2011 Gift Guide

Staying local promotes a sense ofcommunity, encourages entrepreneurship, increases job opportunities forpeople in the area and ensures that your money will stimulate Lansing’seconomy since local businesses invest a much larger share of theirrevenue back into the community than the “big box” chain stores withhome offices in other states (or other countries). A study by theAustin Independent Business Alliance determined that if you spend $100at  a locally ownedbusiness, $45 stays in the local economy; spending $100 at a nationalchain put only $13 back into the community.

Our gift guide features stores withdistinctive gifts for everyone on your list, from art to antiques toouterwear to flowers. Many of these businesses are also a part of ourSave! Lansing webstore (www.savelansing.com), which offers discountedgift certificates for 26 local businesses that can save buyers up to 55percent off on goods and services.

This week, 10 percent of profits fromSave! Lansing will be donated to the Greater Lansing Food Bank, anon-profit organization that provides emergency food to needyindividuals and families in Ingham, Eaton and Clinton counties. Whatbetter way to give thanks than by giving back to those in need?

Read on for ideas to help you cross every last person off your list.

Absolute Gallery

307 E. Grand River Ave., Lansing

(517) 482-8845

Hours: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. 

www.absolutegallery.net

Absolute Gallery, located in Old Town,features custom framing and a variety of decorative pieces. The waxpottery ($20), which is also cat-proof, works well for those who likethe scent of candles but don’t like the flame. The gallery also has awishing tree ($39.45), which can be decorated to suit the season, and a variety of vintage Michigan-themed travel posters ($30).

Apparel Printers

3505 S. Cedar St., Lansing

(517) 882-5700

Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. www.apparelprinters.com

Apparel Printers specializes in customscreening on several wearable items. In addition to t-shirts (startingat $15.95) and sweatshirts ($20-25), the company also prints onjackets, uniforms, hats, bags and athletic wear. This gift isespecially good for businesses wanting to give company gifts to theiremployees.

Save! Lansing Merchant

Bonilla Salon and Spa

635 S/ Waverly Road,  Suite A, Lansing

(517) 886-7424

Hours: 8 a.m.-8 p.m., Monday through Saturday; closed Sunday

www.bonillasalon.com

Create your own gift basket at BonillaSalon and Spa, which features the complete product line of Redken Hairproducts, Bedhead, Paul Mitchell and Matrix: Prices range from$25-$125. Gift certificates are also available for massage specials,pedicures and manicures. Bonilla sells an exclusive speciality lines ofWiminfok shirts and sweatshirts produced by the local female-ownedclothing company; prices range from $15-30. Save! Save! Lansing Merchant

Capitol City Grille

111 N. Grand Ave., Lansing

(517) 267-3459

Hours: Restaurant: 6:00 a.m.-2 p.m.every day. Lounge: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday.; 11a.m.-midnight. Friday and Saturday; 6:00 a.m.-11 a.m. Dec. 24.

The Capitol City Grille, a contemporaryAmerican restaurant located in the Radisson Hotel, features a ChristmasJazz Show for their lounge guests from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on Dec. 18. Therestaurant also be hosting a New Year’s Eve party in the hotel banquetrooms (details to be determined). The dining room will feature moreintimate options, including a couples menu and champagne specials,along with the regular menu. Gift certificates are available in anyamount, but call ahead of time to have them printed up. 

Save! Lansing Merchant

Gallery 1212

1212 Turner St., Lansing

(517) 999-1212

Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; Noon-5 p.m. Sunday.

Gallery 1212 has a wide assortment ofprints, wall mounts, glass lamps ($180-$450), dishes and pressedbottles ($15). Original art by B. Craig Cossey hangs on the walls inthe back room, where the owners host classes focusing on fused glass,pottery, sculpture or watercolor. Gift certificates are available. Petting the resident cat is free of charge. 

Save! Lansing Merchant

Grove Gallery Co-Op

325 Grove St., Suite A,

East Lansing

(517) 333-7180

Hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday; noon to 4 p.m. Sunday

grovegallerycoop.com

Shocking pops of color are all over thisgallery, be it on prints of an amusement park ($125-$350) or glassflowers ($225). A unique tiled window ($350) is just one of the piecesby in-house member MargaBeth Cibulka. Cheaper options are beadedjewelry, scarves and textured wall art.

