Midwest shop 'til you drop

I can't believe how quickly the holidays are approaching!

Here, just in time for some last minute shopping, are some suggestions for those special people on your gift list from some of my past stories about Midwest businesses.

 

• I love wind chimes, and The Wind Chime Shop is a must-see whenever I visit southern Ohio's Hocking Hills area. The selection of chimes is astounding, and I always end up with at least a few sets as gifts and for myself when I stop in the store. Check out the store's Web site, and look for my favorite Gentle Spirits chimes!

 

• Love cheese? Then you'll love Cheese Haven near Port Clinton, Ohio. We like stopping by on our way home from Cleveland, or when we drive on out to the Marblehead lighthouse and picking up some of the store's cheddar cheese spread (check out No. 6 on Cheese Shop list at the Web site).

 

 

 

• I'm ready to place my order for cherry goodies from Cherry Republic! The company in Glen Arbor, Michigan, offers dried cherries, cherry jellies and jams, cherry salsa, cherry barbecue sauces, chocolate covered cherries, gummy cherry Sour Patch candies (my favorite), and almost any other product that incorporates one of Michigan's signature crops.

 

• Zingerman's family of businesses is another Michigan foodie delight-a family of companies dedicated to sharing the best in regional fare and fun food finds at their Ann Arbor deli, Roadhouse restaurant, through local outlets like Detroit's Eastern Market, and their mail order catalog. Our favorites include pimento cheese and their dense, rich coffeecakes (the coffeecakes freeze well if you can't eat them all at once).

 

• You can order a canoe from the Piragis Boundary Waters Catalog (we did), but you can also order a lot of other gifts from this Ely, Minnesota, outfitter. You can find plenty of outdoor gear, as well as gifts like jewelry, posters, photographic prints, and other hand-crafted items from northwoods artisans.

 

• For some curious reason, my story about our visit to Sechler's Factory Pickle Store in Fremont, Indiana, is one of my most popular posts. We occasionally find Sechler's Pickles in grocery stores in the Detroit area, but you can view a bigger variety of pickled products and gift packs at the Sechler's Web site. You'll have to call or fax in your order, but you can pick up a free pickle recipe book in PDF format before you log off to place your order.

 

 

 

• Looking for a funny gift and can't make it all the way up to Ishpeming, Michigan? Check out Da Yoopers' online store for beer...um...accessories, Upper Peninsula souvenirs, John Wayne lunchboxes, Elvis shopping bags, and the full catalog of Da Yoopers music and DVDs. Check the Rock Knockers section of the site to shop for the rock hound on your list.

 

• Visiting Bronner's near Frankenmuth, Michigan, is definitely worth the experience, but if you're short on time and still need that one special ornament for your tree or as a gift, you can always check out the huge Christmas store's online catalog.

 

There are a few of our favorite places for gifts from the Midwest. Do you know of others I should check out?

Comments

[Lorraine]

Just in time post because I was wondering what to get my husband. The foodie ideas are perfect (and tend to clutter my house less!)

[Dominique King]

Lorraine-Foodie gifts do work well in a lot of cases. I just got my Cherry Republic package at the house yesterday...and I'm expecting my Zingerman's package any day now :)