If you’re tooling around Wisconsin this summer, stop by Duluth Trading Company’s completely renovated 1882 mercantile store in Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin, to take a gander at the most incredible tool collection in the Midwest.
Only 20 miles down the road from Madison, this quaint town is home to the new “Wally Keller Tool Museum” nestled inside the Duluth Trading flagship store – a shopping experience for men and women who crave quality, rugged, and downright useful workwear. Already visited by folks from 47 of our United States, the Duluth Trading store and Wally Keller Tool Museum are drawing the traveler looking for a unique discovery experience.
Wally Keller Tool Museum
Open to the public during Duluth Trading store hours, the Wally Keller Tool Museum showcases an extensive collection of Industrial Era hand tools, dating from the end of the Civil War through 1950-60, collected by well-known Mount Horeb folk artist/sculptor, Wally Keller. The late artist was known for the scrap metal creatures he lovingly crafted from old farm machinery, commercial and automotive parts and proudly displayed in his yard.
What people didn’t know is that Keller was also the owner of an extensive 3,147-piece hand tool collection. When Steve Schlecht, owner of Duluth Trading Company, visited Wally Keller’s home in 2009 in search of sculpture, he was treated to a peek at Keller’s tool collection – including an Alligator Wrench, a Railroad Spike Puller and a Fence Stretcher. At the request of Keller’s wife, Duluth Trading later acquired the entire collection. Today, visitors to the Duluth Trading store can read the “Whatsis” board in the Wally Keller Tool Museum to test their know-how, and try to figure out what the heck all the odd tools were used for.
Anticipating its first summer in Mt. Horeb, the catalog and online retailer (www.duluthtrading.com) opened its flagship store in November, 2010, to give customers, loyalists and locals a physical hub to browse, man-handle, and test the company’s seriously usable workwear such as Ballroom Jeans , the Longtail T, Fire Hose pants and jackets, to Buck Naked Underwear . The new 7,500-square-foot store at 100 Main Street is the former home of the popular Mount Horeb Mustard Museum.
“Not only is the Duluth Trading store ideal for folks who like to dig in and get their hands dirty, it is a great destination for folks looking for a unique, no-nonsense atmosphere off the beaten path,” Stephanie Pugliese, senior vice president for Duluth Trading Company. “As we approach our first summer season in this community, we are proud to help celebrate Mount Horeb’s Sesquicentennial this summer.”
Mount Horeb Sesquicentennial
This summer marks a big birthday for Mount Horeb, as the town turns 150 years old. Duluth Trading is helping celebrate the Sesquicentennial all summer long with its participation in these festive events:
• 40th Annual Art Fair – July 16-17
• 9th Annual Thirsty Troll BrewFest – September 10
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