Let me be frank. I think Old Navy is the bee’s knees. You all know of my love for Target. And don’t get me started about T.J.s.

But there’s something special about shopping someplace other than the mall and its environs. Unique shops – the kind that aren’t in a plaza, per se – are what give a place character.

I’ve always been an advocate for supporting local businesses, and for this month’s shopping trip, I didn’t stray far from home. It didn’t help that every time I tried to hit the road we got whacked with another two feet of snow. But in the end, it was nice to rediscover downtown Bangor.

Lately, I’ve been pretty excited about living here. I can’t wait for the outdoor marketplace that will take place along the banks of the Kenduskeag Stream this summer. I’m wild about Fusion (for more info, visit www.fusionbangor.com). And the folk festival whose name is too long to mention? Fabulous. So why wouldn’t the shopping be?

At the risk of sounding like Yoda, fabulous it was.

I started my journey at Best Bib & Tucker, which I admit is not always my first instinct. To make a long story short, I am not the world’s most conservative dresser, nor am I prone to dropping more than $30 on anything except coats and bras. But this visit shattered my expectations. I discovered BB&T carries one of my favorite brands, Spanner from Canada. I lingered over a sweater in the sale room. I also found a great pair of earrings for (I’m so not kidding) $12. I left happy. And I’ll be back.

Next stop? After a perusal of the window at The Walk Shop (I am considering a pair of sensible shoes, although I’m not quite sold on the idea), I ducked into the Antique Marketplace & Caf?. Since I’m an antiques junkie, I wanted many things, all of which looked like they had been left outdoors for, say, 50 years (my taste tends toward the rusty and peeling). If you go, be sure to browse downstairs.

If you love beautiful old things as much as I do, be sure to check out Alcott Antiques, which is open sporadically, but worth a visit nonetheless.

I’ve written this before, so bear with me, but my dad always says if you can’t find a gift for someone at Rebecca’s, you’ve got problems. Clearly, I do, but I found plenty of things I wanted nonetheless. If you’re a fan of Fenton glassware, this is the place. Candles? Ditto. I grabbed some Easter goodies, but you can read about those next week.

After jaywalking across Main Street, I checked out Irelands, which my friend Jim recommended. It’s an unusual store that sells antiques, movies on VHS and DVD, and records for ridiculously low prices (movies two for $5, records five for $10). Since ShopGuy is both a movie and record buff, I’m sure we’ll be back.

I’ll also be back to paint my own pottery at Clay by Design. It was closed the day I went, but on a recent weekend, this place was packed. It’s the perfect spot for a girls’ gathering, a birthday party, or just a sudden burst of creativity.

Justice Clothing, which specializes in union-made, sweatshop-free wares, is another place I’ll revisit (a flood shut them down, but things should be up and running next week). On my last visit, I loved the simple T-shirts and the sassy black dresses, not to mention the men’s clothes.

Bangor is a city of specialty stores, which makes for an intriguing shopping experience. There’s Peruvian Link, which has lovely imports (I’m gaga for the finger puppets and the luxurious capes). There’s also Top Shelf for comic books, and Yesterday’s Scraps-Tomorrow’s Treasures if you prefer scrapbooks.

“Sideways” has me pining for pinot noir, and I haven’t even seen it yet. Fortunately, Bangor Wine & Cheese on Hammond Street and State Street Wine Cellar on, you guessed it, State Street, have a wide selection of fine vintages.

For the well-under-21 set, there are two children’s stores: The Briar Patch carries a wonderful selection of books and some toys, and Too Much Fun at Maine Discovery Museum offers games and gifts that are educational and fun at the same time.

Although it’s not in downtown proper, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Summit Sound on Ohio Street. I don’t pretend to know the first thing about stereo equipment – for a time, I thought a subwoofer was a dog. I also thought speakers had to be heinous to be any good. But I do know that the speakers ShopGuy bought there sound exquisite, even at high volume. And they’re not even a little bit ugly.

