OSHKOSH (NBC 26) — Just in time for Halloween, a new storefront is open on Main Street in Oshkosh. Bleak Boutique offers dark-asthetic decorations and gifts, as well as nearly 100 different types of soap.
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Jen Steffen, a Wisconsin graphic designer, has always had a love for a specific style– one she calls "witchy."
In 2022, she turned her love into a business.
“Things I wanted in my home, and when I couldn’t find them I started designing them myself," she says.
It's called Bleak Boutique.
“We’ve always felt very welcome in Oshkosh," Steffen says.
She offers darker-aesthetic home decor and nearly 100 different types of soap.
“We have scent blends that are inspired by old Gothic cathedrals or antique book stores," Steffen says.
She started by selling her goods online, then she attended vendor markets and expos.
Now, she has her first brick-and-mortar place on Main Street in Oshkosh. In February, she'll be moving to a larger space a couple doors down.
“It’s just like out there, I don’t think Oshkosh has ever had anything like this," Hailey Binder, a customer and long-time fan of Bleak Boutique, says.
The storefront is a niche space for macabre-enthusiasts, but Steffen says she hopes to be a spot for the Fox Valley as a whole.
“I think just about anyone could come in here and find something that they would like," she says.
