It started out as a simple question.

“Do you want to go to Marden’s?” ShopGuy asked.

We were visiting his family in Presque Isle, and we hadn’t left the house since we arrived, for fear of hypothermia. You know that feeling, when you go outside and your nostrils freeze? That’s how cold it was.

But the prospect of shopping was enough to keep me warm. Especially at the Marden’s in Presque Isle, which is like a treasure trove if you hit it right.

As I looked through the frosty glass doors, I knew we were on to something. I could make out stacks of what looked like Pyrex bakeware and some small appliances. As I got closer, the little red-and-white logo on the corner of a box of knives caught my eye.

J.A. Henckels knives for $35.99? Surely they mislabeled the set, I thought. There’s no way six professional-grade knives and a block could cost that little, especially Henckels knives (I saw the same set online for $60-$120).

But then I found another box and confirmed that, yes, they were labeled correctly. I also saw a similar set of chef’s-grade knives for $120, a fraction of their normal cost.

So I grabbed the box of knives and turned the corner.

This can’t be real, I thought, as I discovered a shelf full of Calphalon anodized pots, pans and roasters, starting at $17.99. I flew across the store into menswear, grabbed ShopGuy, and told him he wasn’t going to believe what I found. Now, he hears this all the time, usually describing some great deal on a Donna Karan skirt or a sale on cucumber-melon lotion, so he was a little reluctant to follow me to the kitchen aisle. But when we got there, that all changed.

He promptly picked up a collector’s edition stir-fry pan for $17.99 and a professional series 10-inch omelet pan for $18.99.

I continued to make my way through the store and found a cache of home accessories with “Linens ‘n Things” scribbled out on the label – luxurious sheets, cute curtains and decorative curtain rods.

Unfortunately for Bangor-area bargain hunters, none of this made its way to the Brewer Marden’s (at least not by press time). It’s a little disappointing if you live down here, but I look at it this way: If you’re hardy enough to put up with nostril-freezing cold every day, you deserve a reward.

And speaking of rewards, I think I deserve one for finding ShopGuy a great bargain on pans.

Dinner, anyone?

Reader question

Dear ShopGirl,

My fiance and I are planning a traditional wedding in Virginia this April. We plan to include his 3-year-old nephew in the ceremony as the ring bearer. We attended the recent bridal show in Bangor, and couldn’t find anything other than a miniature tuxedo for him to wear. I’d prefer something more traditional, such as a white linen jacket with a pair of short pants. Do you know where I could find this?

– Jean Turner of Bangor

Dear Jean,

You’ll either have to travel, order something from a catalog or go online.

None of the bridal shops I called in Maine had anything that even remotely fit your description, but Mr. Tux in South Portland has a cute white gabardine Eton suit for toddlers in its catalog.

My sister, ShopGirl Jr., found a flax Eton suit at www.snipsnsnails.com and I found several options in silk dupioni (a slubbed, somewhat shimmery silk) at www.pegeen.com.

You could try The Wooden Soldier, a New Hampshire-based children’s retailer that deals in high-quality casual and formal clothing. For a free catalog, call (800) 375-6002. Also, Talbot’s Kids may be a good bet, but they haven’t unveiled their spring line yet. At press time, Talbot’s had an adorable navy blazer and khaki short pants set. Most stores don’t start carrying their spring/summer lines until early February, so you may have better luck if you can wait a few weeks.

Please let me know if you need more options. I’d be happy to help.

Send questions, comments and suggestions to: Kristen Andresen, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04401-1329 or e-mail kandresen@bangordailynews.net.