CHICAGO — In Chicago, there's a slew of great gift options a walk, bike or train ride away. Our neighborhood reporters scoured their communities for gift ideas.
Check out our full gift guide page here and a sample of picks below.
ANDERSONVILLE: FOR YOUR COUSIN IN COLLEGE
She may be at NYU, but don't let her forget those Midwestern roots. Milk Handmade (5137 North Clark) in Andersonville has super cute "Midwest is Best" and "IL Love You Forever" T-shirts that will show those East Coasters what's up. $28
Click here for the full Andersonville gift guide.
BRIDGEPORT: FOR THE STYLISH CYCLIST WHO REQUIRES FUNCTIONALITY
Handmade by Britt Frandsen in Bridgeport and sold on Etsy, Foolheartedly vinyl bags do double duty: They’re primarily cargo bags designed to wrap around a bike frame, but they can be made into purses with an optional strap. $30 for the bag, $4 for the strap; also available at Hardscrabble Gifts (3333 S. Halsted St.)
Click here for the full Bridgeport gift guide.
CHATHAM: FOR YOUR WIFE WITH A FUNKY FLAIR FOR FASHION
She loves all things animal print and would not describe her decorating style as "traditional." Anna's Linens (7546 S. Stony Island Ave.) has a slew of affordable home decor options — from a leopard print door mat to "tipsy" personalized stemless wine glasses. $34.99 for the wine glasses, $4.99 doormat
Click here for the full Chatham gift guide.
DOWNTOWN: FOR THE INKED-UP
Whether they've got a song lyric they outgrew or just a shortage of space for new work, even the biggest tattoo-lovers might have some tweaks in mind for their canvas. River North's newly opened Sempurna Restoration Clinic (220 W. Huron St., Suite 2003) sells tattoo-removal gift cards that can cover some or all of the laser-removal process. Is this gift a passive-aggressive nudge? Identify the offending ink you had in mind right right on your gift card. $25 gift card minimum, $3,000 maximum
Click here for the full Downtown gift guide.
HYDE PARK: FOR THE CHICAGO ARCHITECTURE BUFF
The Robie House offers laser-cut reproductions of the windows from the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home at 5757 S. Woodlawn Ave for $26. Or pick up "The Wright Three," a book by Blue Balliet about three kids trying to solve a mystery and save the Robie House, from 57th Street Books, (1301 E. 57th St.) for $7.99.
Click here for the full Hyde Park gift guide.
LAKEVIEW: FOR THE SEX ADVENTURER
Chicago's sexy — you already knew that. And for the adventurous Chicago lovers, there's a tour dedicated to checking out the city's sexy side, from former Levee districts and S&M dungeons to makeout clubs. The tour starts at Discovery Center (2855 N. Lincoln Ave.) and tickets can be bought online. $49
Click here for the full Lakeview gift guide.
LINCOLN PARK: FOR THE ANIMAL LOVER
ADOPT an animal at the Lincoln Park Zoo and add on the holiday package, which is new this winter. The recipient of the gift will not only have the satisfaction of knowing the animals are a bit better off because of that gift, but will also get vouchers for skate rental, ice time and hot chocolate at the zoo's skating rink. $70
Click here for the full Lincoln Park gift guide.
LINCOLN SQUARE: FOR THE MANLY MAN
You love him, but his apartment smells like... well, it smells like a dude lives there. Fortunately, Isle of Man (3856 N. Lincoln Ave.) offers Archer Air Superiority air fresheners in scents like European Sports Car, Distillery and Hunting Lodge. Wanna really get his engine running? Put a restored 1964 BSA motorcycle under the Christmas tree, vintage brass tire pump sold separately. Archer Air Superiority, $14; BSA motorcycle, $7,500; vintage tire pump, $95
Click here for the full Lincoln Square gift guide.
LINCOLN SQUARE: FOR THOSE WEARING MIDWESTERN PRIDE ON THEIR SLEEVE
Midwesterners might not be loud — too polite for that — but we're plenty proud. Neighborly (2003 W. Montrose Ave.) celebrates all the things we love about the country's heartland — the Great Lakes rock! — and all the things that East and Left Coasters will never quite understand. Nope, Ohio and Iowa are not the same place. Indoctrinate the little ones early with Ana Apple onesies featuring embellishments like "773." Cooks will appreciate cutting boards designed to look like the Chicago flag or shaped like various states, the latter made from naturally anti-microbial, sustainably grown bamboo. And Great Lakes ornaments for everyone. Onesies, $25-$30; Chicago flag cutting board, $80; state-shaped cutting board, $55; ornaments, $12
Click here for the full Lincoln Square gift guide.
