crammed full of fun stuff. — Helen Hayden Backer
Fleure-ish, 742 E. Glendale Road, Phoenix; 602-944-4854; fleureish.com/
Catlin Court Historic District, bordered by 55th and 59th Avenues, from Glendale to Myrtle Avenues; Glendale Visitor Center; 623-930-4500; visitglendale.com THE MESA HISTORICAL MUSEUM is a little-known treasure. The recent Wallace and Ladmo exhibit drew us in, and the gift
ANTONIO BARTCZAK
I grew up in Glendale, so I like the older stores—they’re small and intimate—especially around the CATLIN COURT HISTORIC DISTRICT. When you walk into the shops, people talk to you, but there’s no pressure to buy. I like to purchase things from local artisans. It allows me to offer support, instead of buying at the big conglomerates. — Marleah McKnight
An elegant fruit bowl (facing page, $99) and modular wooden “Automoblox” (left, $38) are just a couple of cool things available at local museum gift shops. (Both from The Store @ Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts.)
shop got our wallets open. Not only did they have great items for sale specific to the show, but they also featured arts and crafts reflective of “old Arizona,” like handmade bonnets and oven mitts, and cards painted with scenes of Mesa. We also enjoyed the wide variety of books about Mesa history, which you wouldn’t typically find in a chain bookstore.
Meanwhile, FRANCES VINTAGE isn’t a museum shop, but it certainly is artsy. It’s great when you have no idea what to buy someone, but you want your gift to be unique. Items range from Japanese toys to vintage clothing and handmade cards. It’s a bit pricey, but perfect for when you need an edgy,
never-seen-before item that stands out from the norm. — Sonia Bovio
Mesa Historical Museum, 2345 N. Horne St., Mesa; 480-835-7358; mesahistoricalmuseum.org Frances Vintage, 10 W. Camelback Road, Phoenix; 602-279-5467; francesvintage.com
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