Atlanta’s offbeat gift shops offer unique holiday gifts

There are good gifts to be found in out-of-the-way places where shoppers might not think to go. Across the city, there are a number of museums, cultural attractions and hotels with gift shops stocked with one-of-a-kind and unusual gifts to fit everyone on that holiday list. Whether your list is top-heavy with youngsters or filled with discriminating relatives, you’ll find some imaginative ideas at the shops listed below.

Atlanta History Center

130 W. Paces Ferry Road; 404-814-4000; 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Monday-Saturday; noon - 5:30 p.m. Sunday

The main gift shop at the center is a treasure trove of history books on Atlanta and the region. During the holidays, the shop does well with quilted ornaments and others made from cotton balls, complete with seeds. Book markers, puzzles and an array of old-fashioned wooden children’s toys share the shelves with a selection of gourmet peach treats.

This year, shoppers will find a second gift shop handling sales of merchandise related to the current exhibition of works by puppeteer Jim Henson at the Center for Puppetry Arts. There’s a staggering assortment of Sesame Street plush toys, from $10 to $150 for the 3-foot versions of Elmo, Cookie Monster and Big Bird. Books covering Henson’s career are aimed at kids and adults. Videos of “The Muppet Show,” “Fraggle Rock” and the Muppet movies are also available.

The upcoming exhibit of Norman Rockwell works will have a tie-in, too, with ornaments ($3.50 for one, box of 10 for $30) and books, including $5 coloring books and $75 for coffee-table books featuring the artist’s famous magazine covers.

Four Seasons Hotel

75 14th St., Atlanta; 404-881-9898; 8 a.m.-10 p.m. daily

Indulge the loved ones on your list with treats from this posh hotel. Wrap them in Egyptian cotton robes with the hotel monogram ($160) and toast them with two signature martini glasses and shaker ($75). A gift set of peach body lotion, shower gel and scrub is $54, or stuff those stockings with travel sizes of the same treatments for $5 to $7 each. And for those not on a budget, re-create the Four Seasons experience at home with the hotel’s down and feather pillows, duvets and a matching king mattress and box spring ($3,000). Set the mood with votive candles and diffusers from $5.50.

Oakland Cemetery

248 Oakland Ave.; 404-688-2107; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday

Preservation of the historic cemetery on the edge of Grant Park is supported by the Historic Oakland Foundation, which manages a small gift shop in the bell tower on the grounds. The space is packed with T-shirts, coasters, photographs and note cards. Among the more unusual items are wood writing pens ($20 to $35) and bowls created from the trees that fell in the cemetery during the spring tornado. Literary options include books on Atlanta and Civil War history, cemetery symbolism and Southern cooking. Small replicas of the cemetery’s “Lion of Atlanta” monument make excellent paperweights for $18.95. And for the creepy uncle, what better than a tombstone-shaped, scented soap for $5?

Center for Puppetry Arts

1404 Spring St., Atlanta; 404-873-3089; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; 11 a.m.- 5 p.m. Sunday

There’s something for every budget in the center’s gift shop, where goodies sell from 50 cents to $150. For the grown-up puppet fan, pick up a set of four finger puppets depicting famous writers, composers or members of the “Axis of Evil” for $19.95. Younger folks will have fun with the hand puppets in a variety of shapes and sizes or the shadow, hand and rod puppet kits. For those who like the unusual, go for a set of six silver dessert forks featuring Indonesian puppet handles ($49.95). And because this is the Center for Puppetry Arts, there’s lots of Jim Henson-related paraphernalia, from a foot-tall figurine from the “Dark Crystal” to Muppet DVDs and movies.

Ritz-Carlton Buckhead

3434 Peachtree Road, Atlanta; 404-237-2700; 8 a.m.-7 p.m. daily

Give a gift of Ritz-y indulgence with a selection from the hotel’s lobby store. This small space is filled with bath accessories, plush robes, scented candles, baseball caps, golf shirts and T-shirts bearing the hotel’s logo. There’s also an assortment of perfumes, sunglasses and teas served in the on-site restaurants. The shop also does well with its small selection of clothing, including men’s shirts and ties, leather and suede jackets, evening bags, belts and fine jewelry. The hotel’s signature linens and towels are available as well.

Swan Coach House

3130 Slaton Drive; 404-261-0224; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Saturday

This popular destination for lunch features an art gallery and gift shop managed by the Forward Arts Foundation. Shoppers will find a large selection of jewelry from local artisans priced from $12 to $98 for a sterling silver dogwood pin. Other wearable gifts include soft wool scarves and wraps from $20. Cookbooks, initialed cutting boards, candles, cocktail napkins, decorative soaps, sachets and notepads make ideal hostess gifts. For the art lover on your list, visit the gallery’s exhibit of “Little Things,” featuring affordable original artworks by more than 100 Atlanta artists.

Zoo Atlanta

800 Cherokee Ave.; 404-624-5600; 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily

This year, the zoo’s gift shop is stocking a few firsts, retail sales director Greg Cain said.

“For the first year, we’re carrying our own compost product, made from elephant compost at the zoo,” he said. “For $12.99, you can get a 2-pound gift box with compost that can be used on any plants and all types of gardening.”

Compost also went into making an assortment of tree ornaments and paper. Other eco-friendly items include T-shirts of organic cotton and bags of free-trade coffee from the Gorilla Fund. Proceeds from the $12.99 bags support the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International.