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.

This store was cute. I was greeted by multiple staff members when I entered. But I'm surprised how…read moredifficult it is in 2023 to find gender-neutral clothing. This shop didn't really seem to have much that was gender neutral, at least not for newborns. Even if I knew the sex of my baby I don't believe that there are specific colors for gender so I am not interested in having a closet full of just blue or pink things or otherwise gendered things. A couple of the staff greeted me but that was it. I wandered around and didn't really find much that piqued my interest. Parking is all on the street, and this is maybe just on the outskirts of the more active downtown area of Highland Park, so I imagine it can be difficult to park here (I think I had to circle the block once to find a spot that opened up). It's only a few blocks from Highland Park's Metra stop so that could be convenient if you need to make your way here.

It's been a while since I had to purchase a baby gift so I don't really know what's in anymore but…read moreI knew I could find an appropriate gift for a newborn here. They are very friendly and I found really adorable items for both genders for sizes tiny to toddlers. There were personalized blankets, hats, etc but I wasn't sure of the spelling so I went for an adorable onesie with tacos and guacs and a teeny tiny rainbow tutu which will be great for photos (imho). It is a little pricey but this is high quality and OOAK merch that will be appreciated. Also wrapped for me, a plus!

Needed a belt for my son in a snap, found one and it had style! Very helpful and beautiful store,…read moregreat for gifts.

Stopped in for a birthday present for a 3 year old and also trying not to shop at big box stores or…read moreonline. They were helpful but not pushy. And the wrapping was so beautiful. I will be back. The items are so thoughtfully curated and the shop is adorable. 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.

I continue to be so in love with this store. If you're into shops that will have you looking in…read moreevery single corner wanting every single thing, then this is your stop. Tonight I finished my holiday shopping for my niece and picked up a couple of beautiful gifts. The kids section contains high-quality merchandise. My hubby was literally double-parked outside, and I thought I could just run in and out, but no way. I wanted to buy the entire collection! From adorable natural cotton baby clothes to books, to stuffed animals, to toys, you will not leave empty-handed. They have something for every budget, and I think the prices are spot on for the quality. I truly admit to being completely obsessed with an adorable owl stuffed animal. Sooooo cute! Now, the best part about this store? Well, aside from the well-curated merchandise, is the owner. She's a total sweetheart and helped me pick out the perfect gift. She also gift-wrapped it in a super cute burlap bag with my choice of tissue color and a tie. Thank you...thank you. I'm so happy to see that this store is around. I need to stop in more often. Of course, not just for baby gifts, because they have grown-up goodies and cards too. Run, don't walk to this store. You won't be disappointed. Plus, it's super cute inside.

Baa, Baa Black Sheep. Have you any gifts?…read moreYes, sir, yes, sir One store full; One for a housewarming, And one to celebrate a birthday, And one for the little boy Who lives down the lane. --- Sorry, couldn't help myself. You know you have little ones at home when you pass by a new store and can't get a nursery rhyme out of your head. Yes, there's a new store in Glencoe...whoo hoo! I haven't done much shopping in town since Shirise closed their doors earlier this year (RIP), but it's fabulous to have a store where you can quickly pop in for a housewarming gift or just a little something for visiting a new baby. In the few weeks BlackSheep has been open I've stopped in twice to purchase: a) a lovely candle for the host of dinner during the jewish holidays b) a lovey for a new baby visit (the "real" gift wasn't ready quite yet) And of course I can't forget the few times my pre-schooler has dragged me in there for "just a few pieces of candy." Based on the fabulous candy display they have set up I have a feeling we'll be spending lots of time (and $) at BlackSheep. Welcome to the hood BlackSheep!

Here's what you need to know: having been a resident of Highland Park for a full 10 years now, I am…read moresurprised I hadn't known about this gem of a store before now and am so happy to have just recently discovered the joys of Stationery Station in Port Clinton Square. Gorgeous and elegant selection of letters, pads, pens, and anything stationery your heart desires. The store is a true passion play by the owner Sheryl, and the customer care is as good as you'll ever find anywhere in the world. Very tasteful and varied selection, that is a sure shot sign of great ownership and management. Prices are reasonable and there are good deals to be found. Love this place and ownership and will be delighted to spend more time patronizing SS.

Behind the adorable name you will find a solid business with high quality products and professional…read morecustomer service. I have stopped by a few times in the past to shop for Thank You cards and other stationery and was always impressed by the lovely selection. Recently I needed a large number of custom invitations so naturally I came here. We sat down with the owner Sheryl and explained what type of invitations we were looking for. She showed us several catalogs of designs and then we talked about the numbers, timing, etc. Sheryl told us that she has been in this business for many years and it showed. She helped us with suggestions on the wording for the invitations and we exchanged several emails tweaking the text details and proper grammar. We also had the envelopes printed with the addresses. The entire experience was pleasant and the communication was prompt. Everything was done well on time and looked wonderful.

A really neat girls boutique with all the latest trendy things that girls wanna get these days…read more Sticker, fashion, trinkets, glamour girlz is a great local business that's been around for 11 years. They do parties as well. Plenty of free street parking in highland park, just about 1-2 blocks east of the Metra tracks.

Since Covid, I have been sending my grandkids (who live in Europe) fun boxes of gifts since I can't…read morevisit them. I stopped in Glamour Girlz on "Black Friday" and I was amazed. There were SO MANY possibilities. Twenty minutes later I walked out with a huge bag of goodies for them... even some item for the grandson! I was so happy I could give my dollars to a local business. They have so many fun unique gifts that I will be back again and again! I even saw a cool mask holder chain I bought for myself. The owner was so helpful as I strolled through the store, giving me great ideas for the next box! I can't wait until they open this one with all the fun goodies!

My kids have a favorite new store in town. I want to avoid it since every visit here ends with my…read morekids on a major sugar high, but have to admit I'm a fan myself. They have every sort of candy to make a kid (or adult) smile...and jewelry too! Candy and jewelry...a store after my own heart. They have all sorts of classes and events happening weekly at Sweet Buddha. Everything from a homework club (genius) to trunk shows to cupcake decorating (yes, more sugar). I've also heard from many friends who were frequent visitors of their old city location that they throw some pretty amazing bday parties! My daughter has already told me (about 1273 times) that she'll be having a future bday party at Sweet Buddha. Sweet Buddha isn't just for kids! When my own summer bday bash on the beach got rained out the owner, Sarah, was nice enough to let us to let us rent the space last minute. It was the perfect venue and I'll definitely look into for all future partying planning in my future (bday parties, moms night outs, baby showers, etc). I'm as thrilled as my little ones to have this in Glencoe and excited to see how this city business adapts to the burbs. I'd love to see some more mommy/caregiver & me classes on the calendar since there's not much for the under 2 crowd in the North Shore. I also think their creative bday party packages are amazing, but the rental fee if you want just the space is a bit high when compared to all the park district rooms nearby (not that the PD rooms are nearly as adorable). Fortunately, the owner is pretty "sweet" herself and I have no doubt will make Sweet Buddha a big success here in Glencoe!

Simply put. A delightful place to be. Just the spirits in there alone make you feel warm. The…read moreManagment is friendly and the candy is OFF THE HOOK! For a kids party...great choice. The painting was fun, and the added bonus of keeping the kids busy while waiting for the parent to arrive was genius. They have friendly high schoolers working with the kids from local schools! Overall, a fun experience. Next time it's the adults to paint and sip on wine!