I’m a person with a gift drawer. I’d like to say that I choose gifts specifically for every occasion and person, but there are times when I’ve been caught out of time, and need grab a hostess gift or something for a birthday girl or boy. Hence the drawer.

That means I’ll be heading back to Wren on Wabash, a new gift shop in Michigan City across from the outlet mall, to buy some bar shampoo (if you’ve not discovered this stuff yet, you need to—no plastic bottles!), adorable tea towels, and a cute printed canvas dop kit or two.

This addition to Michigan City, which quietly opened last week, comes from the delightful Lori Riester-Busch, who grew up in Chesterton, studied at Indiana University, raised a family and worked in nursing in the Indianapolis area for many years before returning to this area in 2020. 

Tired of 60-hour work weeks in obstetrics and gynecology, Lori was looking around for another gig. She recalled that there were lots of gift shops in Noblesville, where she had lived, the sort of place you could pop into a grab a last-minute present for a housewarming, hostess, new baby, or birthday. She also wanted something that would have a strong community aspect to it. “Then this popped up,” she says, gesturing around her new shop, which previously previously housed Sacred Dunes, a wellness center. “It was super cute and I didn’t have to do a ton to it. I thought, ‘Let’s give it a go.” 

The shop is pleasantly packed with all sorts of gift items, some Lake Michigan themed. “I asked a lot of people what they’d like to see in a shop,” she says. “And I’m trying hard to let people who make things have a place in the shop.” She’s featuring some local art, as well as carved bird sculptures by Rift Slater. In addition to local, she’s also trying to prioritize merchandise made sustainably, with non-toxic ingredients. Hence the bar shampoo and conditioner, all-natural-fiber baby clothes, and more. 

Lori has big plans for her backyard space, now an expanse of lawn that borders Franklin St. She plans to landscape it and open it up for, say, yoga classes, or markets for local makers. She envisions the shop as not just a place to buy things but a place for the community to gather. 

“This first year will be a learning curve to see what people want,” she says. 

Wren on Wabash, 410 Wabash, Michigan City, is open Monday through Saturday 10 am-5:30 pm., subject to change.

Other area gift shops worth a visit:

The Standard, on Rt. 12. Lots of Unsalted, No Sharks merchandise, as well as Italian sub sandwiches!

The Schoolhouse Shop in Furnessville (technically Chesterton). This under-the-radar gem has several rooms of great gifts, home goods, and high-quality men’s and women’s apparel.

Over Yonder in Beverly Shores. Local makers are represented here, as well as Indiana Dunes and other local-themed merchandise.