When I see people lined up at the cash register of some schlocky souvenir shop I feel like launching an intervention.
Why spend your hard-earned cash on one more T-shirt, another dumb key chain or some random dust-catcher that’s useless, ugly, expensive or all three?
To suggest some better choices, I set out to find some interesting, original, or, at the very least, tasteful Chicago souvenirs. Chicago is such a world-class city with so much to see and do–and buy–I was sure there were some wonderful mementos out there.
And how!
My first stop was the store at the Chicago Historical Society (1601 N. Clark St., 312-799-2262, chicagotogo.org.). The patron saint of shoppers must have been with me because I soon discovered that, although the building is closed for renovations, the gift shop remains open! The historical society, incidentally, is in the process of changing its name to the Chicago History Museum.
For your arty friends, think about a matted photo from the museum’s collection starting at $30.
If there are kids on your list, I found some high quality Cubs-themed wooden alphabet blocks (S is for slide; U is for umpire) for $39.95. And, yes, if you swing the other way, they carry White Sox blocks too.
I’m coveting the well-made black canvas messenger bag emblazoned with the flag of the city of Chicago for $115. They also stock a smaller purse, in white, but since I’m a dirt magnet I promptly concluded that it would be filthy before I got it to the car. It’s $90.
What’s more practical than an umbrella? The $39.95 model here features the Chicago skyline–on a bright, blue-sky day.
For your Baby Boomer pals, consider a five-tape VHS collection of the ’50s TV show “Kukla, Fran and Ollie”–the televised puppet show created by Chicagoan Burr Tillstrom and broadcast live from a Chicago studio–for $74.95, or a postcard of the beloved Oliver J. Dragon for 65 cents.
Two miles north of the history museum is Equinox (3401 N. Broadway, 773-281-9151, shopequinox.com), where minimalist metal sculptures of the distinctive John Hancock Center building and the Sears Tower can be had for $35 each.
Heading south, make a stop at one of my favorite stores for unusual crockery and flea market gifts, P.O.S.H., in the historic (1894) Tree Studios building (613 N. State St., 312-280-1602, poshchicago.com). Kitschy retro-style Chicago dinnerware, from dinner plates ($14) to soup bowls ($13.95), are rimmed with cartoony drawings of city must-sees, from Wrigley Field to the Lincoln Park Zoo.
The big Marshall Field’s clock is ticking away and soon it will be, sadly, keeping time for Macy’s. Before the venerable Chicago store’s name changes Sept. 9, you might want to pick up a Field’s sterling silver charm bracelet or an individual sterling Marshall Field’s charm, all with marcasites and designed by Judith Jack.
But hurry: When I stopped by the Marshall Field’s at Water Tower (835 N. Michigan Ave., 312-335-7700, fields.com), they were almost sold out of the $265 bracelets with five charms–including two (a shopping bag and charge card) emblazoned with the soon-to-disappear store name. The individual charms, selling fast, are $55 per.
If you’re into genuine city artifacts, I’ve saved the best for last. The City of Chicago operates two unique stores where you don’t have to settle for reproductions or tourist-trade souvenirs (although there’s plenty of those in stock too). Here you can buy real city surplus and one-of-a-kind salvage.
The smaller city store is located in the Cultural Center across from Millennium Park (77 E. Randolph St., 312-742-0079), and it’s where you can stock up on souvenirs of the park’s “bean” sculpture. But the largest of these shops, at the historic pumping station across Michigan Ave. from the Water Tower, is the City of Chicago Store (163 E. Pearson St., 312-742-8811, chicagostore.com).
At the pumping station shop, there are real, refurbished Chicago parking meters for $200 and $250 each. Perfect for your favorite scofflaw. They weigh a hefty 75 pounds so bring along a stevedore if you’re tempted. For something a little more portable, there are Chicago Transit Authority route signs priced from $25 to $200 depending on the size.
When I questioned whether the route signs were actually old, store manager Ruth Volbre assured, “I go to the warehouse and pick them up. We wipe the grime off. “
She also showed me $40 old bus signage rolls, 20-foot-long plasticized paper that you more creative types can use as wallpaper or gift wrap. And if you want even more CTA-nia there’s an assortment of transit related items, some of them coolly vintage, at the CTA’s online store, transitchicago.com/store.
The city store has three-dimensional puzzles of the Sears building ($25) and the John Hancock (with a little Tribune Tower thrown in for $20) that make good, packable presents. And, get this: They glow in the dark.
A really classy and original gift for a special occasion would be one of the city store’s exclusive enamel, ceramic or porcelain boxes, hand painted with city scenes by Chicago artist Mary McLauglin, $70 and up.
I’ve steered away from recommending edible souvenirs here but it’s hard to resist the $2 jar of Roof Top Honey, collected from beehives atop Chicago’s City Hall. What could be a sweeter gift than that?
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What’s your favorite Chicago souvenir? Tell me about it at shopellen@tribune.com or join the shoptalk atchicagotribune.com/ellen
shopellen@tribune.com
