Hey, all you need is the right gift shop

Despite chain stores emerging on the shopping landscape with the fervor of rampant kudzu, the independent spirit is alive and well in retail.

Specialized gift shops remain a good hunting ground for items not easily found elsewhere. On Page M4 is a look at a trio of independent gift shops with both smart selections and a mom-and-pop spirit.

Creativity lives on at gift shops

HELIOTROPE

248 W. Ponce De Leon Ave., Decatur; 404-371-0100, http://store.heliotropehome.com; 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Mon.-Thurs.; 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Fri. and Sat.; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sun.

This gifty downtown Decatur home store melds its hip inventory and fashion sense with a cheeky sense of humor. The windows snag shoppers’ attention with ornate lampshades. A looming teepee-shaped shade ($250) made of crocheted cloth glows in bright white. Paper lampshades ($79) created by Tord Boontje feature intricate cut-out designs like flowers that drape and dangle from above.

Inside, toe-tapping acid jazz provides the shopping soundtrack as folks explore an array of more-than-interesting finds. Manager Jessica Kirk-Meyers says the selection of Kobo candles brims with popularity.

Why spring for a $32 candle? They’re made of soy, so they burn clean and slow for approximately 80 hours. Each is embellished with a fancy name, like Champagne Ginger, Citron Artichoke and Antique Lavender. According to Kirk-Meyers, the scents are bolder and stronger than the average hunk of wax.

The hodgepodge of gift items runs the gamut from imported Japanese bento boxes ($16-$20) by designer Shinzi Katoh to the popular Vinoglobe ($15) by Kikkerland. Kirk-Meyers says the latter, a glass pouring attachment that enhances the flavor of wine by adding an influx of oxygen, sold out last holiday season.

Green-conscious coffee drinkers may appreciate the I Am Not a Paper Cup ($20), a microwave- and dishwasher-safe porcelain cup. It looks exactly like a to-go cup with a lid you’d get from the corner barista. Licensed wall art reproductions, which give the illusion of original canvases, range from $295-$450. And By Boe jewelry ($29-$85), handmade sterling silver items featuring Annika Salame’s simplistic designs, remain hot grabs.

Heliotrope keeps its figurative tongue firmly planted in cheek with humor-infused items like irreverent office supplies by Knock Knock. The Pardon My French sticky notes set ($15) features a four-letter word emblazoned on each note. The Do, Ponder, File file folder set ($8.95) includes six folders with to-do lists on the front of each, with categories like In the Near Future and Whenever I Feel Like It.

Heliotrope’s selection of kiddie gifts makes up the other end of the spectrum. Various children’s books, toys, accessories and clothing are located in the back right corner of the room. Snap suits for babies and toddlers by Wry Baby ($24) come decorated with funny sayings like I Eat Dirt and I’m Not a Boy. The practical and giggle-inducing Pee-pee Teepee ($12) is a small cloth tent that parents can use to cover a baby boy’s private parts when it’s diaper-changing time. Classic sock monkeys, those time-honored stuffed animals, come in both massive ($24) and small ($6.99) sizes.

ONE MAGNOLIA LANE

405 City Circle, Peachtree City, 770-486-9494; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Mon.-Wed.; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thu.-Sat.; 1-6 p.m. Sun.

Located in The Avenue shopping district in Peachtree City, One Magnolia Lane specializes in gifts and accessories with feminine flair. Owner Diana Surratt, who’s been helming the store for 15 years, says her stocking philosophy is all about items that give customers a personal connection. Either it’s something that has personal aesthetic appeal or it’s an item with a personalized feature like someone’s initials.

The store carries an exhaustive range of items from Brighton, a popular manufacturer of leather handbags, jewelry, watches, frames, sunglasses and other giftware. In fact, One Magnolia Lane is a preferred Brighton dealer, which allows customers to return products under warranty directly to the store.

Among its more popular Brighton selections is its collection of charm bracelets. The bracelets ($30 each) feature two layers of sterling silver. The top layer is lacquered, so polishing isn’t required. Customers can put together a custom bracelet by choosing from an array of charms ($8.50-$13.50) with shapes like pink ribbons and hearts to charms bearing words including Mother, Sister and Friend.

One Magnolia Lane carries the sought-after Vera Bradley line of handbags. The manufacturer releases different bag prints every six months and eventually retires designs, making the line popular with collectors. The two new colors are Mediterranean Blue and Mediterranean White. Bags range from the $30 Amy —- its smallest handbag, popular with young girls —- to $130 garment bags.

The store’s personal touch is evident in several top-selling products. Danielson Designs offers wooden frames and plaques ($10.95-$12.95), some with space for photos. Most are 3 inches by 10 inches, and feature inspirational sayings like Sisters They Are Blessed. The price tag, Surratt says, helps with the appeal.

“In this tight economy, we’re finding that we don’t have less gifts to give, but less money to spend,” she says. “So it’s important to find high-quality gifts that are less expensive.”

AMERICAN SAMPLER

959 Canton St., Roswell, 770-993-1843, www.americansampler.net; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat.; 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Sun.

American folk and country art has a home at American Sampler, a cornerstone along the storefront stretch of downtown Roswell. Mom-and-daughter duo Sandy and Carrie Gilliam keep a keen eye on the store’s brand of thoughtful collectibles.

Carrie oversees the store’s selection of Southern pottery, primarily jugs boasting wacky faces. The store carries work by more than 100 different pottery artists including Grace Hewell and Roger Corn. Most jugs range from $75 to $200. Sandy’s husband, Ed Gilliam, adds to the inventory with ceramic wall plaques and more.

It’s always Halloween and Christmas at American Sampler. Sandy says holiday memorabilia and decor collectors don’t just shop annually; they’re trolling for collectibles all year. So American Sampler stays stocked with knickknacks like resin and wood statues featuring icons from witches, pumpkins and black cats to Santa and company.

Throughout the second weekend of November, American Sampler amps up its holiday goodies for its Christmas open house. Expect even more yuletide fare, including sculptures by Vaughn Rawson. These hand-carved wooden Christmas characters start at $200 and reach $890 for the larger 12- to 14-inch carvings.

Less expensive collectibles come in the form of Marietta-based Lori C. Mitchell’s creations. Her papier-mache sculptures starring a cast of usual Christmas suspects (Santa Claus, snowmen, elves and more) start at $20.

After the holiday rush, Sandy’s love for wool rug hooking translates into five-day class sessions, which she says should begin at the first of the year. Tuition is $100, and classes will take place 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday-Friday. Sandy keeps a variety of wool in stock.