Gift Store With Michigan-Made Products Expands

Customers will have more merchandise and space when shopping for Michigan-made products by local artisians in downtown New Baltimore.

at 51059 Washington St. is planning to reopen May 1 at the larger building occupied by .

The natural soap store will close March 23 in New Baltimore and reopen in the Oakland County spot in mid-April.

The new space for Celtic Sisters, next to , will offer the gift store more room for displays of hand-crafted toys, jewelry, candles and, of course, slews of candies.

Michigan products proudly displayed

Sisters Colleen Klemmer of Sterling Heights and Maureen Logsdon of Chesterfield Township opened the boutique attached to the last June and have seen business grow tremendously.

"It's been fantasic," Logsdon said. "The Michigan-made products is really what's been bringing people in.

"People are really for that; they're ready to help each other in the state."

In the past year, the sisters went from displaying merchandise from six artists to now having 67 consignees--more than 60 percent of whom live in Chesterfield or New Baltimore, they said.

Deciding on Downtown New Baltimore

The store owners say setting up shop in the small waterfront downtown was the right move for them. And, many of their customers are excited about their location.

"I think people want the city to really rekindle what it used to be," Klemmer said. "They really want this to be a thriving little town."

"It's got everything," Logsdon said, noting the , museum, , and wine house. "It just needs to be developed."

New Business may rent space

Already, their move has attracted the interest of another proprietor, they said.

A business specializing in skin care and spa treatments has been in preliminary talks with the New Baltimore Historical Society, which owns the gift store building, about moving into the current Celtic Sisters location when they relocate down the street.

"That made it easier for us to make that decision," Klemmer said.

For more information on the store, including current store hours, visit its Facebook page or call 586-648-7189.