I am going to come clean. I am not much of a shopper. In fact, I rarely shop unless it is a necessity. So when Christmas comes around, I enjoy shopping in historic downtowns, because the stores are locally owned, and they are entertaining.

Downtown retail business owners have to be creative in order to compete with the strip malls and mega stores, and they often line their shelves with interesting and hard-to-find items, making my shopping trip much more enjoyable than browsing the standard mall fare.

Don’t believe me? Let me tell you about my recent shopping trip in historic downtown Loveland. I started at Anthology Book Co. on East 4^th Street. I’ve been shopping at Anthology since we first moved to Loveland in 2002. They offer more than just books, including great stocking stuffers and a nice selection of cards. Be sure to check out Momma’s Style, a children’s store, with space in the kid’s section.

The Coffee Tree is also inside the bookstore, and features fantastic coffee and fast, friendly service. Anthology is a good place to start your trip because a cup of freshly roasted coffee will surely get those creative juices flowing.

HeidiTown Tip: Don’t be afraid to buy someone a book, especially if you know they are a reader. Some of the best books I’ve read have been presents from friend or family members.  

Next I crossed the street and walked a half block to Almosta. We usually buy several ornaments for family members each Christmas and we always buy them at Almosta, because the selection is unique and there are lots to pick from. Plus, the store’s beautiful holiday decorations are sure to put you in the Christmas spirit.

Almosta also has other great gifts including lots of small affordable items for nearly everyone. Listen up guys! Most gals will love anything you buy from this store’s clothing section. 

Next I walked west, nearly the length of 4^th Street, to a new store called Body Song. Opened by the owners of Kitchen Alley, Body Song is a cornucopia of gift ideas for her (with a few things for him as well, including luxurious robes). The products in this store help enhance the pampered lifestyle. Deluxe lotions, bath salts, towels and other items line the neatly appointed shelves.

Next I visited Kitchen Alley, a personal favorite. This is the perfect store for the cook in your life. They have gifts for the serious gourmet cook or the occasional cook, or people who simply love cooking gadgets. From high end cook ware, to distinctive cookbooks, to memorable stocking stuffers like cute little whisks or pinch dishes, I can spend hours browsing Kitchen Alley.

I crossed the street to Cloz, formerly in the space now occupied by Body Song, this store has moved into a larger building to accommodate their vast collections of items. This store sells furniture, clothes, home décor, clothing, jewelry and much more. They even have a large ceramic horse head statue, should you need one.

In my opinion, Cloz has the best collection of jewelry in downtown. They have what I call “conversation starter” jewelry, because if you wear one of their pieces, people will ask where you bought it and comment on the beauty and exclusivity of the piece.

After browsing through Cloz, in order to sustain my shopping, I popped into Aqua Lounge at Monaco Trattoria at 218 E. 4^th Street. I ordered my favorite, a May Tag Martini, only $4 during happy hour (4 to 6 p.m. daily).

After my drink I visited the last stop on this trip. Since it opened, Merchant Voyage has been a favorite. The store has an Old World feel, yet you won’t pay exorbitant prices. This is the only store I’ve seen my husband truly enjoy spending time in, and he even shops for gifts there on his own. Two years ago we bought a Cicada bug mounted in a glass display box as a Christmas gift for our niece.

At the time she was just three, and in that year she had experienced the Chicago Cicada invasion (every 17 years there is an explosion of these ugly bugs in the Chicago area). It turns out our niece was fascinated by the Cicada bugs; bringing them into the house whenever she got a chance and carrying them around in her pockets. Finding this gift on the wall at Merchant Voyage was perfect, and it’s a gift she will own for a lifetime.

In addition to mounted insects, Merchant Voyage has a vast array of other items, laid out like a museum, but it’s not overwhelming or cluttered. The owner has a real eye for purchasing captivating and charming objects and a great eye for decorating. I encourage you to go and poke around in this store – you never know what you might find.  

It was cold and dark as I walked to my car with bags of gifts I was truly going to enjoy giving. Stores were starting to close and the smell of food was beginning to permeate downtown. I didn’t have a chance to visit the many art galleries on this trip, I’ll save that for another time, but I did have a fun and successful shopping experience.

HeidiTown Tip: Don’t forget the Rialto Theater! Gift Certificates for theater is a lovely and memorable gift that is as fun to give as it is to receive, especially if you get to go along to the show.

 Click HERE for 10 Reasons to Shop Local