Poppy Things

Poppy Things Poppy Things is a small shop in the heart of downtown Suttons Bay, MI where we celebrate the art of handmade through a curated collection of goods.

We highlight local artists, as well as handmade artists throughout the U.S. and around the globe. Poppy Things is a small shop in the heart of Suttons Bay, MI. She sits on the beautiful stretch of road, famously known as M22. Here is where we celebrate the art of handmade through a curated collection of goods. We highlight artists local to the Leelanau region + Michigan as a whole, as well as arti

sts from throughout the United States and handmade women’s collectives from around the globe. Owner, Chelsey Skowronski, also makes a small selection of goods such as handmade linen tea towels, accessories, and eco-focused clothing. We believe in kindness, human rights, taking care of our planet, and knowing where our art, clothing, and goods come from. We hope to see you soon!

These ladies are the reason PT ran so smoothly during our busiest summer to date! The shop wouldn’t have thrived this se...
09/07/2026

These ladies are the reason PT ran so smoothly during our busiest summer to date! The shop wouldn’t have thrived this season without them, and I’m so incredibly grateful to have such an amazing group of women on my team 🥰🌊✨☀️

From making sure everyone who walked through our doors felt seen, to pricing absurd amounts of Maileg mice accessories, to keeping up with the constant cleaning and garden watering and SPIDERS 😅😅

Thank you, my sweet team! Darci (middle) has headed off to her final semester at Bowling Green, and this *might* have been her last summer at PT although I selfishly hope not. Cindy (left of Darci) is enjoying her last few weeks in Leelanau before returning to Texas for the winter, where she is a rodeo spokesperson 🤠

Jessie, Linda, and Amy are stuck with me year round! These ladies help keep my head screwed tight. Savannah will be back more after her season at Martha’s Table is finished, and Peyton is helping us this off season too!

Now that there’s a tiny slow down, this week I’m focusing on The InterArts Collective wall painting and getting back to folks via email.

Thanks for being here!
Xo, Chels

Mornin’! It’s a GORGEOUS weekend ahead to enjoy the Land of Delight ☀️🥵✨❤️Get all the fresh produce, those last swims in...
09/05/2026

Mornin’!

It’s a GORGEOUS weekend ahead to enjoy the Land of Delight ☀️🥵✨❤️

Get all the fresh produce, those last swims in, those marshmallows roasted—the unofficial end of summer things in! (We will still be swimming well into September though.)

Hours for the weekend:
Saturday: 10-6
Sunday: 11-4
Labor Day Monday: 10-2

Hope to see ya!

Stocked up for the final push of summer ✨🌊☀️Sorry not sorry, but any remaining summer apparel has been moved to our sale...
09/03/2026

Stocked up for the final push of summer ✨🌊☀️

Sorry not sorry, but any remaining summer apparel has been moved to our sale rack by the fitting rooms! The racks on our main side are predominantly mixes of polka dots, gingham, and stripes in shades of green, blue, and brown. Apparently, nothing in the warm color family is set to arrive for a minute 🤣

Amy is holding down the fort today as I am with Jack, my youngest for his second go round of Tubes and this time Adenoids as well! I’ll see y’all Saturday if you stop by 🥰

Xo, Chels

This November, Poppy Things as a storefront will be 7. Lucky, beautiful, number 7.Even when I’m exhausted after a busy s...
08/31/2026

This November, Poppy Things as a storefront will be 7. Lucky, beautiful, number 7.

Even when I’m exhausted after a busy season, the shop remains my safe haven, my true home. Whenever anything feels uncertain, I’ve always had the shop as a constant. And that has been the greatest gift, to do what I love everyday and share it with all of you.

2026 to date has been my strongest year in business yet. The reputation we’re building in our community, throughout Leelanau County, and as a destination when visiting Suttons Bay is at a phenomenal high, and I’m so grateful.

