Small Business Saturday - Chicago Toy Stores!

Today is “Small Business Saturday”, a holiday created by a major credit card company to encourage people to shop local on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  It’s supposed to accompany “Black Friday” and “Cyber Monday” as three of the busiest shopping holidays of the year.  I think it’s a bit goofy, but anything to encourage people to check out the little store up the street instead of the big box retailers is a good thing.  We should be shopping at these places all the time, not just on one day.

Small businesses are one of the main reasons I enjoy living in the city.  You can buy the most unique things at stores in the city that you can’t get elsewhere (i.e. most suburbs).  A few years ago, I went to a 1^st birthday party for my good friends son, and I ended up getting him a gift from Target.  I was very embarrassed when THREE other people gave the same gift, and of course mine was the fourth opened.  Good thing I had the gift receipt!  I vowed to shop at local toy stores for all future kid party gifts.

Here are a few places that have helped me out over the years, and every gift they have picked out has been a hit!

Play (Logan Square) – 3109 W. Logan Blvd.

Timeless Toys (Lincoln Square) - 4749 N. Lincoln Ave.

The Red Balloon (Andersonville) – 5407 N. Clark St.

Green Genes (Andersonville) – 5111 N. Clark St.

Psycho Baby (Bucktown) – 1630 N. Damen Ave.

Search out your local children’s clothing / toy store and be a “cool” Santa this year!