[shop] For Gifts on the West Side
At one time or another we’ve all found ourselves in this situation. You look at your calendar and suddenly realize you’ve forgotten someone’s birthday. You know you’ll have to pick up something on your limited lunch hour, so there’s no time to visit a big box retail store and a QT gas card just won’t do, especially since Grandma no longer drives. What you need is a fun little gift shop. If you live or work on the west side of Wichita, I have a few stores I think you should know about.
Personally Yours: Located at 21st and Tyler across from Old Chicago. The phrase “Ladies and Babies” is prominently displayed on the front glass, so fellas, you know what you’re getting into here. This is not the place to go looking for a college basketball T-shirt or beer stein, although I did see KU/K-State bibs and sippy cups. For the ladies, this shop had a fun selection of jewelry, purses, candles, and the prettiest bath wraps you’ve ever seen. True to its name, Personally Yours has an abundance of gifts that are already monogrammed and they specialize in personalizing hundreds of other items. This was especially true of the baby gear, including blankets and many styles of framed pictures for the nursery wall that can be custom-printed with a child’s name. In the back of the store, I also spied a small selection of wedding frames, bags and wine glasses. Whether you know a bride-to-be who has spent countless hours writing her new last name in cursive or a mom-to-be who has labored over baby name books trying to find the perfect one, they’ll appreciate a gift that prominently displays the new moniker.
Kay Wiggins Jewelry: Located just off Kellogg, at Maple and Tyler, Kay Wiggins is the largest jewelry/gift shop the West side has to offer. Originally known for their hand-beaded mother’s bracelets and necklaces, Kay Wiggins now has an entire beading room in which to create jewelry for customers, as well as offering bead classes and parties. This is what I call a great “girlfriend store” because it’s filled with items that make you squeal and think, “My girlfriends would love this.” Pandora charms, novelty mugs, Lolita martini glasses, Miche bags, Webkinz, even homemade fudge and dip – this store has something to offer tweens, grandmothers and every age in between.
Hallmark: Two locations: Reflection Ridge at 21st and Tyler and NewMarket Square at 21st and Maize. Ask any woman who enjoys shopping and she’ll tell you Hallmark isn’t just for cards anymore. Oh sure, I still spend time cackling at the hilarious greeting cards, often to the annoyance of my fellow card shoppers, but over the years Hallmark has stepped up their game in the gift department. They just introduced a new line of recordable storybooks and they are still the premiere place for Keepsake Ornaments and other holiday goodies.
Perfect Peace and Family Christian: Located at Central and Tyler and New Market Square, respectively. These two Christian lifestyle stores carry much of the same merchandise, but Perfect Peace is roughly twice the size of Family Christian. Both stores carry items you might expect, like Bibles, gospel music, books by popular Christian authors like Max Lucado and Veggie Tales toys/movies for the kids, but they also carry baby gifts, tabletop décor, faith-based jewelry and novelty gifts. At Family Christian, don’t miss the $5 specials at the front of the store. While shopping at Perfect Peace, be sure to stop and gaze at their large display of gorgeous but reasonably priced framed prints.
Two west side honorable mentions go to specialty stores Wind Heaven and Yankee Candle, located side by side in New Market Square. Wind Heaven boasts “Kites, Flags Windsocks” and it goes on my list if nothing else for the sheer volume of inventory they have in the store. It’s crammed without feeling cluttered. I challenge you to walk in and not find a whimsical windsock you’d enjoy. Yankee Candle is a classic. Women love their votives, tarts and jar candles, plus you can purchase boxed sets, tart burners and even personalized candles for special occasions.
Whether you’re searching for a birthday present, shower gift or last minute office goody for the person who sits near you in cubicle city, chances are you’ll find it at one of these west side gift shops. You might even find something to make your own day a little brighter.
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…or just looking for a fun “girlie” place to spend a few precious hours with your bestie.
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