Minesota Monthly

Oulu Glass ➔ This glassblowers’ shop, owned by artists Jim and Sue Vojacek, is off the beaten track. But travelers willing to navigate country roads and capable of spotting the small signs that steer traffic to the remote studio will be amply rewarded: The shop is stocked with creations both funky and functional, giant and gemlike. Looking for a unique gift? Consider a hummingbird feeder. Need a paperweight? The buck stops here. There are vases, goblets, whirligigs, lamps, bowls, candleholders, and gleaming earrings and brooches in almost every hue. But equally fascinating is the building in which the shop is housed, an odd, shingle-clad structure that looks like it was created by Antonio Gaudì—or Papa Smurf. From Hwy. 13 take County Road B east 5 miles. Turn south on Oulu Rock Road and drive 1 mile. 715-372-4160, ouluglass.com