Amidst the success of this year, I have been feeling the lowest of lows in terms of stability of the building where Poppy Things has built a home the last 7 years. I haven’t shared much of this publicly, because there is so much up in the air and I value the relationship I have with my landlords (and the InterArts Building) very much, so much so, that I have been working towards purchasing the building this past year.

Long story short, throughout this process I had been working towards securing a 5 year lease while we sorted through the building purchase. That way, whether or not I am able to buy the building, I know that I have a secure location for at least that amount of time should someone else purchase it; giving me time to find a new location should I be displaced.

While I was assured verbally that I would be granted a 5 year lease, I continued making plans for improvements and renovations on my expanded space and current space. The day before I was to sign said lease, I was informed that my lease would only be through March, 2027. That’s seven months from now. They do plan to revisit the longer lease before that term is up, but all of this is to say—there’s simply just so much uncertainty right now in my location.

This is NOT an attack on my landlords or a call to action, while I do not like this situation I also understand why they are doing it. I’m writing this to let you all know that I truly don’t know if this is my last year in this location or not. I want to stay here as long as I can, and I hope that in a year or two from now I can write to you saying that I am the proud owner of this building. But for now, it’s just nerves, anxiety and unsureness.

This is also the reason I have not made any new progress with the InterArts space.

Please send all the positive vibrations, intentions, and prayers as I head into year 7. I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, even if that means that this location will no longer be my home. For now, we are here until March 2027.

Love you, Chelsey

Hi my friends, long time no talk! I took some time to go on a mini vacation with my kids to another beach town, and it w...
08/27/2026

Hi my friends, long time no talk!

I took some time to go on a mini vacation with my kids to another beach town, and it was nice to play tourist and visit a new place!

I think a true slow down has finally come to the county, but I don’t want to jinx it before things ramp back up for autumn colors. I am still “off” while Linda and Amy hold down the fort. I am moving to Lake Leelanau next week, so I am elbows deep in packing/boxes, trying to organize my life.

My life looks a tad wonky the next few weeks, with moving, my youngest having tubes/adenoids surgery, and my oldest starting school. Just lots happening in my personal life, so the The InterArts Collective is on hold for a minute longer. My goal is to have the space ready by the end of October, but I will have a better idea after next week.

When I get the shop spiffied next week, I can’t wait to show you all that is hitting the floor! The website is on break for a minute, while we do inventory and refresh the shop.

In between all of this, I’m going to be swimming as much as possible and soaking up the beauty of Leelanau with my kids. We are excited to Polka this weekend—see you there?

Xoxo, Chels

As promised, the panzanella recipe so many of you in my DM’s have been waiting for 🍅🌱✨☀️🌊This is all approximate; taste ...
08/24/2026

As promised, the panzanella recipe so many of you in my DM’s have been waiting for 🍅🌱✨☀️🌊

This is all approximate; taste as you go, guys.

The dressing that will have you drooling:
-1/2 cup mild olive oil
-1/8-1/4 cup red w**e vinegar, start with less, add more if you like extra zing!
-1 heaping spoonful of Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard
-A good squeeze of honey, probably about two tablespoons
-2 Large Cloves of grated or pressed garlic
-generous pinch of flaky salt and pepper
(Whisk it all together)

The salad:
- 1 pint of sun gold/cherry tomatoes (local or your garden are best!)
- 1 chopped cucumber
- 1 scallion
- A healthy handful of basil, julienned
- A decent cluster of chopped chives sends it over the edge

Mix the base of the salad and the dressing together, top off with a healthy dusting of Parmigiano-Reggiano and add croutons. If you don’t bake your own croutons with the bread you’ve made from the flour you milled with the wheat grown in your backyard, store bought is fine.

Enjoy! The store is open this week, but I will be on a mini-vacation with my greatest joys, Leo & Jack! The store remains so much busier than we are used to for this time in August, so please be patient with the team while I’m gone. We sold through much of Lidia’s Polish Pottery over the weekend, so if you’ve been wanting something—this week might be the week to do it.

