Visit Lake Street Blog
Your Lake Street Holiday Shopping Guide
December 12, 2011
There’s no denying that you can find everything you need on Lake Street, holiday shopping or otherwise, but what about the shops that are unique to Lake Street? You know, those local treasures providing an out-of-the-ordinary shopping experience or supplying items difficult to track down elsewhere in the Twin Cities? Here are a baker’s dozen of favorites:
1. CorAzoN
CorAzoN is a small, bright store that positively shines for gift shopping. It describes its selection as “fun, elegant, hip, classic, eclectic, surprising, sophisticated, irreverent, urbane, natural…stuff…for those you love!”—so really, they have your needs covered.
4646 East Lake Street | corazononline.com
2. Go Home
Go Home is an iconic staple in Uptown, delivering the best in home furnishings, great gifts, and good-humored cards since 1996. If you don’t walk out with something for someone on your gift list, you will walk out with something for yourself. Check out their gifts page for an idea of what Go Home has to offer.
1408 West Lake Street | noyougohome.com | Above: Laser Gun Tree Ornaments
3. Hymie’s Vintage Records
Named one of the best record stores in the USA by Rolling Stone, Hymie’s Vintage Records is a required stop for the audiophile in your family. They host an enormous selection of records in all formats and categories, “thousands of things you won’t find anywhere else in the Twin Cities, and things you certainly won’t find on CDs.”
3820 East Lake Street | hymiesrecords.com
4. Ingebretsen’s Scandinavian Gifts
What can we say that hasn’t already been said about Ingebretsen’s? It has made its home on Lake Street for 90 years, and has been keeping a range of Scandinavian traditions alive since then. Gifts line the shop literally from floor to ceiling, and if you’re looking for food, their meat market really comes alive in December—the store sells more than seven tons of Swedish sausage in one season alone.
1601 East Lake Street | ingebretsens.com | Above: Juniper Moose Trivet
5. Kitchen Window
Great cooks deserve great supplies, and bad cooks ought to have appliances to make their lives a little easier. Visit Kitchen Window to find an enormous (and award-winning) range of cook- and bakeware for the chef in your family. And if they’re in charge of making food this holiday, maybe let them open their gift a little early.
Calhoun Square (3001 Hennepin Ave) | kitchenwindow.com | Above: Staub Cocettes
6. Magers & Quinn
Magers & Quinn has long held the title of the largest indie bookstore in the Twin Cities, and among the largest independent bookstores in the Midwest. In addition to thousands of current releases, Magers & Quinn houses many unusual and hard-to-find editions—all at a discount.
3038 Hennepin Ave South | magersandquinn.com
7. Mercado Central
Hit about 50 small businesses in one stop at Mercado Central. This Midwestern recreation of a Latin American marketplace has a wide range of shops carrying an equally wide range of items—clothing, books, candy, flowers, natural body care products, jewelry, and more.
1515 East Lake Street | mercadocentral.net | Above: Mercado Event Poster
8. Midtown Global Market
The Midtown Global Market packs much of the ethnic diversity and life of Minneapolis under one roof. Its many clothing and craft stores shine for people on the hunt for local buys with international crafters and inspiration, including African masks, Tibetan scarves, Indian saris, Swedish textiles, Guatemalan art, and much more.
920 East Lake Street | midtownglobalmarket.org | Above: Tibet Arts & Gifts
9. Regla de Oro
Regla de Oro features unique and beautiful items from distinguished artists based locally and around the world—especially in Latin America. Getting gifts there will make you feel good twice over. 1. Whatever it is, that gift will stand out. 2. The item you buy will truly benefit its creator and the creator’s community, thanks to Regla de Oro’s dedication to fair trade.
3007 Lyndale Ave South | regladeoro.com | Above: Black Sand Etched Vase, Made in Nicaragua
10. Tatters Alternative Clothing
Tatters carries vintage men’s and women’s clothes from 1920–1970. They have a vast selection of pieces, some of which are hilarious and costume-oriented and some of which timeless and street-ready. It’s the perfect stop for the nostalgic fashion fiend on your list.
2928 Lyndale Ave South | tattersvintageclothing.com
11. Schatzlein Saddle Shop
Not everyone has a horseback rider on their list, but surely everyone knows one country or Western enthusiast. Schatzlein Saddle Shop has been around for over 100 years, so picking up a gift for your favorite Western fan there will also come with a lot of credibility.
413 West Lake Street | ssaddle.com | Above: Ladies Western Top
12. Smitten Kitten
Smitten Kitten is a multiple award winning, progressive adult sex toys and equipment retailer. They helped lead the revolution of sex-positive shops and culture. Treat your special someone (or yourself) to one of their well-researched, quality products.
3010 Lyndale Ave S | smittenkittenonline.com
13. ZRS Fossils and Gifts
ZRS Fossils is what natural history museum gift shops should be. Their store in Lyn-Lake features beautiful items from the earth—jewelry, carvings, crystals, and fossils. Bringing the antique enthusiast in your family a 350 million year old fossil would be a pretty massive victory, right?
3018 Lyndale Ave S | zrsfossils.com | Above: Ammonites
Comments
Posted by Lisa Berg
okay, so I am the owner and we’d love to see you at the Blue Moon!
We have gift cards and travel mugs and bulk coffees and a place (next to Hymie’s) for respite from shopping or just for rest.
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