Holiday Shopping Part Two: Your Road Map for Grand Rapids
Christmas day is just over a week away. With the lack of snow on the ground you may find yourself a bit behind on your holiday shopping. Don’t let the stress of planning interfere with your holiday cheer this year. Let us help out and lend a helping hand with a suggestion of gift ideas, where to go, and where pause and refuel with a good cup of coffee or warm soup.
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Below we have provided a holiday shopping road map for the Grand Rapids area. Separated into two districts, Uptown and 28th Street, we help lay the framework for a day of one-stop-shopping. Minimize your drive, park your car, and shop by foot this season all while supporting locally owned businesses. Plus we have included great coffee shops, pubs, and restaurants to check out after you have worked up an appetite. Let us help you find the perfect gift for each personality on your Christmas list this year.
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Uptown Area
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To start your shopping day off right, head to Wealthy Street Bakery and fuel up with a cup of coffee and pastry.
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The Accessory Queen: Visit Metal Art Studio Fine Jewelry to find unique designer and custom design jewelry made by local Grand Rapids artisans, and from others around the world.
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The Activist: Clothing Matters is a unique retail store rooted in environmental sustainability and supporting social justice. Find stylish and comfortable clothes that are not manufactured in the typical process. Instead, they are made from organic-cotton, bamboo, and other eco-friendly materials.
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The Art Aficionado: Find amazing, uncommon accessories at the Urban Craft Boutique in LaFontsee Galleries. Great gifts items include interior design decor, unique jewelry, and other one-of-a-kind items.
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The Balancer: Head to Spirit Dreams to discover gift ideas for someone who is intentional about finding peace and balance in their lives. You can find beautiful pendants, tools for meditation and aromatherapy, books, incense, candles and more.
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The Foodie: Check out Art of the Table to find a great gift for the person on your shopping list who is all about the dining experience. Find wines, beers, cheeses, tabletop items, and home decor gifts among others. They even do custom gift baskets that make for unique presents or corporate gifts.
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Lunch: After a busy morning of shopping, choose from a variety of great restaurants for lunch. For quicker bites check out Yesterdog, Schnitz Deli, and Marie Catrib’s.
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Pampering: If your loved ones need some pampering this Christmas, think about heading to Jeffrey Richard Salon or Urban Massage. There services are great gift options for those who enjoy, or are in need of a moment of relaxation and pampering.
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Snack: Furniture City Creamery is the place to be fulfill that afternoon sweet tooth. Swing in and splurge on some freshly made ice cream served in all kinds of unique flavors.
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The Runner: Striders is your place in Uptown to find all things running including footwear, apparel, socks, accessories, electronics and nutrition.
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The Traveler: Head to Peninsula Trading Travel Gear to find the perfect gift for the adventurous traveler in your life. This retail shop offers the best brands of travel gear including travel accessories, luggage, and outdoor apparel.
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Dinner: If you are interested in dinner at a place where you can also enjoy drinks, you definitely need to check out one of these places: Harmony Brewing Company, The Green Well, Terra GR, The Winchester, or Donkey Taqueria.
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28th Street Area
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Breakfast: For a great breakfast or even lunch option, head to Grace Coffee Bistro. They have a lot of great beverages and both a breakfast and lunch menu which includes sandwiches and salads. Schuil Coffee & Tea Shoppe is your choice if you want to enjoy a delicious specialty beverage for the holiday season. Not only can you grab a drink, but you can buy your own coffee blends or tea choosing from over 200 options.
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The Animal Lover: Chow Hound is the place to find gifts for the people who treat their pets like their children. If you are looking for supplies for dogs, cats, birds, fish, and other small pets, you will certainly cross those items off the list after visiting Chow Hound.
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The Bookworm: Head to Schuler Books when shopping for the bookworm of the family. Schuler is a great place to find all kinds of reading material while having the option to enjoy a bite to eat from their in-store cafe.
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The Fitness Freak: Gazelle Sports is the solution to the athletic gifts on your list. They offer phenomenal help when looking for specialty footwear and have a great selection of running apparel.
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The Mission Impossible: Groskopfs Fine Luggage and Gifts has a wide selection of unique gifts and items. If you have a person on your list who doesn’t have any ideas to guide your shopping, consider visiting Groskopfs for games, luggage, barware, clothes, travel accessories, laptop cases and messenger bags, and more.
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The Outdoor Enthusiast: Bill and Paul’s Sporthaus is a great store to look for gifts for your adventurous friends. They have all kinds of gear for snow sports and paddle sports while also having a great selection of outdoor apparel.
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Lunch or Dinner: Looking for a lunch or dinner option after spending the day shopping on 28th Street? Lindo Mexico recently opened the doors of their new location on 28th. They serve freshly-prepared, authentic Mexican food including their popular burritos.
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The Photographer: Frames Unlimited provides custom framing while also selling beautiful items in their gallery. This would be a great place to visit for custom framing that one-of-a-kind piece.
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The Sweet Tooth: Koeze is famous for their Cream-Nut peanut butter and for their amazing gift bags and boxes. Their fine chocolates and gourmet nuts are sure to fix the cravings of any sweet tooth on your shopping list this year.
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Planning a day of holiday shopping along the Lakeshore? Check out our road map of suggestions of places to visit throughout the Lakeshore community.