PILSEN — Whiskey, undead Blackhawks, books, baked goods and more await the lucky shopper headed to the Pilsen, the Near West Side and the West Loop this holiday shopping season.
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
FOR THE AVID CTA RIDER
Spend enough time on the train, and you're gonna need a shower. Help your commuter friend get clean with handmade soaps designed to look like Chicago “L” lines by artisan soap maker Abbey Brown (1162 W. Grand Ave.) Choose from the Blue, Brown, Green and Red lines, each made with 58 percent cold pressed olive, coconut and palm oils and Shea butter. Hand packaged and designed by local artists, these soaps will bring a smile to even the grumpiest “L” rider’s face. $7 for a 4 oz. bar
FOR THE CRAFT WHISKEY DRINKER
Stuck with the in-laws? Bring the hostess a batch of delicious small batch whiskeys from Gentile’s Wine Shop (1160 W. Taylor St.) — and be sure to pour some for yourself. Options include Whistle Pig, Basil Hayden’s, Blanton’s Single Barrel or go for the mother load and get Japan’s “most popular whiskey,” Yamazaki Single Malt, a rare whiskey available in both the 12 and 18 year varieties. Whistle Pig Straight Rye Whiskey, Aged 11 Years, $119. Basil Hayden’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, $45. Blanton’s Single Barrel, $65. Yamazaki Single Malt, $65 for the 12-year and $145 for the 18-year
FOR THE MUSIC LOVER WHO LOVES ALL THINGS VINTAGE
It’s a briefcase, it’s a stereo, it’s the Hi-Fi Case. Chicago resident Garrett Galayda takes vintage briefcases and soups them up with modern speakers for the ultimate easy listening experience. The stereos are battery-powered, Bluetooth enabled, and include USB external device chargers. Snag one at Modern Cooperative (1215 W. 18th St.) or put in a custom order with Galayda online. Stereos range from $395-$895
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.) will all be lending their sounds to the grind. $40-$45 for the package deal
FOR THE READER WHO CAN’T GET ENOUGH
Can’t decide which 500-page Stephen King novel to get that brainy cousin? Pick up all of them at Market Fresh Books (1076 W. Taylor St.) where used books are sold by the pound, be they Dickens or Dahl, for $4.99. The store also carries many current textbooks for just 99 cents and many other books are priced at the discounted rate of $2.49 a pound. Used Books per pound, $2.49-$4.99
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
FOR THE FRIDA/HELLO KITTY WORSHIPPER
Enlighten your Hello Kitty-loving niece with a Frida Kahlo/Hello Kitty print from Pilsen artist Jay Jasso, whose work can be found all over the neighborhood. The digital prints are spray painted and stenciled, making each one unique. Pick one up at the Pilsen Out Post shop in La Catrina Cafe (1011 W. 18th St.) Frida prints, $15-$25
FOR YOUR FAVORITE FOODIE
Scafuri Bakery (1337 W. Taylor St.) reopened last spring after being closed for six years. In addition to their infamous pizza bread, the 100-year-old bakery makes cookies and pies, which you can get wrapped up in a fancy basket. Cookie trays, $32; cookie baskets, $40-$75; assorted pies, $15.99-$21.99
