The sandwich board advertisement for "lemon poppy seed sourdough bread samples inside" was my…read moreinvitation to visit the Box Mercantile Gift Shop in Grafton. It was delicious. Cute gift shop with lots to choose from - locally made salsas, jams and jellies, as well as pie fillings. They have a wide variety of sourdough starter kits and cheesecake packets. They even have treats and toys for fur babies. My hubby is always looking for a new Life Is Good tee and they have those too. Owners were present and inviting.

This is a cute little gem gift shop in Grafton Illinois. The outside looks like an old town bank…read morebut going in it has all types of gifts consisting of soaps, dips, accessories, sauces, apparel, shower steamers , bath bombs etc. Great conversation pieces throughout. Clean and clear of clutter. Patty the owner is super friendly, genuine, informative and helpful. Samples are available to taste of food items . Hrs of operation Sat 9:30-5p Sun 9:30-4p. Parking is curbside and Very limited! Check her out , you won't be disappointed

Peg was so thoughtful preparing flowers for my mother's funeral on short notice. They were…read morebeautiful! Thank you Peg

I visited today and purchased an assortment of flowers in a small vase. The lady that waited on me…read morewas very pleasant and the price was reasonable. The flower arrangement was OK, but not fantastic.

Are you a fashionista? If so, you need to make tracks to Jerseyville, IL and check out this new hot…read moreand trending women's boutique. Ivy + Blush is the type of boutique you'd typically find in Kirkwood or Webster Groves, MO. It has some of the coolest spa aka work-out outfits, cool new denim jeans, fun T-Shirts and the staple of all ladies wardrobe - a simple black dress. In addition to all they cool clothes, they have the accessories to complete the look. They even have purses that look like one of the top designers at a more reasonable price. Being a guy shopping with my cousin and helping her spend money at a ladies boutique, I found some locally made soy candles for myself. So it was a win for me, too. Jamie the owner is a delight and is hands on with her customers. I am so glad that one of my customers, told me about her find in Jerseyville. I shared it with my cuz, we made the road trip up to Jerseyville and was not disappointed. I can tell you, ladies that I buy gifts for - this is a shop I will be hitting up first. When: July 29, 2021 Why: Recommendation of a well dressed lady

Love the clothes! They are awesome! I love to shop there!…read moreThe prices are great too! The owner is very friendly and welcoming!

Mississippi Mud Pottery has been around for 40 years. That is longer than most marriages in this…read moreday and age. When I shop here, I am not only supporting a local business, I am also supporting a local artist as well. That is a win-win. If any of you have shopped here and walked out without buying a single item, I want to know how you did it. I personally can always find an item or two to buy. I am either adding to my favorite pattern, Mixed Berry or I'm just buying a new random item that I just simply like. The quality of the handmade pottery is impressive and the prices are very reasonable. The staff gives a hippy vibe, which goes right along with the pottery/artist theme. Being a dog dad, I love that their show winning King Charles Spaniel, works the sales floor, like a true champion. When shopping on Broadway in downtown Alton, be sure to stop by Mississippi Mud Pottery. If you're like me, you'll walk out with one or more pieces of beautifully crafted pottery and will not regret it. The pieces can be for you or as a gift.

I just picked up yet another special request item from my favorite pottery store. Ive been shopping…read moreat this store for around 15years. The owner Chad used to let my kids play with clay and the pottery wheel when they were little. There's always a friendly dog in the store greeting customers. Any time I have an idea of something I can't find, I give them a call and they make whatever I dreamed up. This is such a special shop. I feel like family when I shop here. The quality and uniqueness of their pottery is unmatched. Here are a few pictures of my "special" order items they made for me.

What a great local garden shop! I picked up herbs, tomatoes and peppers. Service was amazing and…read morevery helpful. They have plenty of cute pots and garden decorations. Saw some cool succulents too. We just moved to Alton and I have a feeling this will be my go to spot!

My cousin introduced me to, Community Seed & Feed. When I lived in STL, I had my favorite nurseries…read moreto buy my annuals and perennials, but was totally clueless as to where to go on this side of the river. A friend, my BFF who lives out in Connecticut wanted to send me a gift certificate to a local nursery as a house warming gift. Researching on-line, she decided to just send me a check for the amount instead, because she did not know which one, I would prefer. I had no idea myself and that is why my cousin stepped in and helped. The day we decided to go shopping, Mother Nature decided to rain that day. We didn't let that stop us. I wore a raincoat, she carried an umbrella and we dodged rain puddles, as we went from greenhouse to greenhouse selecting plants in a yellow and orange theme. I had four huge planters that I moved over from STL, waiting to be put to good use at my new home. I was impressed with the variety and selection of plants available and most of all, I was thrilled with the prices. Shopping at a country nursery made my dollars go a lot further than shopping at a big city one. The associates working that day were helpful and they got a good laugh at my cousin and I having so much fun shopping in the rain. Before I left with my treasures, I got to meet the young man who recently purchased the nursery. I like his vision and entrepreneur spirit. I have a couple nurseries closer to my home, but I'm going to drive the extra miles and support CSF. When: April 10, 2021 Why: Time to plant flowers

What a super cool gift shop. You'll find it immediately as you turn off the Great River Road, to…read moreexplore the Village of Elsah. It's the first building you'll see. You can stop and shop as you enter, or go exploring and then as you are leaving, stop and shop. Either way, I can guarantee you'll find something to buy. Peace Works is a .Fair Trade & Charitable Market. Their mission is, promote peace by supporting those who make a difference. I bought some Grounds & Hounds Coffee. It's 100% Fair Trade Organic and 20% of all proceeds fund life saving animal rescue initiatives. I'm a big advocate for dog and cat rescue. They also had some amazing photographs and art works for sale. One really caught my eye and I may be going back to get it. I'm eyeing spaces in my house now. Other great items were their jewelry offerings and jelly & jams. I love a good jelly. Jelly is what makes your PBJ tasty. Julie the owner is very personable and her passion for what she does is obvious. Now that I have discovered Peace Works, I'll be returning to shop again.

Great selection of beautiful and unique clothes, jewelry, candles…read more.. The owner is a very nice lady who gave us several discounts when my granddaughters and I checked out. Seems more interested in meeting people and providing a variety of beautiful items than in getting the most money out of you that's possible. I found that so refreshing. The only store in town with that particular vib.

Once again, The Grapevine helped me find a perfect gift for a little person. I had a cousin…read morecelebrating his second birthday and he loves airplanes. When I shared that information with the owner, she knew exactly what I needed. She showed me a cute t-shirt that had an airplane on it with the caption, "Take To The Sky". It was perfect. Now I just had to find out what size to buy. The owner remained patient as I texted the grandma, so I purchased the right size. The t-shirt was considered a summer items and all summer fashions were on sale for 20% off. So I got a great gift at a discount. (Original price was good, too). I paired this t-shirt with a couple of Hot Wings toys from Funky Planet Toys, a fabulous locally owned toy store about a half block down the street. Alton is lucky to have these two children's stores in their downtown. As a bonus, both are women owned.