Amy Bateman moved to the Twin Cities this summer to take a job at Rivian.
Born and raised in Fort Wayne, the move brought her closer to her family than she had been for about the past 7 years in Kansas City, Missouri.
Bateman says it felt a little like coming home, but there's still been a learning curve.
Among other things, Bateman says she had to readjust to not constantly driving on the freeway — and figuring out how to find what makes her new home unique.
"I usually try to frequent the off-beaten-path, unheard of places, the non-corporate, I guess you would say," she said.
In a new living environment, that's always a challenge — and in recent weeks, the weather conditions haven't exactly been conducive to getting out and exploring the Uptown Normal or the Downtown Bloomington markets.
"It's winter and it's so dark all the time. During the summer was when I would venture out a lot," Bateman said.
For those in need of a last-minute holiday gift — a stocking stuffer, gift card, or even a place to spend some Christmas cash — here's just a few options of the many in both municipalities.
The Painted Wraith Curiosity Shoppe
Co-owner Mike Sholtz describes the shop on 106 W Monroe St. in downtown Bloomington as having a "dark aesthetic for your home."
"You're going to be able to go in and get something entirely different for that person on your Christmas list that you wouldn't see in, say, Target or Spencers or something like that," he said.
Sholtz said he and his wife (and shop co-owner) Stephanie have designed the store in such a way that anyone should be able to find something for anyone, whether that "dark aesthetic" spoke to them or not.
"My favorite story is that we had an elderly woman, probably in her 80s, over in our tea section and she found this porcelain tea strainer," Sholtz recalled.
"She was so happy — she brought it up to the counter and she was like, 'I found something in here!' I was like, 'You should be able to find something in here.' I mean, yeah, it doesn't resonate with everybody, but if you look hard enough, there's definitely something for everybody."
Crossroads Fair Trade Goods and Gifts
One of the reasons people advocate for shopping locally is the idea that your dollars do more that way.
Pat Fitzgerald says those who volunteer at the only entirely fair-trade goods shop in Bloomington-Normal say your dollar goes twice as far.
"We say it's the gift that gives twice because it's not only to the person that you're giving, but it's also helping an artisan somewhere else in the world," she said of the shop at 428 N Main St. in downtown Bloomington.
The store is a nonprofit organization run by volunteers, and the money spent on its handcrafted goods goes back, in part, to the artisans who made them.
The Olive Bin
The specialty shop at 1520 E. College Ave. in Normal prides itself on being a source of gift inspiration for those who have everything (and those who don't).
Charcuterie boards, gift baskets, unique foods and cooking supplies make up the myriad inventory of this nearly 10-year-old establishment — as does its signature selection of specialty and on-tap olive oils.
"There's a variety of things that would be available for last-minute gifts or the person who cooks or person who doesn't cook," employee Kathy Delong said.
