Loop Lake Pepin — Guide to Collecting Local Coffee Mugs
Commemorative Coffee Mugs
Looking for a reason to Loop Lake Pepin? Here is your opportunity to collect locally inspired, one-fo-a-kind coffee mugs curated by Willow Larson–an inspirational Minnesotan, talented artist, small business owner and most surprisingly, a teenager. That’s right, a teenager.
But, before we dive too deeply into her keepsake mugs, let's better understand the artist—Willow.
Willow Larson | Artist Behind the Designs
According to The Forum, Willow Larson is an average 14-year old teenager from Fertile, Minnesota with exceptional artistic skills. Her artistic skills were noticed early on by her parents and educators and soon she was selling her illustrations to Minnesota stores, boutiques and within books. In 2020, Willow’s mugs made a debut and with the help and support of her parents, Willow has transformed her talent and creative hobby into a roaring small business known as Ivory and Sage.
Willow’s Coffee Mugs
As you look at Willow’s coffee mug designs, three things come to mind: Customization, complementary and whimsical. In terms of customization, no two design concepts are exactly the same. In fact, each mug design is carefully curated to capture elements of the location and/or business that the mugs are intended for. For example, the Red Wing mug displays a large work boot that is likely symbolic of the iconic Red Wing Shoe, Co. Additionally, the newly released Kellogg mug has a watermelon that represents the community’s Watermelon Festival. With that said, all designs complement each other with a fresh, whimsical design that leads Willow’s coffee mug collectors wanting more.
Popularity and Inventory Scarcity
With each newspaper article and television news coverage of Willow’s coffee mugs, comes a newfound level of popularity. In fact, per her Ivory and Sage social media page, she has a growing list of midwestern communities and businesses begging for a personally designed souvenir mugs and/or more inventory demands.
Local Willow Coffee Mug Love
Locally, within the Lake Pepin region, Willow’s Ivory and Sage coffee mugs have popped up in numerous communities on both the Minnesota and Wisconsin sides of the lake/river. While many of her mugs are for sale on her website, here is a reason to get out and enjoy the region through a “Loop Lake Pepin” adventure.
So, pick a day to gather your friends or family and head out on a mission to collect all of the Lake Pepin and Mississippi Pool 4’s Willow coffee mug designs. Here is a list of the mug cities/businesses and where you can find them!
West Coast of Wisconsin - At Stockholm Pie, Stockholm, WI
Stockholm Pie - At Stockholm Pie, Stockholm, WI
Red Wing - At 210 Plum Crazy, Red Wing, MN
Lake City - At Treats and Treasures, Lake City, MN
Wabasha - At River Valley Outfitters, Wabasha, MN
Chickadee Cottage Cafe - At Chickadee Cottage Cafe, Lake City, MN
Alma - At Wings Over Alma, Alma, WI
Other Area Mugs:
Kellogg - At SVJ Creative Designs, Wabasha and Kellogg store locations
Minnesota - online & various locations
Wisconsin - online
Tip: If time is of an essence for you, feel free to call retailers ahead of time to check for in stock inventory.
To learn more about Willow, Ivory and Sage and her journey, check out her website, facebook Ivory & Sage and her Instagram @willow_ivory_ann.
