Last-minute gift ideas from local retailers
Need a last-minute gift? Want to help suburban businesses and your neighbors who run them?
Well, then, keep reading.
• Edible Arrangements is kind of pricey. A less expensive, but equally healthy gift for any age is a fresh fruit basket or box from Aurora-based M.D. Katz Fruit Company. The family has been in business for more than 50 years, and their prices range from $22.95-$49.95. See katzfruit.com.
• The Morton Arboretum's store, at 4100 Illinois Route 53 in Lisle, is packed with unique, nature-inspired gifts, including Nusantara scarves, mittens and hats made from recycled silk ($20-$28) and the 3D Mirascope, which creates an optical illusion that makes it look like an item is sitting on top of a dish ($9).
• Naperville-based Elli and Friends has several purses perfect for tweens, including this fun Emma bag, $35.50 at elliandfriends.com.
• The suburban 2nd Wind Exercise Equipment stores are selling a popular new seated elliptical cross trainer, the Octane Fitness xRide (styles start at $3,199)
• Local Avon salespeople have a trio of new holiday products from mark. The Self Sanctuary Mini Body Treats Shower Wash Collection is $9 and comes in a gift box, at meetmark.com.
• The stylish and affordable bracelets by Vita are popular with dozens of female celebrities. They're 24K gold or sterling silver plated and have eye-catching hardware. Available at Stitch, 1723 N. Damen, Chicago.
Local store news
• DSO, the shoe outlet at 301 W. Central Road in Mount Prospect, is offering several free gifts with every shoe purchase through the end of the month. The gifts, which will be given out while supplies last, include things like electric scissors, a cyberpet, a lava rock candleholder or a Claire's jewelry grab-bag.
• Camp Cosmetics in downtown Glen Ellyn has been reborn, and it is now a clothing boutique called The Queens Closet. The space at 480A Main St. is literally the size of the closet, but owner Michael Perich designed it to look like a boudoir for royalty and packed it with fabulous clothes and accessories for sizes 2-14.
"I have hand-selected each item in the store to be the best of the best, and because my overhead is low - hello, it's a closet! - a boutique sweater that might cost $200 in some stores is only $40 here," he said.
New arrivals will be available each week, which means: "It will never be the same store two weeks in a row," Perich says.
Win coyote mittens
Win a pair of Stetson genuine coyote fur mittens, retail value $470, by going to stetson.com/mittens.