SHOP EXCELSIOR features Water Street in Excelsior as best shopping in the Midwest

June 6, 2016, Excelsior, MN – As Water Street in Excelsior gets national press for its amazing and unique shopping, dining, family activities and its anchor on Lake Minnetonka, the SHOP EXCELSIOR campaign joins the old stores with the new, the trendy with the traditional, to invite locals and visitors to experience what is fresh and charming-as-ever on Water Street. Excelsior is hosting several shopping and fashion events sponsored by the Excelsior-Lake Minnetonka Chamber of Commerce: Open Late Thursdays, Fashion Week and The Runway.

Excelsior provides a shopping experience-not a transaction: In the last two years, Excelsior has been named "Best Shopping Suburb" in the Star Tribune's Best of MN 2016, one of Thrillist's "Best Suburbs in America," finalist for Parade's "America's Best Main Street 2014," one of Top Value Reviews' "50 Best Small Town Main Streets in America and "the North Loop of the west" by Allison Kaplan of Mpls.St. Paul Magazine.

Shopping on Water Street is an experience like no other-trendy and fashionable clothing and jewelry for women at stores like BUCK + FIR and Primp, stylish and high-quality mens apparel at J. Novachis (with custom tailoring) and Brightwater, eclectic lake style gifts at newly-opened Lake Effect and over-40-years-and-running Leipolds of Excelsior, exquisite home décor and design at que será and maison / My European Treasures & More, toys and games for the kids at Something Safari and young girls active wear at Ivivva, fair trade goods at Farrington's, arts and crafts at Artworks Art & Frame Inc. and Lakeside Yarn-the list goes on. See more on the chamber website.

But it is not all about the shopping; Excelsior is great for the whole family-pets included. Ride your bike on the Lake Minnetonka LRT Regional Trail fueling up at one of over 12 restaurants that line Water Street with dessert from Licks Unlimited, work by the lake for a day at The Commons – An Uncommon Workplace, hit the beach in the Excelsior Commons 13-acre park on Lake Minnetonka, ride the historic trolley, eat your way through the Excelsior Farmers Market, learn the history at the Lake Minnetonka Historical Society Museum, cruise aboard the Steamboat Minnehaha or a Queen of Excelsior public cruise, listen to live music by the water at the Excelsior Commons, catch the latest movie at the Excelsior Dock Cinema and finish your day at the Bird House Inn at Excelsior Bay, an 1858 Victorian Italianate B & B right on Water Street.

Upcoming Event Details:
Open Late Thursdays: New, year-round event where Excelsior becomes your Thursday evening spot. Restaurants feature festive cocktails and specials and stores host special events and stay open late. One example: GOLDEN RULE will be hosting small events, art camps, and ongoing workshops in their new space WORKSHOP.

Fashion Week: June 17-23 is the first ever Fashion Week with retailers hosting events and promotions all week long.

The Runway: Ending Fashion Week with a bang is The Runway, a fashion show accenting the trends of lake life and the fashions of 11 Water Street stores including Ooh La La, GRAY Home + Lifestyle, Amore & Fede and J. Novachis. Some boutiques will bring in fashions from other trendy stores - MPLS / STP Clothing Co. joins BUCK + FIR for the show and in a Pop-Up-Shop from 7:30 – 9:00 pm. Range Rover/Jaguar will showcasing the latest in fashion on the road. The fashion show will last one-hour with Excelsior stores and restaurants featuring events pre and post-show. Emceed by Kate Raddatz of WCCO-TV, the show is on Thursday, June 23, at Pique Travel (362 3rd St, Excelsior, MN 55331) with doors opening at 5:30 pm for the 6:30 pm show. Proceeds will support the Open Hands Foundation; tickets are $30, include two drinks and light appetizers and can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-runway-fashion-show-presented-by-excelsior-tickets-25417539545.

The After Party will be hosted by BUCK + FIR and The Suburban and sponsored by Smirnoff Sourced. There will be Excelsior Fashion Week Smirnoff Sourced cocktails and samples, live music from Sonically Speaking and people that bring a receipt in to The Suburban during the "After Party" showing they purchased something at a store in Excelsior the night of the event will get a free drink. The party starts at 9:00 pm at The Suburban (342 3rd St, Excelsior, MN 55331).

See enclosed article/segment ideas. Attached is a media kit with photos and photographer credits in file name.
Retailers and restaurants are available for interviews, please contact Tiffany Winter for interviews and other information.

Tiffany Winter, tiffany@cooksbaymarketing.com, 612-799-1643