OK, it's that time of year. What are your favorite local places to purchase unique gifts? I'm looking for shops that are unique to Tulsa...original and just plain cool. No chains, please.
A few that pop immediately to mind:
Dwelling Spaces, the glassblowing place, Grumpy's Garden...
Let's start a list, and explain why they're cool.
Dwelling Spaces (119 S. Detroit): Cool, funky, fun. Eclectic mix of Italian-designed household items, modern furniture, local art, Tulsa music and memorabilia, Spexton jewlry, and Tulsa themed T-shirts...including the now world famous "I heart Tulsa."
Tulsa Glassblowing Studio (19 E. Brady): Non-profit studio offering a variety of glass-blowing lessons. (Gift certificates available.) Original, one of a kind glass art created by local artisans. Hand-blown Christmas tree ornaments. Glass-blowing classes, and the chance to watch glass blowers at work.
Grumpy's Garden (1140 E. 15th): A little bit of Taos right here in Tulsa. Gifts for the hippie in everyone. Chimineas, pinon wood, Mexican ceramics, handpainted objects, local honey, potted plants, stepping stones, gourd art, garden gnomes...
Snow Goose, (Utica Sq. next to Ann Taylor Loft) She always has a ton of colorful options - some practical some downright goofy and fun. Always colorful.
Boston Artist Gallery
The Pearl Gallery
M A Doran Gallery
The Art Market (51st and Sheridan)
I do all my Christmas shopping at QuikTrip.
I get movies and candy for the kids, some gloves and sunglasses for the wife, lottery tickets for in-laws, and beer for my friends. Best of all, I can wait till the last minute on Christmas Eve.
Urban Gardens on 15th is a great place if you want to get friends started in succulents or hydroponics.
I shop Oz a little further west on 15th for my stoner friends and more Bohemian types
Collins Mid-Town, Ranch Acres, Parkhill's, or Columbia Liquors for my friends who like a little liquid refreshment
Joz on 15th has really neat mid-century and deco nick-nacks, Mid-50's Mod to Modern (former Deco To Disco) is another great place for things like that. If you can pony up $80K, you can own an original Frank Lloyd Wright cast aluminum-framed chair.
Steve's Sundry is by far the best place to find locally-themed books which always are welcome gifts
Mid-Town Bicycles- convenient to me and I get excellent customer service there, Tom's on 15th and Lee's on
Peoria are also great places to buy Conan a gift this year ;)
I have to second Dwelling Spaces- no one works as hard as Mary Beth as a great Tulsa ambassador and purveyor of unique Tulsa items.
Savory Chef at 81st & Memorial (about 1.5 blocks south of 81st on the east side of the block) has a great selection of kitchen gadgets and a great idea is a gift certificate for cooking classes. It's owned by Don Jones who was one of the original partners in Pepper's Grill. He's a true down-to-earth solid guy.
So many more I'm forgetting. I try to remember my local merchants when I remember my friends and clients this time of year.
Mama Trizza's or the Bead Merchant are both great places as well at the corner of 15th & Delaware.
Kiddlestix for children's toys. I know there are two locations, but they're the only stores of which I'm aware.
Dwelling Spaces is my favorite local shop. Ida Red on Brookside has some cool gifts.
Does Mary Beth still have the shop in the Philcade?
The Gadget Store....
Lyon's Indian Store
Ditto Boston Artists Gallery - Mel Cornshucker and Donna Prigmore - wonderful pottery and jewelry. Do you realize what a world-class potter Mel is? Go see his work in the show at Living Arts right now! If you have big bucks to spend you could pick up a little something from the artists on display...a wood-turned vessel by Ron Fleming, perhaps? Get out your checkbook!!
Lambrusco'z can put together awesome gift baskets and also have tons of gifty items for cooking and kitchens or just for fun!
Philbrook Gift Shop
The Gift Shop at the Tulsa Garden Center
OTASCO, TG&Y, Clark's, Orbach's, Renbergs, Venables, Marge McNierny's... got many a gift from those places and for others there.
The kitchen comment reminded me of The Stock Pot out on 41st around Memorial. (The only place in town I was able to find an old-fashioned pastry cloth!)
