Patch Picks: Homegrown Boutiques

Looking to shop locally? There’s no reason to go elsewhere when Northbrook has so many unique boutiques. Here are just a few of the local gems that contribute to Northbrook’s diverse marketplace.

Owners Carolyn Ammer and Pattie Vanasco spent many years with a major greeting card company before they opened their own card and gift shop in the Willow Festival shopping center—and it shows. Quintessence takes shoppers back in time to the neighborhood card stores our moms all took us to, with a little bit of everything in one place: greeting cards, custom invitations and stationery, wedding gifts, baby gifts, holiday décor, and a piece of jewelry to treat yourself, too. Ammer’s specialty lies in drafting and designing custom invitations for special events, while Vanasco makes sure every gifts looks as good as the thoughts that come with it.
Visit Quintessence weekdays from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. -5 p.m. at 1036 Willow Rd.

New Mother New Baby
Before a new baby arrives, parents have to do the most work in the least amount of time. Finding both products AND instruction at New Mother New Baby can be a lifesaver. You’ll find all the equipment you’ll need to breastfeed your new baby, plus the education to be successful. Owner Gail Macklin is a registered nurse and certified lactation consultant who provides private consultations and classes. She also hosts support groups (new mothers, twins, Down Syndrome) and classes for new moms and dads (music, infant massage, baby signing). And she stocks a host of products to keep everyone comfortable: nursing tops and bras, darling baby clothes, and music and toys to soothe new babies.
Find Macklin at 3115 Dundee Rd. Monday-Saturday: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday noon – 4 p.m.

When allergies and other health conditions require you to cut specific foods out of your diet, it can feel like being stranded on a desert island. Places like the Gluten Free Store can help. This four-year-old business is owned and managed by the Rockaitis family, all of whom have Celiac Disease. They stock exclusively gluten-free items for people who avoid wheat, and work with customers to find foods that meet any additional dietary restrictions – vegan, lactose intolerance, and others. They’re not dieticians, but 27 years of managing their own diets have trained them well.
Talk to them about your own dietary needs, care packages for kids at camp or college, and samples of new products (many from local vendors) at 807 Waukegan Rd, weekdays 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

We’re lucky to have this local source for home furnishings for so many reasons. As a shopper, you’ll find upscale goods for sale at reduced prices. As a seller, you’ll find a responsible place to consign gently used items that you’re ready to part with, where the volunteer staff explains everything clearly, prices items fairly, and notifies you promptly when your items sell and you have a check to pick up. And as neighbors, we’re lucky that the profits (the managers are the only paid staff members) are distributed to local agencies that support women and families in crisis – nearly $1 million since 1998.
Browse the showroom Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., at 1460 Paddock Dr.

This local gem has been family owned and operated since 1954, and the current generation of business leaders is working hard to make organic gardening easier for local residents. The retail shop has most everything you need to grow the plants you want and repel the pests you don’t, and decorate your yard 12 months a year. Talk to the staff about your garden, work with them to improve on it, or have them create a custom container garden for that spot you just don’t know what to do with. (On the same property you’ll also find . A business separate from the Garden Spot, they not only service snow blowers, but they’ll pick them up!)
Visit them seven days a week at 826 Skokie Blvd.