Shop Local: Last-Minute Holiday Gifts Under $50

As the holiday season draws to a climax, Shorewood shoppers will likely venture out for some last-minute deals on gifts. And while the big department stores will likely provide a nice bang for your buck, locally owned shops are stocked with unique gift ideas, most of which you can find for under $50.

Many shops lining Shorewood's busy business district provide one-of-a-kind finds with fair trade ethics attached or are handmade locally.

near the intersection of East Capitol Drive and North Downer Avenue is stocked with vintage and unique items, said store manager Marie Ulsberger.

During the holiday season, the store’s fine jewelry has been selling very well and they have seen a lot of classic kitchenware like serving dishes, China and unique tea sets flying off the shelves.

The consignment store, which also stocks its inventory by cleaning out estates generally after their owners have passed way, is also stocked full of original art, vintage furniture and antique ornaments and decorative items.

“You can easily find something for the collector in your family,” Ulsberger said. “We have the stuff you can’t go to the big box store to find anymore.”

At , 2223 E. Capitol Dr., winter-appropriate apparel is popular with hand-woven silk gloves and booties.  

The fair trade shop sells gifts, clothing and treats that provide the producer — who are typically individuals in countries like Nepal or Haiti — with a fair, living wage and a safe work environment. This allows the artisans to meet basic needs like food, education and medical aid, and also helps decrease child labor, human trafficking and illegal immigration, owner Allen Christian said.

One featured item this month is the series of shiny wall sculptures made from repurposed oil drums that are cut and hammered into trees, fish and other items.

In addition, the store stocks handmade items like sculptures from Africa and handmade clothing from 40 different countries.

This month, Fair Trade's featured producer is Venus Imports, which hires women in Nepal and pays them a fair wage for their work and helps to protect them from human trafficking, which is very prevalent in the area. At the fair trade store Venus jackets — which resemble the North Face or Columbia fleece look — feature designs unique to Nepal.

Over at the , 2107 E. Capitol Dr., you'll run into a whole table filled with items under $30, including children's toys, kitchenware and timers, garden tools and gnomes, pot holders made from recycled material and holiday ornaments.

Assistant Manager Jamie Bilgo said hanging glass plant terrariums have been extremely popular with the terrariums going for $15 and the plants priced at $1.50.

"They are a unique gift that most people probably don't have already," Bilgo said.

The Garden Room also has a large children's toys selection with most items under $50 and some fair trade items, Bilgo said.

Gloves and hats made of repurposed sweaters are popular at , 4415 N. Oakland Ave., said Steph Davies, employee and artist at the store.

All the items at Hummingbird are made by local artists who stock the store on a consignment basis. The Hummingbird Art Boutique's business model is to offer handmade arts and crafts items, produced locally, for under $50.

Davies said an artist that makes the brand Permanent Baggage creates her handbags, clutches and wallets from refurbished vintage material. They come in several different colors.

Another artist repurposed children's books and classic novels into journalist’s notebooks, adding a few pages for notes.

For the kids, Hummingbird has repurposed stuffed animals.

And, of course, for the person who has everything, you can’t go wrong with popcorn or chocolate from , said owner Jackie Chesser.

Holiday popcorn tins start under $50, whether you go for the classic cheese, caramel and regular popcorn mix or the unconventional but trendy lemonade and white chocolate popcorn mix.

Goody Gourmets located at 4425 N. Oakland Ave. also offers an array of chocolates, from truffles to turtles.