Rare gifts, experiences come from locally owned venues

Let me be blunt: I wouldn’t be caught dead within a five-mile radius of the Hogan Road or Stillwater Avenue this weekend.

I’m so over the traffic, the parking wars and the general rudeness that come packaged with “holiday cheer” that the only way I’m coming near the place is if someone can offer me a $50 iPhone. Unlocked.

Don’t get me wrong. I love a bargain as much as, if not more than, anyone. But the older I get, the less I enjoy the post-Thanksgiving blitz. For some, it’s a fun tradition to wait in line in the wee cold hours of the morning for the doors to Wal-Mart or Kohl’s to open. And I totally understand why a $139 Kitchen-Aid mixer is worth staying up for all night. But I get awfully sleepy after a turkey dinner. And I’m not much of a morning person.

Besides, I’ve got my own little tradition: shopping at small, locally owned stores on Black Friday. Frankly, the idea of mulled cider and a free ornament at Silkweeds in Searsport is a little more appealing to me than an elbow in the side and a scuffle over this season’s hot toy (which may or may not end up on the recall list) at a big-box store.

Which leads me to wonder, dear readers, what are your favorite, locally owned places to shop for the holidays? I really want to know – send me your answers, and any anecdotes you may have, and I’ll post them all on my blog. The top vote-getters will be listed in my column on Dec. 15, and one lucky reader will receive a holiday gift from ShopGirl – a festive grab bag crammed with loads of cute stuff. See the information box for details on how to submit your shopping stories.

To make things even better, a Bangor group will kick off a Buy Local campaign during next weekend’s Festival of Lights. On his Buy Local Bangor MySpace page, www.myspace.com/buylocalbangor, organizer Orion Breen shares his take on buying locally: “My time and my money I try to invest wisely into my future, my community, my family, in the end they are all the same. I know when I buy from local farmers and businesses I pump three times as much money into the local economy than when I buy from international conglomerates, and I know that they share the same values as I do because they share the same home.”

Well said.

Yes, I admit to a small T.J. Maxx addiction. And I go to Target like everyone else. But it’s way more fun to shop at small, non-chain stores. I don’t know what I’d do without The Grasshopper Shop or Molly’s in Winterport or Black Parrot in Rockland. And it wouldn’t be Christmas without a stop at Left Bank Books in Searsport.

These are places I like to visit year-round, but at the holidays, it’s especially nice to treat friends and family to something unique. A few years back, I found a gift for almost everyone on my list at BookMarc’s in downtown Bangor. I know I’ll be hitting Bella Luna for Junior this year. And while I’m there, I may just do the whole downtown loop – and hit Ingrid’s on my way back to the office.

But it’s not just Bangor. And it’s not just downtown. Ellsworth is a boutique shopper’s dream, what with Terra Cotta, ShoeGazer, Beal’s, Ruth Foster, J&B Atlantic and Pyramid Studios. The Maine Grind cafe has a retail space called It’s a Maine Thing. Blue Hill is great, too – Bella Colore, The Meadow and New Cargoes are a few of my favorites. Caribou has the glorious Monica’s Scandinavian Imports. And Belfast is enough to make my head spin – Yo Momma’s, Brambles, The Good Table, Coyote Moon, Out on a Whimsy, Renys, The Cherished Home.

I could go on forever, but my message is short and sweet: Shopping locally is not only kinder and gentler on your psyche and your car doors (dings, anyone?), it’s also a good thing to do – for the Maine economy and for your neighbors. Plus, you don’t have to get up at 2 a.m. to wait in line for the doors to open.

Now, I’m not one for guilt trips. And I know I won’t do all of my holiday shopping locally. But when you keep your holiday spending local, the gift just keeps on giving – to Maine, not Arkansas, Minnesota or California.

Local favorites

ShopGirl wants to hear from you! Simply fill in the following information and mail to: Kristen Andresen, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04401; or send it by e-mail to kandresen@bangordailynews.net with “local” in the subject line. You’ll be entered to win a grab bag of goodies valued at more than $50.

Where is your favorite local shopping destination?

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ShopGirl would love to hear from you! Send questions, comments or suggestions by e-mail to: kandresen@bangordailynews.net, by U.S. mail to Kristen Andresen, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402-1329, or by fax to 941-9476. For exclusive online shopping tips, click on the ShopBlog icon on the bottom of the BDN homepage: bangordailynews.com.