PORTAGE PARK — Business owners on the Far Northwest Side are gearing up for what they hope will be a busy holiday season.
From local artwork to handmade winter gear, small businesses have great gifts that will make your loved ones smile.
Block Club Chicago rounded up a few neighborhood options to help residents shop local.
Here’s what you can buy:
Portage Park
Home Line Decoration, 4358 N. Cicero Ave. Website.
Home Line Decoration, also called Al-Bazzar, brightens up the corner of Cicero and Montrose avenues. The family-run store sells hundreds of handcrafted Turkish mosaic lamps in various sizes, styles and colors. It also sells ceramic home goods and tapestries, all made by Turkish artisans.
For the holidays, owner Yousef Barakat recommends gifting loved ones a colorful stool ($40), a new item for the store. The shop also sells handmade bowls ($25), plates ($15), vases ($8-$30) and lamps ($20-$55).
Home Line Decoration is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily except Sunday. 312-539-5633.
Distinct Bath and Body, 4046 N. Milwaukee Ave. Website.
From handmade sugar scrubs to colorful bath bombs to more than 50 soaps, giving the gift of self-care is easy with handcrafted products by Distinct Bath and Body shop owner Sam Davis.
For the holidays, Davis is offering gift sets of soaps, bath bombs, grooming products, bath salts and natural immune health boosters sets ($18-$45). People can pick and choose soaps with scents like like yuletide, gingerbread, cranberry fig and ginger lemongrass — or go with traditional soap kinds like black pepper and lime, lavender or oat milk and honey. The shop also sells soy candles ($25) by Gypsy Vine in six scents inspired by nature.
Distinct Bath and Body is open 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday for the holidays and offers in-store pickup or shipping for online orders. 773-930-4420. Instagram.
Harebrained Designs, online. Website.
This Portage Park design company is known for colorful and funky period underwear. Its newest addition to the line is called “Bless the Mess” ($10 this month) and is the team’s first pair designed in needlepoint.
The company also designs boxers and briefs, masks and shirts, including this special, and very Chicago, Riot Fest 2021 shirt ($24.99). It’s a mashup of the band Run the Jewels and running to Jewel-Osco. The design is also available on a hoodie and a tank top.
Harebrained offers free domestic first-class shipping with the code FREESHIP on orders $50 and more and can arrange for local pickup. Instagram.
Veloria Coffee, 3936 N. Cicero Ave. Website.
Veloria Coffee, a newcomer to the Six Corners area, sells 11 kinds of freshly ground coffee online. For the holidays, the owners made Solstice Blend ($17), a darker roast with nutty cocoa, brown sugar, dried cherry and almond flavors that is great for coffee lovers looking to get cozy.
The roastery is also having a sale on its Lodi Trinity bundle ($15-$40), which features all three of its signature coffees: the Lodi Blend, Lodi Espresso and Lodi Dark.
Veloria Coffee ships online orders and offers free, no-contact delivery in the Northwest Side. Instagram.
Wildlight Yoga studio, 4041 N. Milwaukee Ave., No. 302. Website.
The Six Corners yoga studio offers more than just online and in-person classes. Owner Kelli Wefenstette, an avid traveler, sells goods made by artisan merchants she met on her travels, including from Indosenia, Mexico and Costa Rica.
The small gift shop sells candles, incense, clothing and yoga props, as as well as zippered pouches ($20) from Bali with colorful, embroidered messages of “Love” and “Peace” and colorful Pura Vida bracelets ($6) from Costa Rica. Each purchase helps provide full-time jobs for artisans worldwide.
Wildlight Yoga is open 7 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. 773-729-6063. Instagram.
Triple R Gallery, 5031 W. Montrose Ave. Website.
Portage Park artist Riah Dunton, who recently opened her first art gallery in the neighborhood, makes a variety of wearable art, including purses, which are on sale at her gallery.
Inspired by famous paintings, Dunton’s purses range in size and style and are one-of-a-kind ($45-$70, depending on the bag).
Triple R gallery is open noon-5 p.m. daily. 773-960-1998. Instagram.
Perkolator, 6032 W. Irving Park Road. Website.
The popular Portage Park coffee shop has been giving back to the community and brewing local coffee for seven years. Its house-made hot chocolate mix ($12) is a great way to enjoy the colder months. The kits are available with a kick of spice or not and use natural Belgian chocolate.
Pair that with a Perkolator mug ($20) to show your love of the coffee shop. The mugs come in blue, red, orange, green and pink.
Perkolator is open 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. It offers pickup and free shipping on orders over $50 with the code FREESHIP50. 773-853-2261. Instagram.
Collectiv, 5743 W. Irving Park Road. Website.
Collectiv sells many locally made arts and goods, like clothing, skincare products, jewelry and art prints. Choose from funny, celebrity-inspired holiday cards ($4.50) or a handmade wheel-thrown raccoon mug ($44).
Portage Park crocheter Jaclyn Crawford, who makes work under Sundae Crochet Co., also just made a handful of winter scarves and hats on sale at Collectiv ($20).
Collectiv is open noon-5 p.m. daily and offers curbside pickup and free local delivery within 3.5 miles. 773-236-7643. Instagram.
Jefferson Park
Fearless Cooking, 4410 N. Milwaukee Ave. Website.
