Discover Milwaukee’s top women-owned businesses, from an ice cream shop for dogs to a holistic wellness center.
Milwaukee is home to a vibrant community of women-owned businesses spanning industries like retail, food and beverage, and wellness, to name just a few. Whether you’re craving a plate of homemade pasta, want to refresh your wardrobe with unique designs, or are thirsty for a drink that will transport you to the Caribbean, there is a women-owned business in Milwaukee that has what you’re looking for.
Keep reading to discover 12 women-owned businesses in Milwaukee and what they have to offer.
1. Broadway Paper
Kate Strzok started working in the shipping and receiving department at Broadway Paper before purchasing the business in 2009 and fulfilling her dream of becoming a stationery store owner. (Broadway Paper has had multiple owners since it opened in 1988—and they’ve all been women.)
The 3,200-square-foot boutique sells a variety of paper products, including custom stationery and invitations (complimentary consultations are available by appointment), greeting cards, wrapping paper, and stickers.
Address: 191 N. Broadway
2. Flour Girl & Flame
Flour Girl & Flame serves up wood-fired pizza and rustic fare made from fresh, local ingredients. This women-owned business supports other women and minorities, including women growers, LGBTQ+ producers, and farmers of color.
Pizzas feature scratch-made sourdough, organic heirloom flour, and ingredients sourced solely from farms and vendors throughout Wisconsin. There are classic pizzas, such as a margherita, as well as more creative selections, like the Lemon Song, which is made with wildflower honey ricotta, mozzarella, fresh lemons, peppercorn melange, rosemary, pistachio dust, and wildflowers.
Flour Girl & Flame is more than just a traditional pizza shop. The team also hosts pizza-making classes and caters events, such as weddings, rehearsal dinners, and welcome parties.
Address: 8125 W. National Ave.
3. HoneyBee Sage Wellness & Apothecary
Angela Mallett’s passion for holistic healing and desire to make wellness more accessible inspired her to open HoneyBee Sage Wellness & Apothecary.
The shop sells a variety of items designed to support customers in their holistic health journey, including medicinal herbal teas, metaphysical tools, such as crystals and candles, and body care products made with natural ingredients.
The retail space also features a cafe where you can sip creative mocktails and medicinal herbal teas, crafted to support immune health, mood, energy levels, and more.
Address: 1819 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr.
4. Hot Spell Sauna
The idea for Hot Spell Sauna came about after owner Jaime Meyer’s experience with contrast therapy—a technique where you alternate between hot and cold exposure—during a trip to Scandinavia.
The wellness space is located at McKinley Marina on Lake Michigan, which is where the cold plunge portion of the 75-minute contrast therapy experience takes place. The heat exposure occurs in one of two wood-fired saunas.
Single-session and multi-session packages, as well as monthly memberships, are available.
Address: 1750 N. Lincoln Memorial Dr.
5. Indulgence Chocolatiers
When that chocolate craving hits, head to Indulgence Chocolatiers for a satisfying sweet treat made from the finest ingredients. Founded by Julie Waterman in 2007, the artisan chocolate shop offers a variety of confections, such as handmade truffles, gourmet bars, and cocoa mixes.
Indulgence Chocolatiers also hosts in-store and virtual chocolate pairing classes.
Address: 211 S. 2nd. St.
6. Purslane
Purslane is an Eastern Mediterranean restaurant founded by James Beard Award semifinalist Mary Kastman. The restaurant started as a pop-up in Viroqua before opening a permanent location in Milwaukee in 2025.
Menu items range from harissa chicken wings and fattoush salad to walleye falafel and beef kebabs. Dessert options include apple kunefe, panna cotta, and fig and chocolate baklava.
The cocktail menu is equally authentic and creative, with options such as an Arabic espresso martini (with cardamom and rose), a Spanish gin and tonic, and a negroni variation made with barreled gin infused with toasted pine nuts.
Address: 1751 N. Farwell Ave.
7. Refresh Vintage
Add some pizzazz to your wardrobe or home with the unique items for sale at Refresh Vintage.
Meaghan Bertram opened Refresh Vintage in 2019 with the goal of bringing more joy into people’s lives and helping them express themselves through soulful, luxurious items.
The store features a carefully curated selection of vintage clothing from the 1960s to the 2000s, plus accessories and home decor, including artwork, vases, and coffee table books. Services such as outfit planning, personal shopping, and wardrobe styling are also offered.
Address: 921 E. Ogden Ave.
8. Salty Paws
Linda Smith’s super social French bulldog, Coconut, inspired her to open Salty Paws, the first ice cream bar for dogs in Milwaukee, with multiple locations across the country.
Part ice cream parlor, part gathering space for dogs and their humans, Salty Paws sells lactose-free, dog-friendly ice cream and other treats, including donuts, cookies, and cake mixes. Ice cream flavors range from maple bacon and vanilla to pumpkin and peanut butter.
Pups can enjoy their ice cream in a cone, waffle bowl, or dish and add something extra from the topping bar, such as dehydrated chicken or sweet potato fries.
Salty Paws also has a retail component with more treats, accessories, and toys for sale.
Address: 121 N. Jefferson St.
9. Signature Sweets
Whether you’re looking for a showstopping sweet treat for your birthday, anniversary, or wedding, Signature Sweets has you covered. The bakery specializes in sculpted, hyper-realistic cakes, with some recent creations designed to look like a Pandora charm bracelet, Taco Bell food, and baseball equipment.
Founder and baker Kimberly Adams has appeared on a number of TV baking competitions, most recently competing on—and winning—Netflix’s “IS IT CAKE? Valentines.”
Signature Sweets also hosts cake baking and decorating classes.
Address: Signature Sweets is based in Milwaukee, but no address is listed on its website or social media platforms.
10. The Pasta Tree Restaurant & Wine Bar
The Pasta Tree Restaurant & Wine Bar has been a staple in Milwaukee’s dining scene for about 45 years. Owned by Suzzette Metcalfe, the Italian restaurant is known for handmade pasta, fresh seafood, and craft cocktails.
Some menu highlights include scallop artichoke cream—Chef Metcalfe’s favorite dish—cioppino, and veal marsala. The Pasta Tree’s elevated menu and warm, cozy atmosphere—there is a fireplace and romantic garden patio—makes it the ideal spot for date nights and special occasions.
“Running a woman-owned restaurant isn’t just about food—it’s about resilience, leadership, and creating a space where community gathers. Milwaukee has supported us for decades, and I’m proud to continue that legacy while mentoring the next generation in our kitchen,” Metcalfe told us.
Address: 1503 N. Farwell Ave.
11. Tropic
Escape to the Caribbean without leaving town when you enter Tropic. The restaurant and lounge serves Jamaican fare, inspired by owner Hyacinth Nembhardt’s roots, and island-style cocktails, such as rum punch, coladas, and margaritas.
Food items range from jerk wings and tacos to rasta pasta and Jamaican patties.
Address: 518 N. Water St.
12. Voluptuous Secrets
Voluptuous Secrets is an upscale plus-size lingerie boutique founded by Theresa Gazdik. The shop caters to curvy women looking for bras, underwear, shapewear, corsets, and more. Gazdik also offers fittings for brides-to-be and women having issues such as back pain, sore shoulders, and sagging.
Address: 1740 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr.
