gift guide 2018

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Our local communities are brimming with unique
shops. Check them out on Small Business Saturday
— Saturday, Nov. 24.

JODI FELD SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS, Ann Arbor. Right along
Main Street in AA, Rock Paper Scissors is home to beau-
tiful stationery, gift cards and the most awesome supply
of pop-culture stickers we’ve ever seen, plus an impres-
sive selection of gifts, too. The store claims to “Celebrate
Everything.” The store, of course, brims with greeting
cards full of cheeky sayings, but we also got a kick out of
its hilarious wall art, amusing mugs, aprons and throw pil-
lows, and the huge supply of Michigan-themed gifts. Some
of our favorite items included an “I Miss Ann Arbor”
T-shirt ($32) and a clever gift card that spoke directly to
our grammar-loving hearts. They also offer workshops
and events throughout the year.

LORI KARBAL, Birmingham. In business for
28 years now, Lori Karbal calls her store an
“edited boutique” and her mix of tasteful gift
items, apothecary and women’s sportswear,
artfully displayed in the intimate space, proves
it. There’s an impressive collection of coffee-
table books, giant 700-piece animal puzzles,
scented lotions, candles and unique book ends.
We fell in love with the handmade Lily Juliet
Grand Slam servers ($125), the Tara Wilson
Designs acrylic boxes and
salt and pepper shakers ($60
and up) and the Ariana
Bohling cozy alpaca slippers
($198). But, what we really
had to have was the La
Pinta Luxe card deck, by
Luxe Dominoes, the perfect
gift for our Canasta-loving
mother-in-law ($60).

MY HOUSE OF STYLE, Birmingham. Tucked along Old Woodward, My
House of Style just celebrated its 10-year anniversary. While owner Diane
Harris says she considers her boutique a jewelry store, she’s got an eye for
lots of other luxe goodies, too. The diamonds and opals glittering from wall
cases certainly caught our eye, but we also loved the stacking leather jewelry
boxes by Wolf Designs ($75-$175) and the travel cases by PurseN ($56 and
up) for stashing our lovelies in. We obsessed over the bracelet cuffs, by Made
in the Deep South, featuring vintage costume broaches fastened on saddle
leather ($165 and up). Harris says the hottest gifts right now, though, are
the Think Roylyn convertible fanny packs ($88), which can be worn like a
traditional fanny pack, cross body or over the shoulder. Our favorite was the
punchy fuchsia, which will brighten any gray winter day.

JUST GUYS, Franklin. Jason Dickman got his
start in retail selling young men’s sportswear
at ’90s favorite, Trends, in Applegate Square.
Seeing a void in the market, he opened his
own version in Downtown Franklin this past
summer. Just Guys carries boys’ sizes 8-20, plus
a smattering of men’s options as well. The mod-
ern space is filled with an admirable selection
of Vineyard Vines apparel — the largest outside
of the actual Vineyard Vines store — popular
with the teenage crowd. They also carry lots
of boys’ suits, DL 1961 denim and sportswear
by Leo and Zachary, Psycho Bunny, Appaman
(we love the elbow-patch flannels) and more.
Best-sellers include local Ink Detroit T-shirts
and sweatshirts ($32 and up) and Happy Socks
($14), with colorful patterns inspired by the
likes of Andy Warhol and the Beatles.

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November 15 • 2018

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