Shopping At The Steel District: Your Guide To Summer Finds And Beyond

Update your wardrobe, find the perfect gift and shop local when you visit The Steel District this summer.

In addition to exploring the riverfront and checking out the destination patios, don’t miss your chance to discover local independent retailers waiting to become your new favorite spot to shop.

Unique Boutique

Beat the back-to-school rush and add some new looks for summer with a trip to Pasque Boutique. Find it on the first floor of the mixed-use building along the Big Sioux River that includes The District Lofts and parking ramp.

Owner Alicia Engelking has created a light, bright space that’s deliberately uncluttered, offering you the chance to enjoy her curated collection of apparel and accessories.

“We have a great mix of clothing – workwear, casual, younger styles and more mature styles,” she said. “With the nice weather, more people are finding us and exploring the area and I’ve had a lot of people come due to word of mouth, which is very meaningful and the best compliment!”

She’s added more chain options to her popular jewelry selection and has lots of interest in her charm bar and permanent jewelry.

“We also just added our own T-shirt designs and can do custom designs for those who are interested,” she said.

Watch for a permanent jewelry night in July, a new book club launching and the boutique’s one-year anniversary celebration in August.

Pasque Boutique is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

“We just really appreciate everyone who comes out to see us.  We are proud of our space. Small business is hard and any support means the world,” Engelking said. “Even if you can’t purchase from a small business or it’s not a product you are looking for, sharing business information and interacting with social media accounts helps others find us.  Our best advertisement is our customers.”

One-Of-A-Kind Finds

Next door to Pasque Boutique, you’ll find destination shopping at Alcove, a nonprofit shop operated and curated by Washington Pavilion Management Inc. 

“At Alcove our goal is to provide an experience where our guests can dive into a world of creativity and discovery,” retail operations manager Meghan Knight said. “The artists that we are featuring are truly inspiring and our displays are filled with fun curiosities that you may not find in other stores in our area.”

Inventory always is expanding, including fun summer finds such as beach towels, underwater cameras to self-watering planters. 

“With wedding season upon us, we have the best gift ideas, wedding conversation cards, even fun games for bridal showers and bachelorette parties,” Knight said.

“We are happy to say that we are seeing an increase in traffic. We do feel like people are still learning about us and our location. With our extended summer hours, we are hoping that we can be a destination for those visiting the Steel District neighborhood.”

Shop during expanded summer hours:

 Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

 Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

And, watch for Alcove participating in the DTSF Summer Art + Wine Walk on Aug. 1, along with a one-year anniversary celebration coming up at the end of August. 

Curated Shopping Spot

Here’s a pro tip when it comes to shopping at The Steel District: Don’t forget to stop inside the Canopy by Hilton hotel.

This is not a typical hotel gift shop: Instead, you’ll find a wall of merchandise from local businesses in the lobby.

Since opening, the Canopy proudly has partnered with a variety of local businesses, including: The Spice & Tea Exchange, Coffea, Mama Troll, Stensland Family Farms, Freedom Studios, In a Nutshell 605, Heikes Family Farm, Dakota Adventure Supply, Broken Bone, Renner Corner Meats, Songbird Kombucha, Wholly Balls, Jo Creative, and several others.

It even was recognized by the corporate Canopy brand team as a best-in-class example of a curated retail wall and will be sharing it with other hotels this month.

“Our goal is to give guests an authentic experience of Sioux Falls and South Dakota through thoughtfully selected, locally made items,” general manager Hristiyana Ralinova said.

 “These definitely are not the typical products you’d find in a convenience store or airport gift shop.”

For your complete guide to The Steel District, visit here. https://www.thesteeldistrict.com