Shawano coffeehouse changes hands with former employee becoming owner
West Central Wisconsin is in a ‘pickle’
July 28, 2025
CHILTON – Previously working as a landscaper, Nicole Stroobants – owner of Inspired Expressions, LLC – said after the birth of her twins, she found a new “why,” and turned what was just a hobby of making décor for her home into a business.
Trading in her gardening tools and dirt for a laser and wood, Stroobants said she transformed a dream that started on her dining room table into a booth at craft shows and then into a brick-and-mortar storefront (N4420 Moehrke Road).
“I started by doing trade shows with custom signs,” she said. “It got to the point where my handmade items were almost completely selling out at shows. I always wanted a brick-and-mortar location. I was at a crossroads in my life, and it was time to open the store.”
Specializing in custom home décor and patch hats, she said each Inspired Expressions piece is handmade.
The 2,500-plus-square-foot storefront, she said, includes an attached room that houses a build-your-own-hat spot.
“People bring [in] their own hats and special [meaningful] patches, and we customize them right there,” she said.
Stroobants said her store exudes a natural vibe coupled with her own flair.
“When you come into the shop, you see a lot of nature, floral, trees, forests, along with neutral everything,” she said.
Stroobants said her signs are unique and easily recognizable – partly because everything is done by hand.
“[All of my work] is hand-painted – there are no stickers [or adhesives],” she said. “I design most items in neutrals so [the décor] can go into any home and just fit right in. My work is also a lot of nature-driven pieces, mostly because my background is horticulture and landscaping.”
Always a designer
Stroobants said she graduated from Milwaukee Area Technical College, earning a degree in design science and construction, as well as one in horticulture.
First designing landscapes, even growing up, she said she had an “eye for design.”
“I was originally going to study interior design,” she said. “When I was a junior in high school, we had an interior designer visit the classroom. Then, literally, the next week, someone else [came into the classroom] who built their career in landscape design. I knew then, ‘that’s what I have to do.’ I just knew, back in junior year in high school, that is what I wanted to do.”
Stroobants said she worked in the landscaping industry for 19 years before opening Inspired Expressions.
“I was in the field, working on a crew for most of that time, and then I managed at Schmalz Landscaping in Appleton for the last 10 years,” she said. “I did all the flower designs, including winter and summer pots, along with designing all of the fall décor.”
Working in the garden center at Schmalz Landscaping, as well, Stroobants said she “got a good feel” of how to run a business.
“A lot of [what I learned there, I] actually integrate into the shop now,” she said.
Stroobants said she credits part of her design talents to her grandmother.
“My grandma was very décor-driven,” she said. “I spent a ton of time with her when I was younger. I [even] got to stay home from school [sometimes] and help her with her Christmas décorations.”
Stroobants said she fondly remembers the special outings she had with her grandma.
“I grew up closer to Milwaukee, in a tiny town called Rubicon,” she said. “My grandma would always take me to a very little store named Heidi’s that had very tiny rooms, each set up with different styles and décor.”
Looking back, Stroobants said that store and those trips with her grandma have served as inspiration for her store.
Inside the store
In addition to what’s on hand in the store, Stroobants said Inspired Expressions also offers custom order options at certain times during the year.
“I actually started with custom orders when I started doing [craft] shows, [and] I only did shows in the fourth quarter – in the fall and early winter,” she said. “[Now], because the storefront is so busy, [we only offer] custom orders a few times a year.”
Stroobants said custom orders are very popular leading up to the holiday season.
“I do a lot of home signs like ‘established in’ [to mark the year of purchase for new homeowners], and front porch signs, too – basically whatever people come to me with,” she said. “Many find their ideas on Pinterest, and then I put my spin on it, customize it and make it the size they need.”
When she opened the storefront in 2023, Stroobants said she invested in a specialized CO2 laser cutter.
“Once I got the laser cutter up and running, I was using it to create dimension on my signs,” she said. “I have signs with raised pieces on layers – that’s where the laser cutting comes in handy.”
Stroobants said there are also some items in the store commissioned by outside artists.
“I have a few commissioned vendors in the shop now,” she said. “I have a lady who does hand-carved wooden bowls on display. I also have a friend from back home whose earrings are for sale in the store. However, around 90% of the inventory is what I have created.”
The store’s custom leather hats have grown in popularity, too, Stroobants said.
“The first summer I had the store, during the downtime, I started dabbling in [décorating] leather caps,” she said. “There are very few people in this market who are designing them. I also did a significant amount of research [on the demand for them and the process].”
Stroobants said the patch industry has come so far in the last couple of years in terms of the different colors, options and textures.
“You can really get creative with it, and they easily adhere to the traditional snapback hats,” she said.
Similarly, Stroobants said home décor trends are ever-changing as well.
“Trending now is a lighter look and back to neutrals,” she said. “I would say it’s a simpler décor with some more floral backgrounds and signage with only a few words on it. Dimension has also been a big game changer, where you have a painted background with raised lettering or multiple layers on a sign. My trees and forest scene signs are also very popular.”
Stroobants said she also offers custom engraving.
“For example, I’ll engrave a cutting board for a wedding gift while the customer shops,” she said. “I don’t know of another shop where you can go in and have a hat made for Father’s Day or Christmas. You just pick out whatever you want, and I will engrave it right there. The customer leaves with a custom item that no one else has.”
Enjoying what she does
Since opening the store, Stroobants said her expectations have been “blown out of the water.”
“We’re coming into the fourth quarter, which is my favorite time of year,” she said. “I make [custom] ornaments in the store. Customers go crazy over that stuff because it’s unique and you can’t find it anywhere else. It is so fun to just watch people walk into the store and see their reaction to the space. The entire point of this is to get people inspired for their spaces – that’s my favorite part.”
Group shopping, Stroobants said, is very popular – whether for the holidays or just an ordinary Saturday.
“It’s not uncommon on a Friday or Saturday for a car full of ladies to pull in because they are hitting every single shop in the area,” she said. “We put together a map for these kinds of excursions, to include many other businesses along Lake Winnebago, that includes other gift shops, restaurants, wineries and bars.”
Though ordering is available year-round, Stroobants said the storefront is only open from March to mid-December – as wintertime is time for replenishment.
“I focus on refilling my inventory,” she said. “I have a booth space in Kimberly at the antique shop [and have] merchandise [available] at Just For You Floral and Gifts in their Chilton and Sherwood locations. I also start to revamp the shop here to get ready for spring.”
Stroobants said there are always big life lessons when it comes to making a career shift.
“Probably the biggest life lesson is: if you want to do something, just do it,” she said.
When deciding to pivot careers and open the shop, Stroobants said, “I never looked back.”
As a mom of four, she said she hopes her kids have learned those lessons from her.
“Running a successful business means keeping your options open for [new] things,” she said. “It means staying inspired… doing what you want to do, and, the most important thing: being happy doing it.”
That’s not to say, Stroobants said, that there haven’t been challenges.
“But it’s easy to overlook those things once you know you’re doing what you’re meant to be doing,” she said.
Check out Inspired Expressions’ Facebook page or website – inspiredexpressionswi.com – for more details.
