Beth Skogen
If your upcoming vacation includes a sun-splashed rendezvous with fruity rum-flavored cocktails and sand between your toes, Pier South can definitely outfit your trip. Ditto if you’re staying in Wisconsin and want a tropical-colored sheath dress or crisp men’s linen shirt for the summer.
The 1,600-square-foot shop opened April 15 on Hilldale’s main thoroughfare near Macy’s (between the Home Market and Kate Spade). It’s owned by Middleton businessman Ben Scharpf, his wife, Barb, their daughter Mary, and Mary’s fiancé, Nick Atkin.
The nautically themed space includes a wooden reproduction of a Chris-Craft boat stern, which serves as a front counter. The store also features hand-crafted shelves, mahogany tables and artwork by Barb, who specializes in the impasto paint technique. Mary is proud of the design detail of the shop, with its “cabin-like and cottage feeling.”
Beth Skogen photos
Pier South’s classic casual clothes and boaty decor may remind shoppers of Cape Cod, the Outer Banks or their own favorite coastal getaway.
The concept for Pier South was devised by Barb and Mary, inspired by annual trips the family used to take to Destin, Fla. The family continues to vacation together and spends two weeks each year in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
Ben says that Pier South fills an underserved niche in the Madison market by focusing on coastal and Southern-inspired clothes. And Mary made a conscious effort to appeal to a wide variety of ages — from toddlers to grandparents — when selecting brands for the shop. Among the shop’s 10 upscale clothing lines for men, women and children are Peter Millar, Island Company and Southern Tide. The shop also stocks Sail to Sable, a resort-oriented line founded in 2012 by Connecticut resident Jennifer Stocker; Ben characterizes the brand as resembling the classic style of Lilly Pulitzer. And Pier South has one of the largest offerings of Vineyard Vines in Wisconsin — nautically themed apparel for the entire family instantly recognizable by its quaint, preppy whale logo. Expect to find Vintage Vines polo and button-down shirts ($85-$115) and Sail to Sable matching mother/daughter dresses ($98-$248).
Pier South, 704 N. Midvale Blvd., 608-509-7901, piersouthclothing.com
