#inform-video-player-1 .inform-embed { margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 20px; }

#inform-video-player-2 .inform-embed { margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 20px; }

On almost every street corner in small towns and villages throughout the region are ornate retail options for the hungry holiday shopper.

Toys, sweaters, sweatshirts, soap, jewelry and more adorn shop windows, prompting the eager gift-giver to stop in and buy something special — something local.

Whether it’s Traverse City, Suttons Bay, Harbor Springs and beyond, shoppers are sure to find meaningful presents for those they love.

Traverse City shopping never disappoints

Traverse City no doubt has plenty of places to reinvest your money into the community — say, downtown on Front Street — but one that always pleases is the Mercado at The Village at Grand Traverse Commons.

In the basement of the old state hospital lies more than a dozen retail options, and when you enter the Mercado around the holidays, you’re transported into a different world peppered with the seasons’ offerings.

“I love that it’s a community. All of the stores really work well with each other. We’re all locally owned, so we communicate really well,” said retailer Sam Smith who works at High Five Threads.

The store sells tons of Michigan-themed gifts for the holidays, including pint glasses, key chains, stickers, sweatshirt, beanies — the gift options go on and on.

Michigan stickers are $5 apiece or five stickers for $20. Hoodies and sweatshirts range from $50 to $60.

Just down the corridor is Haven, a women’s clothing retailer that doesn’t break the bank, said Haven staffer Abbi Fortine.

“You can get a whole outfit for $80 to $120,” she said.

Sunglasses, $40 to $50 leather purses, hair accessories and simple jewelry also are on display.

Down the hall is a men’s retail store, The Haberdashery: Unique Gifts for Men, owned by Chase Gibbard. He’s dedicated to those who want to take their grooming and looks to a self-expressed level.

“Men’s gift ideas are hard to find,” he said. “I decided to go at it because guys are starting to groom a little more, and I wanted to bring the dapper man back. A lot of that classic old style is the new style.”

Gibbons opened the store 12 years ago, and sells beard shaving products, neck ties, socks, cigars, cufflinks, men’s jewelry and so much more.

On the jewelry side, the store sells 24-karat gold and affordable silver, Gibbard said.

Men’s rings range from $40 to $100. He also has bracelets made from cobra snake spines, a unique accessory he wears on his wrist.

Jewelry prices range from $6 to $550, and shaving needs run $12-$14.

Suttons Bay gift swagger goes beyond clothing

Driving through the village of downtown Suttons Bay on M22, you’ll find plenty of clothing stores, including Haystacks, Happy Women, and Poppy Things, to name a few.

But you’ll also find kid and adult toys at Brain Storm, located at 221 N St. Joseph Street, owned by Andy Patterson.

Walking into the store you’ll no doubt find Patterson playing toys and games with his shoppers and/or employees.

“It’s more fun coming into a toy store when you can play with the stuff,” he said. “We have stuff you don’t find at KMart.”

The Klask, for example, is a board game where two players control the game underneath the board with large magnets that move their ball into the goal.

He also has puzzles. Lots and lots of puzzles that range from 40 to 40,320 pieces, costing from $10 all the way up to $700.

Board games cater to ages 3 to adult, and he also sells puppets, kites, corn hole sets and Petoskey stones that he polished himself.

On the other side of the street, Northern Latitudes Distillery sells libations, coffee mugs, and Michigan-themed coasters that cost $5.95.

The retailer is most famous, though, for its spirits, including Cherry Bounce cherry liquor and Mackinac Island Fudge chocolate liquor — both $31.95 per bottle. Shoppers also flock to the Horseradish Vodka (mainly used in Bloody Mary’s) for $32.95.

Harbor Springs dazzles with clothing stores galore

Along the main road in Harbor Springs, shoppers have a number of places to purchase gifts, including fashionable and warm clothing.

McClutchey’s Casual Clothing helps customers take fashion to the next level, offering tunics, sweaters, dresses and more.

They also sell beanies for $20, and leather hats.

“We sell a ton of Pendleton hats, western hats. Pendleton is really popular at Christmas time,” said store owner Samantha Farley. “We have a full kids line. Boys and girls clothing.”

Holiday clothing for little girls start at $40, and little holiday dresses run $55. The store is located at 248 State St. in Harbor Springs.

Not far from McClatchey’s is Harbor Wear, selling Michigan-themed sweatshirts, hats, hoodies and ski gear. Harbor Wear is located at 161 S. State St. in Harbor Springs.

Hoodies cost $56, crewneck sweatshirts run $30 to $50 and buffalo plaid jackets sell for $65.

The shop also has souvenirs for stocking stuffers.

No matter where you go in northern Michigan, you’re sure to find local gifts, and any store owner will say that buying from these stores helps fuel the local economy.

#inform-video-player-3 .inform-embed { margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 20px; }