Holly and Compant at Hip Hip Hooray are the Best!!! It's the only place I go for gifts for kids…read more They ALWAYS help me find exactly what I need. Birthdays, party favors, Christmas and Chanukah, newborns... they never miss the mark. They feel like friends who show up whenever you need them. You cannot help but smile when you walk in the door. I wish it was this easy for my adult friends!!! #1 Fan,, Phil Kirschbaum

This owner is antisemitic. Spend as you wish. Holly feels comfortable stating that. The store is a…read morerip off.

Beanstalk is the kind of toy store I wish is around when I was a kid. They carry a variety of toys…read moreand educational activity games. The store is clean and organized and I must mention the friendly staff on duty this past Saturday morning who offered to put a ribbon on a stuffed animal I purchased. There are plenty of street parking in front and around the store. It's a unique treasure for kids of all ages. Instead purchasing toys from of big box stores or Amazon, give Beanstalk a try!

This is an adorable toy store for the under 10 set. I am not in company with many youngsters…read moretheseadays, but I imagine this store is the kind of place they'd love. There's a train track that runs above the store with a train toddling along. I saw moms sitting on the floor while their kids explored. I was looking for newborn stuff, the store is more geared to toddlers and up, although lots of baby gear here too. I didn't stay long as I was looking for infant stuff but I imagine I'll be back when said newborn gets a little older.

I wanted to stop by Uncharted to restock on some moisturizer, then I accidentally discovered online…read morethat there was another location right next to the Walgreens where I was already planning a pickup, what are the odds? This Uncharted is similar to the one in Arlington Heights, which looked somewhat newer. It also had many different departments, each selling trendy merchandise. There seemed to be a lot of cute things that I could browse had I had more time to shop. I ended up grabbing several boxes of moisturizer and headed to checkout. The cashier was very friendly; she called some manager trying to check if I could combine two deals at the same time. I had a 10% off the entire purchase for the first time for rewards member coupon, and a monthly $5 coupon. As she apparently did not get a clear answer, she scanned both barcodes to let the system decide. It worked and saved me over $15. That's perfect customer service! I will be back to shop more for sure.

Uncharted opened in Wilmette a couple of weeks ago. We were curious and stopped by last night…read more I didn't know what to expect. The space used to be a Borders bookstore (RIP) years ago. It's bright and spacious. There's something for everyone, from kids, women's, men's, books, cards, home goods, bath, accessories, and more! Many different brands that's appealing to everyone. The store is laid out in sections and well organized. There is so much to look at. It's a pre-teen and teen haven, lots of cute things. For those who know, it's a Lad and Lassie (a former mom and pop shop in Wilmette) on steroids plus goods for other age groups. It's the perfect place for a gift.

I am IN LOVE with the Mustard Seed. It first caught my attention because it is a fair trade shop…read more Turns out that it is run by volunteers so the money earned goes directly to the artists. The people who make the goods here are from all over -- from Chili to Ghana. When I purchase gifts, they often include brief information about the artist as well as the shop. Friends and family -- including my super cool teenage nieces and my mom -- who have received gifts from this store before are always excited when they see the familiar box. In fact, this Christmas I did the majority of my shopping here. They carry an amazing array of jewelry. From beautiful beaded necklaces to metal cuffs to swingy earrings. They also carry clothing (sweaters were a huge item this winter), colored scarves (I can't get enough!), wooden bowls, purses, blankets, rugs, wall decor, children's items and frames. During the holidays they even carry ornaments. I've posted a pic of a couple of them. The people who volunteer here are extremely nice and dedicated to helping the artists they show -- often women trying to support their families. But when buying here be prepared for a slow process. Because they are volunteers it's not like walking into a well oiled retail shop. But who really cares? It feels great to help out people who are trying to help themselves (hint -- it's the artist) and give gifts that have meaning to me and the recipient. It's been an amazing teaching tool for my nieces while giving them things they love. Hmmm. I think it's time for a new fashion scarf. Can't stay away too long!

This is a great little shop with so many items to choose from, I may go in for a pair of earrings…read moreto give as a gift but then find a pair for myself, a necklace, and 10 other things I want! The items are all fair trade and the employees are volunteers so you know you are shopping for a good cause! Great for gifts and each product has a story!

Wide selection of jewelry and home gifts but very pricey. Be prepared to spend when you shop here!…read moreStaff is very friendly and knowledgable about all the designers/sellers.

What can I say, wow! I passed this shop on my way to lunch and am so happy I decided to step in…read more This is a total gem of a store with the most beautiful and unique selection of jewelry, gifts and furniture. The staff was helpful and I didn't feel pressure whatsoever. I walked out with a piece of jewelry and have already received 3 compliments from strangers on it. Will definitely be back soon to check out their collection of home decor items. If you're in or near downtown Highland Park I highly recommend!

Wow is all I can say about this place. My husband and I had been to almost 5 different stores…read moretrying to look at strollers and either no one would help us or whoever did was too junior to know anything about them. Then we walked into Galt this past weekend. The woman who helped us was unimaginably helpful. She didn't sugarcoat anything and helped us pick a stroller that was right for our lifestyle. I just kept saying over and over, that visit put me so at easy (which is hard to feel during pregnancy). 12/10 recommend!

On the hunt for a stroller and car seat, which is an annoying task when preparing for a baby. But…read moreGalt & Buy Buy Baby are the two stores that I've heard of that carry a variety of strollers to compare, so off I went. This store isn't that large, though I don't know how it compares to other locations. They did have several strollers, all of the more expensive variety: Bugaboo, Uppababy, Cybex, etc.; you won't find a Graco or Chicco stroller here. I did appreciate that the woman showed me how to reverse the stroller, switch out the seat for the bassinet, and a variety of other features of the stroller. As I walked around she also told me about a couple of the gliders I was testing out, and showed me how simply one of the strollers worked with the carseat adapter. The employees here don't work on commission and that was good to hear, and were friendly enough making sure that I knew they were around if I needed help and then explaining things to me. She told me that if you purchase from them, they'll have someone put together the stroller, set up the car seat, crib and so on depending upon what you purchase. The cribs they had seemed to be of good quality and I'd like to take a closer look at them on another visit to some Galt location, since I know I'll probably make one.

An incredible assortment of quality gifts, books, toys and clothing. We go here showers, birthdays,…read moreand anytime we want something unique and memorable. This little shop is packed with character, charm and whimsy, and is staffed by the loveliest and most friendly family. I can't recommend this place enough!

This is my favorite store in Long Grove! Merchandise is "within reach" as far as pricing goes, and…read morethe selection of gift ideas is endless. The owner is lovely and always so helpful! I love that i can have a gift wrapped at no additional expense ... a lost perk in most specialty stores nowadays! The customer comes first and it shows!!

They have a lot of nice merchandise, but it's brands you can get other places or online. I say this…read morebecause I'm never greeted when I walk in, the ladies working are behind the counter and not friendly. Today went in because I was at the Apple Fest. I realize a lot of people in and out but no one talks to customers. I've bought Nora Fleming, jewelry and stuffed animals. But I think I'll take my business elsewhere.