If acts of service are how you show your love, Fearless Cooking is offering a plethora of virtual cooking classes to prep a delicious gift for the holidays. The store also has all your kitchen essentials.
Owner Catherine Siebel will teach a pop tart baking class ($25) Dec. 5 in time to dazzle your guests for holiday dinners, and a there’s a Dec. 3 class on alcohol infusions ($25). For children, Fearless Cooking also sells DIY bubble gum, cola and root beer kits ($20).
Fearless Cooking is open 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sundays. It offers curbside pickup. 773-647-1165. Instagram.
REP CHI, 4425 N. Milwaukee Ave. Website.
REP CHI has everything you need to celebrate your Chicago love while supporting local artists. This year, co-owner Marian Sherrell Haas is partnering with Portage Park artist Alain Park, who hopes to open a comic bookstore called Howling Pages, to sell a Howling Pages-themed tote bag printed in-house at REP CHI. Proceeds of the tote bag ($22) will go toward Park’s fundraiser to get the store open.
“Included in these totes is a giclee print pinup from Rick Reminder’s comic Black Science, printed on 100% cotton rag paper with archival inks,” Sherrell Haas wrote on Facebook. “You’ll also get a little teaser 12-page mini-comic. And serious street cred.”
The store also has new black and gray Chicago-themed gadgets, like the vacuum Stainless Steel Stars on Matte Black Water Bottle ($26).
REP CHI is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays. It offers curbside pickup for online orders. 773-696-1992. Facebook.
The Made Shop, 4440 N. Milwaukee Ave. Website.
This one-stop shop with handmade work from more than 30 vendors, which recently opened, is a haven for local artists and shoppers. The store sells candles, earrings, mugs, T-shirts, shoes and more, all made by artists from Illinois and a few from Ohio and Indiana.
A new addition to its inventory is the Chicago neighborhood map wallet ($14). Other gift options include a crocheted ear warmer ($27), a Santa-inspired cutting board ($30) and stained glass ornaments ($22-$60).
The Made Shop is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday and Sundays and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday-Saturday. All items can be bought online and shipped or picked up at the store. 773-930-3510. Instagram.
Three Swords Floral Company and gift shop, 5338 W. Lawrence Ave. Website.
Another newcomer to the neighborhood is Three Swords Floral Company, which sells more than just custom-made bouquets. Owner Anne Latham sells skincare items, candles, linen, other housewares accessories and artwork, all made by women entrepreneurs from around the United States.
Latham recommends the Christmas tree candle ($27) by SoyMAS Candle Co. as a gift. It smells of cedar, pine and evergreen.
She also just added an incense bundle of juniper, sweetgrass, piñon and Douglas fir (20 pieces for $18).
Three Swords is open 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. It offers pickup for online orders and delivery all over Chicago and surrounding suburbs. 708-320-2637. Instagram.
Gladstone Park
Face to Face, 5682 N. Milwaukee Ave. Website.
Face to Face offers facials, henna body art and head massages. Give the gift of self-care this season by gifting your loved one a 30-minute therapeutic head and neck massage ($30) or a henna tattoo that’s soothing and pretty (starts at $10, depending on design).
Face to Face is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday and 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Thursday-Saturday. 773-936-4343.
Anemone Creative, 5483 N. Northwest Highway. Website.
This local floral company offers flowers, garlands and balloon arrangements that are perfect for the holidays. The everlasting wreath ($75) can be custom-made for any friend.
Anemone also offers balloon garlands (starts at $65) and custom-made balloon arches for people looking to surprise their loved ones.
Anemone is open 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and takes orders online. 872-222-7208. Instagram.
Norwood Park
Northwestern Cutlery, 7138 W. Higgins Ave. Website.
For the chef in your life, Northwestern Cutlery offers kitchen tools, specialty knives and knife sharpening starting at $4 per knife. The store also offers knife sharpening classes ($50) for anyone who wants to sharpen their skills.
Northwest Cutlery also has several cutting boards for sale, including the wooden proteak cutting board ($41.95). And if you want to make sure the board lasts, pick up beeswax board butter ($14.95) to maintain and preserve the wood.
Northwest Cutlery is open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays. It offers free shipping on orders over $149.95. 312-421-3666. Instagram.
Chicago Kite, 5445 N. Harlem Ave. Website.
The longtime kite store has been selling kites of all sizes and styles for nearly 30 years. Take advantage of the windy season and check out new kite arrivals from Chicago Kite, like the dog or cat kite ($25). Choose from black or golden lab, a German shepherd or a beagle.
A unicorn kite ($25) is also a fun gift for your younger loved ones or yourself to celebrate your inner child.
Chicago Kite offers pickup, and all kites can be bought online. 773-467-1428.
Edgebrook
Local Goods Chicago, 6133 N. Northwest Highway. Website.
For the diehard Chicagoan in your life, Local Goods Chicago, which moved to Edgebrook from Norwood Park, has an array of Chicago-themed gifts by local makers and artists. The shop is ready for Christmas with ornaments like a dibs chair by Moo’s Mercantile ($12) and a Chance the Snapper one ($9).
To make your house or bedroom really pop with Chicago stars, choose from pillows like the “606 Chicago” pillow ($37) for Logan Square, Humboldt Park and Wicker Park folks, or the pillow of the city’s map ($39).
Local Goods is open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, and all items are available for shipping or in-store pickup. 773-800-0158. Instagram.
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