Looking good is the name of the game at the city’s consignment shops. American Retro carries brand-name fashions that look like they’ve never been worn and – bonus! – are still in style. Timeless Fashion, a new shop on Harlow Street, has a small selection, but new items are added each week and the prices can’t be beat. The Growing Place on Hammond Street sells gently used children’s clothing, maternity clothing, and new-mom essentials such as strollers and car seats.

I’m not pregnant, but I often have a craving for books. Since my appetite is so voracious, it’s usually wise for me to troll used bookstores first, and Bangor has plenty of them. The other day, ShopGuy and I spent an hour at W.J. Lippincott, and we could’ve easily stayed longer. We ran into friends, scoured the always-changing selection, and settled on four books. I was thrilled to find a 1960s book on gardening and cooking with fresh herbs. I was even more thrilled to find out it was signed, with a cute drawing by the book’s illustrator. And it cost $4.50.

There’s also Sarah’s Books: Used and Rare, a second-story shop with first-rate books. I love this place. I also adore Pro Libris on Third Street, a little gem with lots of best-selling titles and old treasures. For new titles, BookMarc’s is the destination. Not only is the staff friendly and helpful, they have stuff you can’t find at the megastores. Trust me. They bailed me out last Christmas and I’m forever grateful.

Speaking of gratitude, I’m thankful for Epic Sports, which always has what I need for the outdoors (yes, I have needs – on the weekends, I trade Coach and Burberry for North Face and Columbia. I’ve been known to ski and snowshoe). That said, I still love to shop, and winter gear is on sale.

Ditto for The Grasshopper Shop, except you’ll find sweaters and shoes on their sale racks instead of snowshoes and mittens. They’re also having a housewares blowout – I took full advantage of the 25 percent off sale and bought towel hooks for my guest room (a bargain at $15.75) and the most adorable pot scrubber in the shape of a flower (at 94 cents, how could I resist?). What can I say, I’m a sucker for kitchen gadgets.

And I’m a sucker for downtown deals, too.

Destination: Downtown Bangor

Alcott Antiques, 30 Central St., 942-7706

American Retro, 38 Main St., 941-9535

Antique Marketplace and Caf?, 65 Main St., 941-2111

Best Bib & Tucker Clothiers, 115 Main St., 942-7009

BookMarc’s Bookstore, 78 Harlow St., 942-3206

Briar Patch, 27 Central St., 941-0255

Clay by Design, 56 Main St., 945-5343

Epic Sports, 6 Central St., 941-5670

Grasshopper Shop, West Market Square, 945-3132

Irelands, 32 Main St., 990-0983

Justice Clothing, 48 Main St., 941-9912

Peruvian Link, 15 Central St., 942-6779

Rebecca’s, 43 Main St., 945-3588

Sarah’s Books, 32 Central St. (second floor), 992-2080

Summit Sound, 341 Ohio St., 947-4434

Top Shelf Coins & Comics, 25 Central St., 947-4939

The Walk Shop, 89 Main St., 947-7061

Timeless Fashion, 10 Harlow St., 942-1717

Too Much Fun (Museum Store), 74 Main St., 262-7200

W.J. Lippincott, 36 Central St., 942-4398

Yesterday’s Scraps-Tomorrow’s Treasures, 114 Harlow St., 992-2686

ShopNotes

. It seems I’m not the only poncho fan out there. Everyone is talking about the crocheted number that Martha Stewart wore on her release from prison. I daresay, she looked FABULOUS. And you can, too. You can buy the pattern at www.sew-beautiful.us/marthastewartponcho. Ten percent of the profits will be given to Xiomaro Hernandez at Alderson Prison, who made the poncho for Martha as a going-away present.

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, ME 04402-1329, or by fax to: 941-9476. Tune in to ShopGirl at 5 p.m. Fridays on WLBZ-2.