Well, the gang at Volume One had an interesting day. Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic nominees for president and vice president, made a surprise visit to The Local Store to chat with our owner Nick Meyer and his family, and do a little shopping for some fun Wisconsin goods while they were in town.

After a thorough security sweep, their substantial motorcade arrived at 3:15pm, blocking the surrounding streets. A sizable press corps packed into the store along with dozens of Secret Service agents and random shoppers. The pair came straight from a rally that drew more than 12,000 people at the Eau Claire Event District grounds just outside the city. Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, who performed at the rally, also came along for the shopping trip, sporting a new Harris-Walz camo cap.

Honestly, the visit was a flurry of activity from start to finish, with the candidates and their entourage exploring the store, greeting shoppers and staff, and perusing Wisconsin-made goods. We can confirm that the vice president purchased Ellsworth cheese curds, a jar of Kaiserson honey, and an S. Carey album on vinyl.

At the same time, it turns out, Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance was just a couple of blocks away enjoying some Mocha Mud Pie at Olson's Ice Cream. We’d be happy to welcome any sitting office holder or candidate who’d like to visit The Local Store.