Like most other American cities, Wausau and the surrounding area is dominated by national chain stores. The 3rd Street pedestrian mall downtown has a number of locally owned stores. The stretch north of Scott Street, in particular, has an off-beat resale shop and a few housewares stores that would fit in any major metro area. For high quality crafts from local artisans, try the Center for the Visual Arts downtown at 427 4th St. corner of Scott St, phone (715 842-4545, open Tuesday-Friday 10AM - 5 pm and Saturday-Sunday 12PM - 4PM, www.wausaucva.org) (http://www.cvawausau.org/...). Wausau is known for its dairy industry but most locals buy their cheese and other dairy products at the grocery store. Small country cheese factories where one could see cheese being made are quite rare now but the modern Mullins Cheese factory (http://www.mullinscheese.net/) has a decent sized shop and windows that overlook the production floor. The factory is located about four miles south of the airport. Exit I-39/US-51 at State Highway 34 and go less than a half mile west to County Highway DB. The factory is less than a half mile south just off County Highway DB at 598 Seagull Drive, Mosinee. Phone 715 693-3205. Open Monday - Saturday 8 am - 5 pm and Sunday 9 am - 5 pm.
The Wausau Center Mall downtown (http://www.shopwausaucent...), with 60 national retailers, is anchored by three department stores. Washington Square, across from the mall, is a renovated department store that is home to a number of locally owned businesses and restaurants on its three floors. National big box retailers tend to cluster along County Highway N/Rib Mountain Drive just north of its junction with US-51 on Wausau's southwest side.
