Amery, Wisconsin, small town on the Apple River, growing into tourist destination
Small town Amery, in western Wisconsin, is growing.
An hour east of the Twin Cities, Amery's mayor is crediting the town's growth in part to the St. Croix Crossing bridge in Stillwater and Highway 64, which cut the route to St. Paul down by 20 minutes.
One of the newest businesses in town is Bittersweet Homestead Boutique. The new owner, Kimberly Castagnetta, says business has surpassed her expectation. In just four months, she saw 38,000 transactions.
After retiring from a corporate job in Atlanta, Castagnetta went on a hunt for a small town with big potential, where she could open her dream shop.
"What really popped out to me is that it was committed to a downtown area," Castagnetta said. "When you look at that downtown area I think it's very exciting.
According to Mayor Van Blaricom, Amery has the potential to be a destination location.
"I think a good description would be a very friendly small town with a lot of amenities," Blaricom said.
Numbers from the U.S. Census saw the population increasing, along with the median household income of $72,000. The figure jumped by 14% in 2022.
By summer, the Apple River and lakes have wide appeal. Year-round, there's the Cattail ATV trail, and Amery Ice Arena is a hub for skaters near and far.
Next on the agenda, the mayor says, is housing.
"We are working on housing as hard as we can," he said. "We are also in the final stages of looking at a 60-unit Best Western Motel."
The hope is to fill motels, homes and storefronts with doting newcomers.