What about Ida Reds? I've seen their stuff for sale at Cains, but I've never been in the Brookside shop.
Ooooh...which reminds me of KoKo (or is it now Ko2?) now at Utica Square. Amazing chocolate if you've got a few extra $$.
Rumor has it Pricilla's is having a trade in for clunkers....thought you might wanna know. :o
Isn't that a national chain? Keep it local!
Hmmm... for dirty Santa parties...
I've been in the Midtown Adult Superstore once (most surprising discovery: it's clean and bright, and they sell about a million different kinds of lube...all that the market can "bare"!?)
Years ago, I stumbled into what I thought was a bookstore/magazine stand, the Whittier News! (Are they still in business?)
Quote from: PonderInc on December 09, 2009, 02:01:18 PM
Isn't that a national chain? Keep it local!
Hmmm... for dirty Santa parties...
I've been in the Midtown Adult Superstore once (most surprising discovery: it's clean and bright, and they sell about a million different kinds of lube...all that the market can "bare"!?)
Years ago, I stumbled into what I thought was a bookstore/magazine stand, the Whittier News! (Are they still in business?)
One of the biggest lies in the world:
"I went into an adult bookstore
once"
;D
Quote from: Conan71 on December 09, 2009, 02:20:04 PM
One of the biggest lies in the world:
"I went into an adult bookstore once"
;D
I've also been inside Orpha's Lounge once.
Unlike Orpha's, I would consider going back to the Midtown Adult Superstore. ;)
I've always wanted to visit Orpha's. I think it has a cool exterior, great signage and the location would make a great "locals" bar kind of like Cellar Dweller or Arnie's. Not a place the folks from out of town are going to see in the convention hand out.
Spencer's gifts.....
Orpha's looks like the recidivist, embarrassing devilchild of a little brother to Akron, Ohio's famous "Rob Roy's Gourmet Lounge".
Mecca in Brookside is a good place to go Christmas shopping.
The devil's den growing up is closing.....Et Cetera....it was the original Tulsa underground.
Quote from: FOTD on December 11, 2009, 12:40:02 PM
The devil's den growing up is closing.....Et Cetera....it was the original Tulsa underground.
No, when?
Quote from: Conan71 on December 08, 2009, 05:24:44 PM
OTASCO, TG&Y, Clark's, Orbach's, Renbergs, Venables, Marge McNierny's... got many a gift from those places and for others there.
And don't forget Frougs, Looboyles, Oertles, Harringtons, Irene Herberts, Field's in Utica Square, Vandevers, Brown Dunkin.
LaDonna's on 15th will also do gift baskets.
Garden Diva's (I can never remember the exact address--I just seem to find it from driving around. I think its off of 3rd near Trenton).
Apple Tree on 41st, between Sheridan & Memorial, has kids stuff, though more on the schooling side.
I have often found good items in Tapestry of Faith (41st & Peoria), including my favorite Oklahoma centenniel ornament (despite its name, it actually has a good assortment of non-religious stuff, and it truly embraces all religions--great place to find something for Chanukah. Just ignore all the Greek stuff).
I wish there was some place that focused on sellling Oklahoma/Tulsa crafts.
Quote from: Steve on December 11, 2009, 07:42:48 PM
And don't forget Frougs, Looboyles, Oertles, Harringtons, Irene Herberts, Field's in Utica Square, Vandevers, Brown Dunkin.
Burgess Hardware
Quote from: pmcalk on December 11, 2009, 07:58:43 PM
I wish there was some place that focused on sellling Oklahoma/Tulsa crafts.
Dwelling Spaces in the Blue Dome District at 2nd & Detroit has quite a bit of local made goods. Some could be called crafts but some are more designer.
Big Red Sales, Cowboy Pete's, et. al. near 46th & Memorial
The Stock Pot/Smalley's Restaurant supply on 41st has some very cool kitchen gadgets this year
And don't forget the flea markets! I plan on hitting the fairgrounds tomorrow to find a gift for my brother. There's also the Saturday Flea Market on 51st just off I-44 at the W. 51st St. exit.