Katalyst Gallery

1214 Turner St., Lansing

(517) 708-8916

Hours: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Saturday; Noon-5 p.m. Sunday.

Katalyst Gallery features a uniqueassortment of beaded jewelry, candles, home dcor and handbags($58-$158). A modern-looking fish tank ($35) will warm the heart of thepet lover on your holiday list. Katalyst is located next door toGallery 1212, and the galleries pride themselves on their differentinventories.

Kellie’s Consignments

4800 Okemos Road, Okemos

(517) 574-4523

kelliesconsignments.com

Hours: 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Friday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday; noon-6 p.m. Sunday

The motto here is “expect theunexpected.” Kellie’s Consignments specializes in men’s, women’s andchildren’s clothing, home dcor and furnishings. That stylish person onyour list will appreciate Coach purses starting at $20, $300 designerjeans for less than $100 and unique gift items, such as WaterfordCrystal bowls for $40. “People think you can’t shop at consignmentstores for gifts, but we have many brand-new items mixed in with gentlyused items,” says owner/operator Kellie Johnson. “We also havesomething else no other consignment store in town offers: returnsthrough Jan. 10.” Save! Lansing Merchant

Lamb’s Gate Antiques

1219 Turner St., Lansing

(517) 999-2617

Hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; Noon-5 p.m. for First Sunday Gallery Walk

Lamb’s Gate Antiques literally hassomething for everybody, and its reasonable prices don’t hurt either.The store has pottery, toys, furniture, and costume and classic jewelryin the neighborhood of $24-$55. For the cold-blooded fashionistas onyour list, explore the vintage clothes and outerwear lining the backwalls.

Laundry Pure

(517) 927-4342

www.ecobusiness.com/peterhurth/products

Laundry Pure is a new product that aimsto save consumers money and clean clothes in a greener way. It washesclothes in cold water only and eliminates the need for detergents andbleach, all the while promising to make clothes brighter, fluffier andlonger-lasting. The product has been featured on Fox News and isestimated to save about $1.25 per load. Call for more information.

Love, Betti

100 E. Grand River Ave., Lansing

(517) 484-2131

Hours: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Saturday; noon-5 p.m. Sunday

This Old Town boutique is a spot forfinding unique gifts for that person on your list with discriminatingtastes. You can never go wrong with a little bling: used and newjewelry ranges from $8 rings to $275necklaces. A vintage ice bucket ($24) is just the thing for that guywho just finished building a bar in his basement. Leather jackets, furhats, vintage lamps, cards, and contemporary/mid-century furniture(including a gorgeous wood-and-metal coffee table) are all availablehere. Love, Betti also features work from local artists, allowing youto support local arts and brighten up a wall in one fell swoop.

Mackerel Sky

211 M.A.C. Ave., East Lansing (517) 351-2211

Hours: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sun. 

Holiday Hours: Monday 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Tuesday (Dec. 13)-Friday 10 a.m.- 8 p.m.

Mackerel Sky gives you a taste ofholiday spirit from the moment you step inside and see the ornaments($10-$25) hanging on the Christmas tree. The store features everythingyou need to prepare for your holiday celebrations — linens, host gifts,dishes, cards — as well as everything you’ll need to fashionably takeon the cold weather: hats, scarves, coats, handbags, jewelry andhand-blown glass ($275).

Save! Lansing Merchant

Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine

shop.msu.edu

What better way to support a localstudent group and give the perfect gift to that pet-lover on your list?Gift ideas include dog bowls ($12), "Sparty Dog" leashes ($20) and"vanishing" thermal mugs ($17) that reveal X-ray images of a cat, cog,horse or cow when tfilled with a hot liquid. Proceeds support the MSUCollege of Veterinary Medicine student programs.

