterated their love of Burlington and the surrounding community in announcing the closure.
“We have both felt so much love over the years – we’ve been supported by long-time friends, and built so many new relationships through this shop,” they said. “We are thankful for those who have supported our business over the years.”
They hope to stay open for the remainder of December, inventory permitting, according to the statement.
The owners suggest customers use any store funds before Dec. 21 since they likely will have limited inventory by then and have no plans for replenishment.
Twigs + Twine is open from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays as well as 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays.
Although the duo plans to close the brick-and-mortar location, they will.continue selling items through social media, including Instagram and Facebook.
Visit Wallace’s business @themidwestmama_ on Instagram, or Rosie’s Craft Company on Facebook.
Walczak’s business is accessible at @fathersdaughterdecor on Instagram and Father’s Daughter on Facebook.
The owners also reminded patrons to support small businesses in the community.
“These little Burlington shops truly depend on every single sale, and they need you now more than ever,” they said. “Thank you all again from the bottom of our hearts for all you have brought to our business and lives. Please know we are truly excited to embrace what’s next in life. This is not a goodbye!”
-
-
-
-
-