Surprises

Surprises! History

Surprises! opened its doors for business in 1992 on Sheboygan’s Riverfront. The store began humbly in a small, shared space with a second start-up business. After nine months it became clear that Surprises! needed more space to grow and that it had a future worth investing in.
Surprises! opened its own storefront on the Riverfront in 1993 at a time when Sheboygan was rebuilding the 8th Street bridge across the Sheboygan River. It survived being at a dead end when the bridge was closed, knowing there were still better days ahead.

A second business move came in 1995 as the store began again to need more space for expansion, moving this time to the major downtown shopping street in Sheboygan, 8th Street. 816 North 8th Street was the happy home of Surprises! for 10 years until the need to move again came.
The neighboring Sheboygan Theater was being renovated and expanded. Surprises! 816 location was sold to the expansion efforts. To move again, or close? With a loyal customer base after more than 10 years in business, a huge move was planned.
The new development, Deertrace Kohler, beckoned. Joining in a new, major retail development was a challenge that Surprises! felt ready to take on. The space was small, but the exposure to the world beyond Sheboygan looked promising. Being at Deertrace, along Interstate 43, brought many new customers from throughout Wisconsin and the Midwest. Shoppers from Manitowoc, Fond du Lac, Port Washington, and points further became regular visitors. Surprises! remained at Deertrace through June of 2012, becoming a 6 time winner of Sheboygan County’s Best Gift Shop designation.
With a lease ending and costs skyrocketing, again the decision loomed: Move yet again or close the doors. After surviving the difficult years of the worst recession in a lifetime, another move seemed necessary. With determination, a search was on to find a new home for Surprises!
The perfect location for expanded space and affordability led Surprises! back to Downtown Sheboygan. Now at 1104 North 8th Street, Surprises! looks forward to a future of continued successes, thanks always to the loyal customers of now more than 20 years!