Polka Dots Bead-A-Full Boutique

1207 Turner St., Lansing

(517) 267-1479

Hours: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday; Noon.-4 p.m. Sunday. 

www.polkadotsbeads.com

In addition to beads and beadingsupplies, Polka Dots Bead-A-Full Boutique features an array ofdecorative and wearable items, such a magnets, shoes and on-the-gocoffee mugs. Some of the popular products are the Curly Girl branditems ($12-$35), the vintage headbands ($16) and the Lori Mitchellholiday figurines ($22-$40). The shop also features several of artistKelly Rae Roberts’ items ($20-$39).

The Record Lounge

111 Division St., East Lansing

(517) 574-5889

Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday; 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday; noon-5 p.m. Sunday. www.therecordlounge.net

There’s something to please any musiclover on your list in the bins of this East Lansing staple, whichcarries everything from vintage vinyl to new pressings of classicalbums and recent releases from local musicians. Need to find aJapanese issue of “The Beatles: 1962-1966” ($60), or a limited-editionvirgin vinyl copy of Kate Bush’s “Hounds of Love” ($24)? Look nofurther. And if you’re hunting for hard-to-find used records, check outthe Record Lounge’s bins. Whether it’s Pigmeat Markham’s comic “TheHustlers” (featuring the unforgettable “Smelly Ice Cream”) or PaulDavis’ mellow “Cool Night” (which includes his Top 10 smash “’65 LoveAffair”), you can take it home for 50 cents. The store also sellsstereo equipment (a Technics turntable is $55) and some fun, funkyartwork: Celebrate the heyday of Peter Fonda with reproductions ofposters for “The Trip” and “Easy Rider” ($6 each).

Saper Gallery

433 Albert Ave., East Lansing

(517)351-0815

10 a.m. through 6 p.m. Monday throughWednesday, and Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thursday; open 1-4p.m. on the first Sunday of each month. www.sapergallery.com

For 33 years, Saper Galleries has beenoffering paintings, prints, drawings, sculptures, and mobiles, whichhas made it a destination for local art enthusiasts. Gift ideas under$100 range from hand-blown glass, hand-crafted wooden boxes, ceramictiles and kinetic art media. Got a Grinch-y person that’s hard to shopfor? Saper Galleries features artwork by none other than Dr. Seuss.Pieces by Michigan artist Kathleen Chaney Fritz start at under $20,with other recent acquisitions this holiday season including uniquework from Brazil and Costa Rica. Don’t worry if you’re shopping forsomeone out of town: Saper Galleries ships across the world anddisplays links to whats new on its home page.

Schuler Books and Music

1883 Grand River Ave., Okemos (517) 348-8840

Hours: 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday

2820 Towne Center Blvd., Lansing (517) 316-7495

Hours: 9:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 9:30a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday.www.schulerbooks.com

Schuler Books and Music carries several series box sets,such as “The Inheritance Cycle” (currently on sale for $71.58 forhardcover) and “The Hunger Games” ($53.94), as well as HarryPotter-themed gifts, such as the complete DVD set ($78.99) and acomplete behind-the-scenes movie guide ($75). They also have afair-trade section featuring international items (45-$30). Giftcertificates are available in any amount and can be used in store oronline. The store will be having a Black Friday sale with up to 50percent off select items.

Tallulah’s Folly

1220 Turner St., Lansing 

(517) 485-4166

Hours: 10 a.m. -7 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday.

Tallulah’s Folly features Michigan-madeproducts, including books aMitten-made hot sauce, mustard, relish andBloody Mary mix is hidden in the back. Coffee, fudge and festiveChristmas music are sure to warm your spirits.

Smith Floral and Greenhouses

1124 E Mount Hope Ave.  Lansing 

(517) 484-5327

Hours: 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday; 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday. 

www.smithfloral.com

Holiday decorating is made easy at SmithFloral and Greenhouses. This 105-year-old business sells poinsettias,Christmas Cactus, indoor and outdoor wreaths and garlands, KissingBalls and a broad selection of Christmas gifts. Smith also specializesin holiday floral arrangements of both fresh and silk flowers anddelivers to Bath, Dewitt, Dimondale, East Lansing, Grand Ledge,Haslett, Holt, Lansing, Mason, Okemos, Potterville and Williamston. Toensure on-time delivery of your flowers, place your order at least oneday beforehand. You can order via email at smithfloral@tds.net or call(517)484-5327.  Save! Lansing Merchant