Shop Local: Hot Spots For Holiday Shopping

The clock is ticking. The countdown is on. There's 10 days left until Christmas, 11 days until Kwanzaa and just five days until Hanukkah. If you haven't finished your holiday shopping yet, a stroll down Sliver Spring Drive in Whitefish bay will help you complete that holiday checklist. Here's a look at some stores you can hit to finish your holiday shopping without having to leave town.

Hard-To-Shop for No More

There's plenty of choices if you're having trouble finding a gift for those hard-to-shop-for recipients. “You could certainly find it here,” said customer Carl Schramm about the store , located at 501 E. Silver Spring Drive. “Whether it'd be an ornament, or purse, or decorations for the windows ... and the selection is so good and the quality is good.” 

Schramm stopped in the store Wednesday to pick something up for a gift exchange party he's attending.

The store, which offers gift wrapping, is the place Schramm shopped at for his daughter and daughter-in-law.

Mara Riterris, the owner of Placesetters, said a lot of the big-selling holiday items include ornaments and their holiday jewelry. Riterris believes the success in the store is because it only buys a half a dozen of each item, several of which are made in the United States, to make sure a gift is truly unique.

Schramm said shopping at Placesetters is his response to the shop local campaign. Riterris said she is seeing a lot of shoppers answer that same call. “They're making a point of letting us know that they are trying to shop locally,” She said.

Seek Out Sports Gifts at Les Moise 

For that active, sportsman (or woman) in your family, there are plenty of hot gifts being sold at , located at 151 E. Silver Spring Drive.

“We do sell a lot of tennis clothing for husbands and sons,” said employee Cindy VanDenBerg. “Even though it's kind of out of season, in Whitefish Bay there's so many indoor courts that we're busy in (the) tennis (department) all the time.”

VanDenBerg said Northface jackets and Ugg boots are two big holiday sellers. Animal hats are proving to be a popular gift for children this year.

Shopper Lisa Puhl from Mequon knocked off the last big item from her shopping list at Les Moise, where she was able to find a specific jacket requested by one of her 14-year-old triplets.

“All of them had specific wants and I couldn't locate one of the items anywhere, online anywhere, anywhere locally and Les Moise had the jacket,” Puhl said.

The store, which has been in business for more than 60 years, sells a lot of accessories to complete your holiday shopping. “Stocking stuffers are a big one for us, you know hats, gloves, socks, ski socks and stuff like that,” VanDenBerg said.

Crafts of All Kinds At Ruhama's

Patterns for different kinds of scarves seem to be the big seller at , 420 E. Silver Spring Drive.

“We have a couple of scarf pattens you can make like in an hour, hour and a half and they look terrific,” said store owner Dawn Slugg.

Gift cards are offered at the store if your crafter would prefer to pick out their own pattern or supplies, but the staff is happy to help you pick out a pattern if you'd like to give a gift instead.

For that little crafter on your list, Slugg's store offers children's floss kits and looms for children to weave on. While it's a great place to find gifts for kids, it's also a great shopping outlet for children. “We have kids that come in for their moms, husbands come in to shop for their wives.” Slugg said.

Find A Gift For Fido 

For that four-legged friend on your list, at 330 E. Silver Spring Drive is stocked with plenty of popular items for your pooch.

Hounds Around Town employee Brittany Augustine said there are a few items they offer that are big hits year after year. “Always holiday-specific toys. We have a lot of different really cute unique toys. People always really enjoy holiday collars,” Augustine said.

If you're looking for a savory treat to give that special pet in your life, Hounds Around Town offers all-natural dog treats. “We have a woman that does all of our baking,” Augustine said. “She uses all organic ingredients. She uses her own cage-free eggs, too, from her own chickens.” 

Perhaps a mug with a favorite dog breed hand-painted on it would make the perfect gift for someone. The mugs are made in the United States and if you don't see the breed you want on the shelf, just ask. Chances are the local artist can make it for you.

Augustine said she is happy to see the public do more shopping in local stores like Hounds Around Town. “I think (the community of) Whitefish Bay in general is really good about supporting local business, so we have a lot of really loyal customers, which is nice to see.”