Unique Store in Morris Attracts All Kinds of Customers with its Variety of Offerings

GypsySoul Unique & Wordly Goods in downtown Morris almost defies description. A choice corner storefront right on Liberty Street, Gypsy Soul has become the go-to for a variety of customers. Teens looking for a one-of-a-kind skirt or top, adults looking for antiques and local artwork and vintage clothing with a flair, and the younger set wanting to choose their own colors for feather hair clips all find what they are looking for in this store.

“It’s an eclectic mix,” said owner Amy Pilz. “It’s everyday casual to crazy. We have one of a kind things you won’t find anywhere else. We’re not cookie cutter.”

Walking in, the eye doesn’t know where to settle first. The draw of fragrance pulls you in, and the huge variety of jewelry is perhaps the first thing noticed. Pilz has new jewelry, vintage jewelry, jewelry crafted by artisans and pieces that have been re-worked by her and others.

Her specialty is belt buckles she makes herself, right in the shop. An old, gaudy brass buckle can be fashioned into a sparkly, colorful unique piece that can be worn with much more than jeans.

Pilz does not work alone, either. In addition to her art, there are currently 18 different artists she works with to maximize her inventory.

“I noticed there was no avenue for local artists to display their items,” she said of one of the reasons she started the store last March.

Her artists sell Mexican Day of the Dead pieces, 3-dimensional wall art, and carved pens and pencils, among much more, exclusive to her store in Morris.

Pilz previously ran 'Old Fiddlesticks' and 'White Elephant' in downtown Morris with her mother, with whom she grew up shopping at auctions for antiques. Gypsy Soul also has its share of antiques, from furniture to dishes, crystal, baby buggies, pictures, and much more.

The store also has a large collection of polished stones and gems, alongside incense, vintage books, and African face masks.

But perhaps the biggest local draw to Gypsy Soul is the clothing. Racks of tops, pants, tie-dyed t-shirts, and skirts abound. Most of the skirts are one-of-a-kind. Some are designer skirts that go for one hundred dollars retail. Others are vintage and yet others are re-worked by her artists.

The store’s beaded handbags alone are worth the trip to Morris. Visitors must peek their heads in her dressing room while there, if only to see the papered wall full of signatures of customers and friends.

It’s a great place to buy gifts, too, Pilz said.

“This is somewhere you can come to buy something for someone you know who has everything,” she said.

Gypsy Soul is located at 424 Liberty Street in Morris. They can be reached at 815-513-5198. They are open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. They also can be found on Facebook.