Camp Girl

WHAT WE LOVE: A charming resort shop celebrating western American crafts and craftsmanship. Camp Girl showcases traditional Western goods with unique details. Handmade moccasins and boots, hats and jewelry.

WHERE: Located in Green Lake, on the bank of the deepest lake in Wisconsin.

WHO: Veteran retailer and designer/maker, Debra Gorell.

One of five founders of the Western Design Conference, Debra Gorell helmed her first northern resort town shop for 27 years. Everything in that store was handpicked by Debra or custom-made. An ethos that Debra has carried into her latest shop, Camp Girl.

Green Lake, a town that up until recently had a boat that delivered mail to the waterfront homes, is quiet in the cold, winter months. Debra uses this time to travel and source new products for Camp Girl. Herb plants from a green house in Michigan, palm leaf cowboy hats that she decorates with unique hand-stitched details, and Camp Girl handmade moccasins. We’re delighted that Debra is also selling our “Shop” candles.

We took advantage of Debra’s quieter time between buying trips, and asked her to share her story. Follow Debra on Instagram campmaking.it and rowandbelt .

What makes Camp Girl so unique? Green Lake Camp Girl was established in 2021 and is the result of a rustic northern resort store which I owned many years ago. The name was inspired by my childhood memories of visiting family farms, outposts and north woods camps. As a child, I enjoyed exploring the land around me always finding treasures along the way. Whether it be a feather, a stone or a snapshot memory.

Growing up in a rural environment allowed me to learn true craftmanship at an early age. I incorporated those experiences in my product design. Handmade moose hide moccasins, cowboy boots, felt hats customized with feathers from local hunters, interior designed pillows, blankets and curtains, all with an elegant rustic flair.

Debra Gorell, the shopkeeper at Camp Girl

Before I was a shopkeeper…. I have been in retail most of my life and was fortunate to be one of the founding members of the Western Design Conference in Jackson Hole, WY. I was able to build long-lasting relationships with designers, manufacturers, artists, giving me an appreciation for American western culture.

What are your favorite shops? I have too many to count…here’s a sample: Little Leaf, Washington, D.C; Marc Taggart & Co., Cody, WY; Fromagination, Madison, WI; Rocket Buster Boots, El Paso, TX; Black Brick Coffee, Brooklyn, N.Y.