Emerald Lane: 19 Shops in One Stop

Meet Caledonia’s go-to girl if you want to get something done. That’s how residents described Kristina Hauser, the driving force behind Emerald Lane, a vendor market co-op located at 211 S. Kingston St.

The idea for the mall came to Hauser while she was driving home from La Crosse.

“God literally dropped this idea in my brain,” Hauser said. “Everything just kept flooding in. I saw the name, then I saw the green on the pillars. I saw the lane going down the middle, and I was like, “Well, I know what to do.”

Once the vision came together, everything else seemed to fall into place.

“I put the idea out there of this indoor mini mall, and people actually showed up to the first meeting to hear my ideas and see the space,” she said. “With some commitments, we just said, “Let’s do it, and we’ll figure it out as we go.’”

After the initial planning meeting, she held a second organizational meeting. She does not remember anybody showing up, but the core group remained committed.

“We started with seven vendors, and for the most part, nobody’s really left,” Hauser said.

The group marked off vendor spaces and opened the doors just before Valentine’s Day 2024.

Vendor spaces range from 10-by-12 booths to small display shelves attached to support pillars.

Today, the mini-mall has grown to 19 vendors and is bursting at the seams.

One of Emerald Lane’s biggest advantages is that it allows entrepreneurs to test the waters without taking on the expense of opening their own storefront.

“I mean luckily for me, I’m in a beautiful position in my life to be able to staff it and collect their money for them,” she said. “Many of them like being here when they can because they’re learned they probably make more sales if they’re here talking to customers. But it is not required.”

Emerald Lane offers a wide variety of handmade and specialty products, including boutique clothing, home decor, artwork, candles, plants, pottery, woodworking, crochet items, cards, soap, shampoo and conditioner bars, seasonings, blankets, comics and toys, Avon products, moss art, freeze-dried pet treats, and much more.

“You can’t buy freeze-dried beef liver or chicken hearts for your pets at Target,” Hauser said. “Once somebody buys those for their pet, they come back. I’m hoping people are seeing the benefit of shopping local.”

Asked about the vendors, Hauser quickly mentioned the plants located next to the front door. “Everyone heads to that corner first,” she said. “Jenny’s prices on her plants are excellent.”

She also praised Lash and Lace Boutique. “They were an established business before we opened, so we’re happy to have them here bringing in their customers,” she said.

Peacock Ridge Workshop has also become a popular addition. The man sources all his wood from Freeburg, making charcuterie boards and all sorts of great stuff.

Above all, Hauser wants Emerald Lane to remain enjoyable. “We have fun. That’s the point,” she said. “It’s not supposed to always be serious business. That takes the fun out of it.”

“This is rural America,” Hauser said. “The more we do together, the better.”

While the store attracts visitors from outside the area, Hauser emphasizes the importance of local support.

She enjoys seeing the impact local businesses have on the community. “I just smile when I see somebody walking down the street wearing a pair of earrings they bought here,” she said. “We’re a small town. It’s a small business. We’re just here to fulfill our little hopes and dreams, be creative and hope somebody likes what we have to offer.”

During Caledonia’s Founder’s Day celebration, the malls expands onto the sidewalk for the Kingston Street Crazy Days celebration

“I wanted to revive Crazy Days because it’s something I remember growing up with,” Hauser said. “It was such a fun day to go to town. It brings people together and gets people  (residents and locals) walking around downtown. We have four blocks of downtown. There’s no reason we can’t be one unit doing things together.”

Cash is king! Hauser encourages shoppers to pay with cash because each business is collecting their own money.

Looking ahead, Hauser hopes Emerald Lane simply continues to grow while maintaining its sense of community.

“I really hope we can continue to be here with the local support,” she said. “I hope we continue to attract small businesses that want to share space with us and be a part of what we have going on here.”

She believes Emerald Lane has become something special. “We’ve definitely grown relationships and friendships, whether that’s with customers or other vendors,” she said. “It’s become a really intimate community.”

Hauser also hopes Emerald Lane inspires others to pursue their own dreams. “I’ve heard from lots of people, both locally and outside of town, that I do inspire them to try things,” she said. “If it doesn’t work, try something different.”

Find Emerald Lane open Wednesday through Saturday, check their Facebook page for hours.