Step inside The Alpine in downtown New Glarus and the first impression may be the wine, the craft beer, the gifts or the light pouring through the nearly floor-to-ceiling windows. But for owners Ashley and Michael Arn, all of those things serve a larger idea: making people feel welcome.

“More than anything, we want The Alpine to feel like home,” Ashley Arn said. “We want it to be comfortable, welcoming and a place where anyone who walks through the door feels like they belong.”

That approach is built around what Arn calls “unreasonable hospitality” — looking for opportunities to go beyond what customers expect and make the experience personal. Someone might stop at 130 5th Ave. for a glass of wine or a local beer, browse the shop, meet a friend or simply settle into the room for a while.

The idea grew out of both family ties to New Glarus and Ashley and Michael’s experiences elsewhere. Michael grew up in New Glarus, and after the couple moved back to Wisconsin in 2021, Ashley began looking for retail space for a small jewelry business she had started with their son. Then she saw the building that would become The Alpine.