SPRING GREEN, Wis. — It’s the end of an era for one of the last family-owned department stores in Wisconsin.

What You Need To Know

  • Nina’s Department and Variety Store in Spring Green opened in 1916 and has been owned by the same family for four generations

  • Joel Marcus, the current owner, took over the store about 45 years ago. He brought in his wife, Judy Swartz Marcus, to help

  • Over the years, they’ve been selling a little bit of everything, from clothes and toys to office supplies and home decor

  • The store will close on Dec. 31

Nina’s Department and Variety Store in Spring Green opened in 1916 and has been owned by the same family for four generations.

Joel Marcus, the current owner, took over the store about 45 years ago. He brought in his wife, Judy Swartz Marcus, to help. Over the years, they’ve been selling a little of everything, from clothes and toys to office supplies and home decor.

Nina’s even has a renowned yarn collection within the store, run by Swartz Marcus, an avid knitter.

“We built it up slowly,” she said. “I had my eye on this area and eventually we were able to do it.”

Nina’s opened as a department store in the early 1900s. It survived the Great Depression and has had many different names.

The one thing that has remained constant is its reputation as a unique one-stop shop in the heart of Spring Green.

Now in their 70s with no children to take over, Joel Marcus and his wife have made the difficult decision to close Nina’s for good on Dec. 31.

“It’s very strange, bittersweet is the word we’re using all the time,” Judy Swartz Marcus said. “It’s a very strange experience to be actually involved in the closing of the store now.”

Joel Marcus said they decided to close the store and sell the building, rather than try to find a new buyer for the business. He said it would have been difficult to find someone to buy all the current inventory along with the building.

He said he hopes new people can start fresh in the space.

“We’re hoping that somebody buys and redevelops the building and perhaps creates rental space for a new retail enterprise or multiple retail enterprise,” Joel Marcus said.

Nina’s will always be a part of Spring Green’s history. Joel Marcus and Judy Swartz Marcus said they will always continue to want the best for downtown.

They’ll be using these last few months to connect with customers.

“What I’m focusing on is letting go of things and seeing as many people as we can and having a nice goodbye,” Judy Swartz Marcus said.

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