LOGAN SQUARE: FOR YOUR BFF
The ladies behind Sparrow salon (2545 N. Milwaukee Ave.) already have a long list of happy clients. Now, salon owners Susan Flaga and Bathsheba Nemerovski are making an essential oil that works as a cleanser, moisturizer or hair perfecter. The blend of 12 essential oils isn't greasy and has a fresh, earthy scent your friends will love. Find it at Sparrow, Asrai Garden (1935 W. North Ave.) or at bonadrag.com. $88 for 1.7-ounce bottle
Click here for the full Logan Square gift guide.
LOGAN SQUARE: FOR HORRIBLE PEOPLE
Cards Against Humanity, calls itself a party game for horrible people and has also been described as the "card game for a--holes" and "Apples to Apples for the crass and jaded." This popular game was born in Chicago at the Logan Square Design Building (2864 N. Milwaukee Ave.) and is sold here. $25
Click here for the full Logan Square gift guide.
NORTHWEST SIDE: FOR YOUR ARTSY FRIEND WHO WANTS TO SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT
Edgebrook resident Laura Guenther opened Local Goods Chicago (5354 W. Devon Ave.) nearly a year ago to showcase the work of Chicago artists — and to give Far Northwest Siders a cool place to shop. Any gift from this store is sure to be unique, but upcycled lamps from Norwood Park artist Kim Gottschall's KVG Designs are sure to be a conversation-starter and good for the environment, too. Prices range from $50 to $90
Click here for the full Northwest Side gift guide.
PILSEN: FOR A “GREEN” PROPOSAL
Looking to pop the question around the holidays? Do it with a custom-made wood ring from Simply Wood Rings (2233 S. Throop St.) Customers can add any material that can be ground up to the rings; couples have used sand from beaches they vacationed on and rocks from hikes they took together. Rings range from $250-$600
Click here for the full Pilsen gift guide.
PILSEN: FOR THE MORBID HAWKS FAN
Have a Blackhawks fan who’s also glued to season four of "The Walking Dead"? Liven up their look with one of these colorful "undead" Hawks shirts made by BooshWorks Screen Printers (2118 S. Halsted St.). Blackhawks T-shirt, $25
Click here for the full Pilsen gift guide.
ROGERS PARK: FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD SUPER FAN
Do you know someone who loves Rogers Park so much they'd wear it on a T-shirt? The Classic Rogers Park Shirt, printed on an American Apparel tee, features "Rogers Park" in white and teal block letters and is inspired by one of the neighborhood's many viaduct murals. $22
Click here for the full Rogers Park gift guide.
SOUTH LOOP: FOR THE KID WHOSE PARENTS THINK GREEN
Mom and Dad care about carbon emissions, but little Timmy just wants a toy train with wheels that move. Please the whole gang with Maple Landmark's line of sustainable wooden toys handmade in their Middlebury, Vt., shop since 1979. The South Loop's eco-friendly play place, the Sod Room is stocked with the stuff. They're also the only local vendor of the line, which sells toys online at MapleLandmark.com. Prices vary
Click here for the full South Loop gift guide.
SOUTHWEST SIDE: FOR THE CHICAGO ENFORCER
Most of the items at A.J. Uniform (2758 W. 111th St.) can only be purchased by police officers. However, the store also stocks a small selection of novelty police items. T-shirts with the Chicago Blackhawks and Chicago Bears logos draped in the city's powder blue flag are among the head-turners. $12.95
Click here for the full Southwest Side gift guide.
UPTOWN: FOR THE PERSON IN YOUR LIFE WHO OWNS A VELVET ELVIS POSTER
Shake Rattle and Read (4812 N. Broadway) is Uptown's premier stop for used books, records, comics and pop culture memorabilia — meaning its a treasure trove for the geeky and/or nostalgic. The store boasts a copy of "Elvis' Worldwide 50 Gold Award Hits, Vol. 1," on vinyl and offers vintage Playboy magazines from the days before extreme plastic surgery and faux tans. $30 for the record; $5 for each magazine
Click here for the full Uptown gift guide.
WEST LOOP: FOR THE COFFEE DRINKER/RECORD COLLECTOR
West Loop-based Passion House Coffee Roasters want you to think of music and coffee as one. To hammer this home for the holidays, they’ve rebranded their coffee as Ambient, Mainstream and Experimental, and paired each coffee with a record in an artist-designed tote bag. Saki (3716 W. Fullerton Ave.), Transistor (3441 N. Broadway St.), and Permanent Records (1914 W. Chicago Ave.) all will be lending their sounds to the grind. $40-$45 for the package deal
Click here for the full West Loop gift guide.
WICKER PARK: FOR THE PREPPY BOYS-TO-MEN IN YOUR LIFE
Bucktown has plenty of designer boutiques for grown-ups, but only one place where father and son can find matching button-downs in plaid and solid colors. Apartment No. 9 (1809 N. Damen Ave.) carries Alex Mill Boys and Mens Oxfords by designer Alex Drexler, the son of J.Crew's CEO Mickey Drexler. Size 2-7 boys, $95. Med-XL for men, $165
Click here for the full Wicker Park gift guide.
Not satisfied?
Dozens more ideas can be found here.
