Gift shopping in USA
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A
Hiho Batik/Sprocket Gift Shop
Hiho is a neat little shop where you can design your own batik (wax-and-dyed artwork; here they usually put it on T-shirts) with a friendly staff of artsy types, or look for an out-there urban gift among the shelves of the attached Spocket’s – think mature pop-up books, weird home decor and the like.
reviewed
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B
Pulp
This quirky, kitschy gift shop has all kinds of things you were not looking for – funky frames, funny cards, silly toys, smelly candles, retro art and tons of political gag gifts. It’s a good place to come looking for a gift (as long as you don’t know what you are looking for).
reviewed
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C
Claudia Kussano
Meteorites, dewdrops, eucalyptus buds and other natural wonders inspire delicate, fascinating jewelry by San Francisco designer Kussano. Fiddlehead fern earrings evoke the California Academy of Science’s rainforest dome, and pod necklaces look like rare specimens from Crissy Field’s marshlands.
reviewed
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D
Wishbone
Certain gifts never fail to please: explode-in-your-mouth Pop Rocks candy, smiling toast coin purses, candy-colored jewelry, and a stuffed toy called ‘Yes, a Cat Named Marty Cohen.’ Baby gear here is bound to please hipster parents, from baby Ramones T-shirts to Tiny Tyrant striped ensembles.
reviewed
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E
Save NOLA
The Save NOLA store, located inside the Jackson Brewery, sells handbags, souvenirs, shirts and such; proceeds go towards the group of the same name and are invested in community rebuilding projects like Habitat for Humanity. The sort of store where your need for retail therapy is a good deed.
reviewed
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F
Artifactory
Some of the pieces at this African and Asian gallery-store are worthy of museum displays – and priced to match. Others are less precious and reasonably marked. Inside one of the city’s oldest buildings, Artifactory procures sculptures, masks and clothing from both continents.
reviewed
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G
Gracie Finn
This is essentially a stationery store, with contemporary, cool, hand-pressed cards. But there is more to this little gift shop than fancy writing. There's the never-ending array of Aunt Sadie's scented candles (all-time bestseller: Tree in a Can), a great selection of tote bags, funny magnets, and other things you didn't know you needed.
reviewed
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H
Tabasco Country Store
Bet you thought Tabasco was either red or green and always hot, right? Guess again: there’s Tabasco ketchup, mayonnaise, cookbooks, plenty of souvenirs and a fairly incredible range of hot (and not so hot) sauces. Don’t you need a 500-count pack of mini-Tabasco bottles?
reviewed
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I
Mabel Chong
Sparkling wit is the specialty of local jewelry designer Mabel Chong, who combines painstaking craft with a touch of San Francisco whimsy: ‘Pinot Gris’ earrings are clusters of tiny seed pearls, while an asymmetrical chalcedony drop necklace is dubbed ‘Formula for the Hypotenuse.’
reviewed
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J
Juneau Artists Gallery
To take home something that is truly unique shop at the Juneau Artists Gallery, a co-op of 26 local artists who have filled the store with paintings, etchings, glass work, jewelry, pottery and quilts. The person behind the counter ready to help you is that day's 'Artist On Duty.'
reviewed
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K
Giftland
After you see it, you’ll wonder how you’ve lived without it: a toast-scented Hello Kitty eraser. Giftland stocks a swell supply of pens, stationery, coin purses and backpacks donning the images of Kitty as well as Mashimaro, Pucca, Doraemon and other Asian cartoon characters.
reviewed
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L
Erotic Bakery
Kind of worn-out and vaguely icky in a not-all-that-hilarious way, the Erotic Bakery nevertheless clings to its ‘local landmark’ status with boob cookies, penis cakes and other baked goods shaped like body parts. Send one anonymously to your boss on his or her birthday.
reviewed
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M
Wake Up Little Suzie
This funny and original gift shop sells stuff like neon clocks, bright metal-and-ceramic jewelry, polka-dotted pottery, cards and T-shirts. If you have a need for an Invasion of the Monster Women lunch box or boxing-rabbi windup doll, Suzie’s your woman.
reviewed
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N
China Bazaar
Wire racks are perilously overloaded with bargain novelty items in no discernible order, except for the tiki section, which will add some aloha to your home bar. Just when you thought home decor couldn’t get any cheaper, check out the ceramics sale section downstairs.
reviewed
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O
Not a Number
This card and gift shop in Wallingford sells smarty-pants books, cards and knickknacks, plus some enviro-friendly toys and gadgets. The signs in the shop’s front window give you a pretty good idea of what you’ll find here, in terms of both product and attitude.
reviewed
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P
Ichiban Kan
It's a wonder you got this far in life without penguin soy-sauce dispensers, 'Men's Pocky' chocolate-covered pretzels, extra-spiky Japanese hair wax, soap dishes with feet, and the ultimate in gay gag gifts, the handy 'Closet Case' – all for under $5.
reviewed
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Q
Lalique
The French makers of fine gifts present their awe-inspiring collection of crystal vases, fine stemware, leather bags, silk scarves, porcelain dishes and high-end watches and jewelry. It’s the perfect place to shop for a high-class bride.
reviewed
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R
Senzatempo
Amid all the deco, you’d think there’d be more design shops lying around. Well, come to this retro gallery, with its decorative pieces and 20th-century designer furniture, plus plenty of clocks and watches, to feed that fix.
reviewed
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S
Java House Imports
There are, indeed, cool imports and statues from Java here, as well as Balinese and West African masks, Indian-style Buddhas, lacquer-work from Lombok and all the other items that prove what a savvy traveler you are.
reviewed
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T
8 Ball
It’s Vegas-kitsch with Swingers style at cozy 8 Ball, where leopard-print bowling shirts lounge beside tiki torches, Twinkie cookbooks and Betty Page heels. Frank and Elvis books flirt from shelves up front.
reviewed
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U
Blue Skies Boulder
A cute gift shop stocked with handbags and scarves, elegant perfume, fantastic jewelry and aromatherapy products, much of it sourced from local artists and artisans. The Pearl Street Mall doesn't get much groovier.
reviewed
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Climate
‘Eclectic’ doesn’t do justice to the array of items packed into this small store, including cocktail party kits, sassy dating guides and other tongue-in-cheek essentials for urban living.
reviewed
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W
Boutique du Vampyre
Dark candles and Gothic gargoyles look down on you, promising a curse of blood and terror and the undead on those who only browse but do not buy its vampire and voodoo themed gifts! Mwahaha! Or…not.
reviewed
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X
Jewish Museum of Florida Gift Shop
The gift shop in the front lobby of this museum is tiny, but it has a lovely little selection of Judaica, including menorahs, Sabbath candle holders, mezuzahs and prayer books.
reviewed
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Delta Junction Visitor Center
More of a gift shop than a visitor center, this place is usually jammed with RVers clamoring to purchase 'End-of-the-Alaska-Highway' certificates.
reviewed