Get an early start on holiday shopping in downtown Aurora, at stores, online

This year, shopping "local" could be easier than ever. Not only can shoppers visit dozens of stores, but online shopping is plentiful at both retail and resale stores in downtown Aurora.

With holiday shopping starting early this year, it's a great time to revisit the power of the dollar and how supporting local businesses can have a direct impact on our local economy.

In downtown Aurora, supporting local businesses also contributes to a healthy and vibrant downtown.

In the last few years, new shops have added to cherished mom-and-pop businesses such as Wardell Art Glass, 28 S. Stolp Ave., and downtown is once again a burgeoning shopping destination.

• Warehouse 55 brings mid-century modern furniture and thousands of antique items to its two floors at 55 S. Lake St. Visit warehouse55.shop.

• On the second floor, Blissful Blooms sells fresh floral bouquets and plants. Visit www.blissfulblooms.us.

• Wyckwood House, 14 W. Downer Place, is filled with curated gift items like fair trade kitchen towels and cocktail mixes as well as boutique women's clothing. Visit wyckwoodhouse.com. And it's a retro paradise at its lower-level Offbeat Thrift and Vintage shop.

• Two doors down, there's All Spoked Up. They have bicycles, skateboards, and lots of gear. Visit www.facebook.com/AllSpokedUpAurora/.

• The Cotton Seed Creative Exchange, 8 N. Broadway, features nearly a dozen artisans who offer clever, handcrafted signs, unique coasters, fun home decor, and vintage albums. Visit www.facebook.com/thecottonseedex/.

• Down the street, Patron Boots is filled with leather boots and menswear. Visit www.patronboot.com.

There are more than a dozen shops and salons to visit along Broadway.

• Stop into Branch Gardens, 77 S. Lake St., for houseplants and stocking stuffers. The store is filled with eclectic and bohemian gift items. Visit www.branchgardens.com.

• For personalized gifts such as a framed family photo, visit If These Walls Could Talk, 32 S. Stolp Ave. Visit www.itwct.com.

• Skin and hair products can be purchased at neighboring locations Pure Skin Solutions and Do or Dye Designs, respectively.

• Visit Crystal House, 59 S. LaSalle St., for special, etched glass keepsakes. Visit crystalhouse.us.

• For gifts that sooth the soul, stop by The Perch's online store, and visit them on social media for info on their Saturday market at 31 W. Galena Blvd., Suite 301.

• Aurora Regional Fire Museum, 53 N. Broadway will have its gift shop open for holiday shopping. Stop by and grab some local stocking stuffers! Visit aurora-regional-fire-museum.square.site/museum-store.

• For everything resale, pop into The Hope Chest, 36 N. Lincoln Ave., and shop clothing, jewelry, furniture, and more. Visit www.thehopechestaurora.com.

• One of the newest businesses to join downtown is My Daughter's Dress, 221 E. Galena Blvd. The resale shop boasting new formalwear at a fraction of the cost is also a nonprofit organization. Visit www.mydaughtersdress.org.

Almost 40 years after the last major department store left downtown, shops are starting to become plentiful again. With locals shopping small and supporting downtown businesses, they can continue to thrive.

For a listing of several locations in downtown Aurora that offer gift cards that can be purchased online and delivered via email for your social distancing convenience, visit auroradowntown.org/gift-card-guide-for-downtown-aurora/.