A step above the rest
meet owner Kimberly Warner of Authentique Gifts, 625 57th St
Q. Can you tell us about your first weekend in Downtown Kenosha?
Kimberly: When we first opened in October, 2017, we didn’t anticipate just what kind of crowds came to Downtown Kenosha. Our inventory was very low, compared to today; I was worried I wouldn’t sell it all. But in that first weekend, we almost sold out of candles.
Q. What makes Authentique stand out in the crowd?
Kimberly: It’s all about the experience when you come to Authentique. We want it to be something different from your average gift shop. We are one of the only gift shops in the entire state to hold a Class-A liquor license – it allows us to sample any kind of beer or alcohol that we like, and also sell it. It was an essential step in completing the sales cycle. I had all this cool glassware, then I had these great bitters, but I didn’t have the actual bourbon to make the old fashioned.
Q. Tell us about the products you make yourself?
Kimberly: We make our own candles at Repour’d Candle Factory, located just a few blocks from our shop. We manufacture unique candles in reclaimed vessels, like beer, wine, or liquor bottles. All our scented candles are made with 100% essential oils blended in house.
Authentique is located in downtown Kenosha at 625 57th Street • 266-612-3032 • authentiquegifts.com • follow them on Facebook & Instagram
Q&A by Donny Stancato & Jason Hedman of the Ktown Connects Podcast, to learn more about Kimberly & Authentique listen to her full episode on your podcast provider Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube.
Photos by Donny Stancato & the Authentique facebook page.
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(This article appears in the Downtown Kenosha Magazine/Summer 2022 issue)
