If you’ve driven Highway 61 through Grand Marais this year, you might have spotted a curious little cabin behind the Harbor Inn. That cabin is Roam & Whimsy Co., a pint-sized gift shop with a fairytale charm (and what might possibly be the coolest roofline in all of Cook County). The artist behind Roam & Whimsy Co. is Gina Joyce, a multi-talented maker and entrepreneur. Her store is home to her two other brands: Marais Made, a handcrafted gifts brand; and MinneCafe, a cottage food brand focused on gourmet cookies. Together, they form what Joyce calls a “whimsical wandering gift shop,” intended to spark joy and curiosity in all who stop by.
While creativity has always been a part of Joyce’s life, life as a small business owner and artisan wasn’t a career path she originally planned to follow. Coming from a corporate background, Joyce’s creative work fell by the wayside until the birth of her daughter in 2022—an event she said caused her creativity to come rushing back. Joyce left the corporate world to start her own creative businesses, initially selling her cookies and crocheted items at the Cook County summer markets.
“The purpose of what I set out to create with Marais Made and Roam & Whimsy Co. is to spark joy, and I hope my customers find whimsy wherever they roam,” said Joyce.
Under the Marais Made brand, Joyce creates a variety of handmade gifts and household items, with a focus on crocheted goods. Some of the items she crochets are chickens, succulents, mushrooms, and coffee mugs. As a self-taught artist, her creative process is rooted in discovery and exploration; her sources of inspiration include her surroundings on the North Shore, the many visitors she encounters, and her daughter, whose middle name happens to be Marais and who can always be counted upon to get curious about and test Joyce’s creations. In addition to crocheted toys and decor, she also makes jewelry and household goods like baskets.
As part of a new generation of small business owners in downtown Grand Marais, Joyce’s story highlights the power of community in helping a creative business come to life. Her journey into crochet itself began when she visited Dappled Fern Fibers, another Grand Marais business that opened within the last five years.
“I actually started crocheting when I first moved here. I went to the fiber circles at Dappled Fern, but I didn’t know how to knit, so I thought I’d try crochet. That inspired me to keep going every Saturday—I continued to learn and get better and the community and interest just built from there,” Joyce said. “I came from a corporate industry that was very male-dominated, and to see so many female entrepreneurs and artists here lit my spirit to go for it.”
And how did the building itself wander into the picture? After seeing the support her craft received at the 2023 summer market, Joyce decided to create a (somewhat) permanent presence in town. She knew of a builder in central Minnesota who made garden sheds and decided to give him a call. The building they designed together is a work of art itself, built on a trailer from almost all reclaimed and salvaged materials.
“Roam & Whimsy is a fitting name for it because not only is it whimsical, but it’s on wheels so the shop could roam anywhere and you stumble across it while you’re roaming,” Joyce said.
In addition to her own creations, Roam & Whimsy is home to a selection of items that Joyce curates from other makers.
“Our 60 square foot shop may be small, but she’s mighty! In the four short months since we’ve opened, I’ve had the honor of not only selling my Marais Made goods, but also carrying work from 25 female artists and entrepreneurs, six local Grand Marais artisans, six Minnesota makers, three Latina cooperatives, and a handful of international vendors…and counting! It’s an honor to share their amazing work and see these cherished goods bring our customers joy,” said Joyce.
To learn more about Roam & Whimsy Co., visit: roamwhimsyco.com.