Shopping

The Madison shopping scene has always had some eclectic offerings. Although the malls and a few other shopping areas have most of the major name brands represented, the locally owned businesses have survived a long time on their faithful fans and a community ethic of supporting the home team.

On the east side, just about where the passing Interstate crosses East Washington Avenue/US 151, is East Towne Mall and its surrounding neighborhood of big box stores such as Best Buy, The Home Depot, as well as Wisconsin-based Shopko, Kohl’s, and Menards. The anchor stores at East Towne Mall are JCPenney, Sears, Boston Store, and Dick’s Sporting Goods. There is a midsize Barnes and Noble next to the food court. On the west side is West Towne Mall at the Gammon Road exit of the Beltline Highway. A bit busier than the eastside mall, West Towne is anchored by the same big name stores. To the west of the mall is a row of big box Best Buy, Kohl’s, Shopko, Cub Foods, and a large Barnes and Noble Bookstore. A scattering of strip malls and big stores sits just west of the westside Beltline starting from Mineral Point Road exit and continuing north to Middleton’s Greenway Plaza, another popular shopping destination. More central is Hilldale Mall at Midvale Boulevard and University Avenue. It’s smaller and more boutique feeling than the two larger malls and its Sundance Cinema and its surrounding restaurants including The Great Dane brewpub make it an evening destination as well.

But for the boutique and unique, look elsewhere. Madison is the kind of place where a random store might exist in the middle of a residential neighborhood. But there are a few good best bets throughout the city. Downtown is the biggest. With the presence of Gap, American Apparel, and Urban Outfitters, State Street has lost a little bit of its local edge, but long-standing specialty shops still carry on. The nice selection of restaurants and coffee shops with sidewalk seating in between makes for leisurely window shopping as well. Many will combine a stroll down State Street with a Sat morning trip to the farmers’ market on the Capitol Square. Watch for July’s Maxwell Street Days when most of the State Street shops put sale priced merchandise out on the sidewalk and street.

On the near west side Monroe Street offers two short stretches of neat little shops, galleries, and restaurants in the 1800-1900 blocks right across the street from Trader Joe’s and again farther west in the 2400-2600 block area. Also on the west side, the length of University Avenue west past the University Hospital shows various small strip-mall shopping centers.

On the near east side is Williamson (Willy) Street, the length of which offers a scattering of neighborhood shops and eateries and a residential setting (although the street itself is rather busy). Farther east from there on the same road is the Atwood/Schenck neighborhood which has a similar feel to Willy Street. North Sherman Avenue has a couple little strip malls and is trying to breathe some life back into the northside neighborhood with a few specialized food stores, a bookstore, resale shops, and restaurants. There is ample parking at both of them.