Local Small Businesses You Should Support

Supporting small businesses is more important than ever these days, and I try to make a point to shop local whenever I can.

If you live in SE Wisconsin or Northern Lake County, this post is for you! I’ve rounded up some of my favorite local small businesses that I love– from beauty, food & drink, kid friendly to fitness and clothing. I’ve got ya covered!

*Note that some of these places might have limited hours or offerings due to COVID-19.

Salt Salon and Spa // Antioch, IL (Beauty)
My go to spot for all things hair, nails, color and beyond! They just moved to this location, and it is FAB. Read my full review here.


Adcock Farm & Co. // Twin Lakes, WI (Gift shop & workshops)
A darling little shop just over the border with unique and super cute finds: clothing/fitness/accessories, baby & kids, home decor and gifts, bath and body, you name it! Use my code VALERIE10 for 10% off your purchase in-store or online!


The Shanty // Wadsworth, IL (Food & drink)
Featured on The Food Network, this place is absolutely amazing. Besides it’s stunning interior, the food is equally amazing every time. My go to for date night!


Latte Cafe // Antioch, IL (Food & drink)
Charming and cozy place to meet a friend or do some work, lots of great coffee options or tasty treats or sandwiches!


ALC Medspa // Gurnee, IL (Beauty)
A full service med spa with great staff and lots of services! I get laser hair removal done here! More on that here.


Brainstorm // Lindenhurst, IL (Gift shop & kids toys/education)
This place is your one-stop shop for all things kids. All the educational toys at every level, plus school supplies for students and teachers alike, and tons of gifts for every occasion plus free gift wrapping! They even offer free story times and classes throughout the week. Check in on Facebook to get 5% off.


Goldfish Swim School // Mundelein, IL (Youth swimming)
Bryce has been taking lessons here for almost a year (Blake will be soon too!) The space is amazing, instructors are great, class sizes are small and it’s a super fun environment for the kids to learn. Learn more about our experience here. Get a free lesson with this link!


Snapology // McHenry, IL (Youth STEM programming)
Located in the lovely downtown McHenry with a charming river walk and shops, Snapology has a wide array of hands-on STEAM classes, camps, no school programming and party offerings. Read more about our experience here.


The Barre Code // Vernon Hills, IL (Fitness classes)
I’m a big fan of group fitness classes, and barre is SUCH a great workout. The studio in Vernon Hills is gorgeous, the atmosphere is super fun and motivating, and you’ll love the workout! Read more here.


Gurnee Donuts // Gurnee, IL (Food)
Move over Dunkin Donuts. Gurnee Donuts has got nothin’ on them. So fresh and tasty, it’s no wonder they’ve been featured in several media outlets. We even did a donut themed birthday party for Bryce with these donuts!


Do you have any to add to this list? Post a comment- I’d love to hear them and try them out!