Xo, Chels

*heavily exhales* Hi my friends, how are you? If I’m being honest, I am just alright. Like it’s GOOD, things are GOOD, b...
08/20/2026

*heavily exhales* Hi my friends, how are you?

If I’m being honest, I am just alright. Like it’s GOOD, things are GOOD, but there’s also so much s**t I can’t post on the internet, ya know? Or I could, but I gave up the bulk of my blunt internet openness just after my frontal lobe finally developed and with that; a filter of some degree.

There is a lot in both my business and my life that are currently transforming and/or are uncertain, and it’s just been a lot for such a short period of time. My ability to persevere and compartmentalize are out of this world, though. SO I’ve got that going for me.

Today was a short work day due to parenting duties and ENT visits, but it felt really good to begin remerchandising and deep cleaning the home decor side. I’m pretty sure I’ve barely touched it since May, and while we dusted and shuffled things around, she was overdue.

It always amazes me how little I have to work with in my displays at the end of the season. Making it look full again is the goal, but it’s nice to give my eyes and brain a break when we’ve sold through most of the “puzzle pieces” I’d normally have to work into my displays.

Polka Festival is coming up next week, and of course I had to do a restock of Lidia’s Polish Pottery, straight from their small studio in Bolesławiec, Poland! I love that on the bottom of each piece you’ll find the signature of each woman they employ—her pieces have so much attention to detail that I have found is rare in Polish Stoneware. I can ship anything, just ask!

It’s also peak tomato season right now. In adulthood I have formed a love for cherry and sungold tomatoes. 🍅 My kids picked, each and every single one of my green tomatoes before they even had a chance. And I live in the shade, guys. IT TOOK ALL SUMMER TO GET A GREEN ONE AND THEN???? At least Linda, my rockstar full sun gardened employee has shared her excess with me.

I have perfected my Panzanella recipe, using inspiration from an Italian restaurant my girlfriends and I visited in Chicago last year. I ate it at 10:30am the other day at work because it’s that good. I’m making another batch after this post 😅

Alright IG says this post is too long. Xo! Chels

08/13/2026

Is that okay???

Retail | Shop Local Michigan | Merchandising

Instead of writing a post that makes sense, here’s just a screenshot of my voice notes on my walk. This summer has been ...
08/13/2026

Instead of writing a post that makes sense, here’s just a screenshot of my voice notes on my walk. This summer has been wild, I haven’t swam as much as I’d like—the next few weeks we will change that.

Thanks for being here ❤️

Yo dawwwwggs ✨🥹🍅🪴 WOW July was wild. How are we already coming up on sidewalk sales tomorrow and the good ol’ NW Michiga...
08/06/2026

Yo dawwwwggs ✨🥹🍅🪴

WOW July was wild. How are we already coming up on sidewalk sales tomorrow and the good ol’ NW Michigan Fair???

This is my seventh summer as a storefront and man, every day has blown the last out of the water. I’m so grateful to everyone coming back year after year, spreading the word, stumbling upon us on the street, and following along my slightly unhinged and wild journey!

If you see me wearing sunglasses over my regular glasses or my eyes look glossy, I’m not crying, I just scratched my eye for the 3rd summer in a row. I blame sand debris from swimming. 🏊 but even though I’m sensitive to light I’ll be outside as much as possible tomorrow and Saturday to ring you up, shoot the breeze, and pet your dogs.

Friday and Saturday 10-6 we will be set up outside with our sales! If it rains we will move it into the kids section, but it looks like rain will hold off until the evenings.

I’ve been an office gremlin all week pricing everything, sorry if I missed ya! The The InterArts Collective renovation hasn’t made much progress, as it has been beyond busier than anticipated this summer and the shop has needed me more. I don’t currently have any applicants for fall, so I’m going to focus on the renovation once summer gets wrapped up and things slow down a bit!

Alright, if you see me today just ignore me because I should not be in public with my appearance 🤣🤣🤣

Love ya like a love song!

Xo, Chels

Address

326 N Saint Joseph Street
Suttons Bay, MI
49682

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+12318664125

Website

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