Although online and e-commerce businesses are growing nationwide (and we even had a consultant tell us to close our shop and work from home), we at Hitch Studio still love having an actual store to shop in downtown Brookings, SD. We do our fair share of business online, but we get the most satisfaction out of hearing people laugh at our funny products, seeing our favorite customers, and realizing our dreams coming true. Why did we choose Brookings, SD to open our store? What would bring tourists to Brookings shopping (especially to our paperie/stationery/gift shop)? Well, what’s the thing you remember most about a city you visit for the first time? The looks? The friendliness of the people? The ease of getting around the city? The dining options? The vibrancy of downtown? The “things to do” list you found online before you visited? My vote is for all of it. It’s about the experiences.
As the owner of Hitch Studio, a paperie + gift shop in downtown Brookings, I hope any tourist would find our Main Avenue full of fun shopping, great dining and some fun nightlife! I travelled to Stillwater, MN a few years ago, and some girlfriends and I spent an entire day downtown. We took dance lessons in the morning, shopped all day (of course I visited their stationery/graphic design store), went to a wine/cheese/charcuterie bar, and saw a movie that night. We even went back the next day for a spa day and lunch! It was so much fun and memorable and I would recommend it to anybody. I think the visitors of Brookings’ downtown would say the same! Our downtown alone offers yoga and dance classes, shopping for kitchen supplies, cooking classes, antiques, gifts, boutique clothing for men, women and kids, bookstores, pawn shops, upcycled furniture, handmade art shops, massage therapists, bike shops, and more. Brookings’ downtown can wow tourists of any age with its newly renovated movie theatre, craft beer brewery, classic hamburger shop, amazing children’s museum, great library, sports bars, and restaurants leaving you with culinary experiences.
There’s that word again: experiences. Beyond our downtown, Brookings tourists could enjoy the city gardens, concerts in our arena, outdoor activities in our nature parks, golf courses and museums. Tourists visiting Brookings’ downtown could gain a full day of memories — of the friendly people, the welcoming aesthetics, the dining, the shopping, the energy — it’s all part of what makes this Midwest city feel like home. We welcome tourists to experience downtown Brookings for themselves! We welcome you to stop into Hitch while you’re exploring!
