Best of MN: Shopping

At Cliche, owners Josh and Delayna Sandberg double as local design ambassadors.

Photo by Tom Sweeney, Star Tribune

Women's boutiques for local goods: Cliché

Monday May 7, 2012

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Don't let the name fool you. This 8-year-old shop is anything but a cliché. Instead, it's taken local to a new level, seamlessly mixing national lines with closer-to-home labels including Kjurek Couture, Kathryn V, Gina Marie Vintage, Amanda Christine and "Project Runway" alum Danielle Everine as well as jewelry by Cocoquette, Larissa Loden, Lovely and KR Designs. Owners Josh and Delayna Sundberg do more than sell local goods. They nurture local talent with innovative shows and in-store events.
- 2403 Lyndale Av. S., Mpls
- 612-870-0420
- clichempls.com
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Photo by Sara Glassman, Star Tribune

Women's boutique for a splurge: Arrow

Friday May 11, 2012

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Michael Basham and Sarah Dwyer honed their aptitude for fashion at the now-shuttered Uptown boutique Intoto. At newly opened Arrow, the duo offers patterned pants from Vanessa Bruno, leather goods from Jerome Dreyfuss and a moto jacket from Surface to Air's collaboration with Sonic Youth rocker Kim Gordon. They also sell sharp men's clothes and accessories, which some women may want to appropriate for their own closets.
- 121 N. 1st St., Mpls
- 612-339-1663
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Photo by Sara Glassman

Women's boutique for a bargain: Primp

Friday May 11, 2012

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Owners Michele Henry Gudmundson and Wesley Uthus have mastered the art of cheap chic. Everything in the store is under $100, with most items running less than $50. That includes party dresses, flouncy tops, basic tees, handbags, belts and jewelry. It's easy to leave with a whole new outfit and plenty of ideas on how to wear it.
- The West End, St. Louis Park; 952-303-3791
- 618 Selby Av., St. Paul; 651-414-0091
- primpyourself.com
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Local fashion label: Amanda Christine

Friday May 11, 2012

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Minneapolis clothing designer Amanda Christine Natzel has something most local designers don't: exposure. Her dresses and blouses are hanging on racks across the country as well as in Canada and Japan, and Natzel's designs have been spotted on TV, including "Entertainment Tonight." She expresses her signature style with deceptively simple frocks that fit and flatter. And while she tends toward the classic, she always gives a nod to current trends, as seen in her wrap dress in a verdant floral print.
- amandachristinedesigns.com
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Photo by Jeff Wheeler, Star Tribune

Men's store for big spenders: Nordstrom

Friday May 11, 2012

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Small, independent men’s stores may have more exclusive lines, not to mention the fashion find of the moment. But Nordstrom spoils its men with a selection that’s wide and deep. Look for shoes with extended lengths and widths, dress shirts in straight sizes, exclusive colognes (Chanel Antaeus, Spicebomb by Viktor & Rolf) and a wide variety of shorts, including talls and wides. Designers run the gamut, too — from high fashion Etro, Zegna, Robert Graham, Burberry and Prada to more traditional Tommy Bahama, Polo Façonnable and John W. Nordstrom.
- Mall of America, Bloomington
- 952-883-2121
- nordstrom.com
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Photo by Elizabeth Flores, Star Tribune

Men's store for tight budgets: Salvation Army Thrift Store

Tuesday May 15, 2012

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The Salvation Army’s flagship Minneapolis store violates one basic rule of retail — the best stuff is in the basement. Some thrift store customers never even make it to the lower level, where all the merchandise is new. The sizable men’s casual section includes tees, jeans, slacks, sweaters, polo shirts, sport shirts and pajamas. Nothing sells for more than $15 and most items sell for $6 to $8. The selection of tees ($4) and polos ($6) in a wide variety of solid colors rivals a painter’s fan deck. Nearly everything is a sample or overstock from Target or Wal-Mart, which explains the lack of suits and sportcoats. Spartan but clean and well-lit, the basement is a gem for guys.
- 900 N. 4th St., Mpls
- 612-332-5855
- thesalarmy.org
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Secondhand store for designer apparel: Fashion Avenue

Monday May 14, 2012

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Although the occasional Banana Republic dress will weasel its way into the inventory, this upscale consignment boutique focuses mainly on big-name designers. You'll find Prada pants, Balenciaga blazers and Dior dresses alongside J Brand jeans and Theory tops. It boasts a beautifully curated selection of designer clothing for women with great taste and tiny budgets, a gorgeous array of accessories, and a small but impressive men's section.
- 4936 France Av. S., Edina
- 952-929-7919
- fashionavenueresale.com
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Secondhand store for vintage: Rewind

Friday May 11, 2012

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Packed with fabulous frocks, sparkling costume jewelry and leather jackets in every color and cut imaginable, Rewind is an absolute gold mine for vintage lovers. Much of the inventory is composed of bold, bright pieces from the late '60s and '70s, but both locations are peppered with pristine '50s-era items and funky '80s garments. Prices are higher than at your average thrift store, but still extremely reasonable.
- 2829 Johnson St. NE., Mpls., 612-788-9870
- 4806 Chicago Av. S., Mpls.; 612-824-1350
- rewindminneapolis.com
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Gifts for women: The General Store

Friday May 11, 2012

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Instead of spreading itself thin with multiple locations, the General Store keeps fine-tuning its perfect, single location. Every department is a winner -- women's clothing, home decor, bath and body, toys, jewelry and personalized gifts. Despite the well-worn plank floors and all the props befitting the store's theme (wringer washing machines, orange crates), the merchandise is quite contemporary, and diverse enough to satisfy a range of ages and tastes. At the end of a visit, head to the first-class café where nearly everything is made from scratch or made to order. Customers often grab a copy of the General Store Cookbook ($17) just for Grandma Gloria's Pumpkin Squares recipe, served daily.
- 14401 Hwy. 7, Minnetonka
- 952-935-7131
- generalstoreofminnetonka.com
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These Grenson Dylan Suede Shoes typify the throwback collection at MartinPatrick3.

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Gifts for men: MartinPatrick 3

Tuesday May 15, 2012

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The women who love Don Draper, the men who envy him, even the "Mad Men" protagonist himself, would shop here. They'd cut a straight line to the vintage martini shakers, or maybe the edgy skull-and-crossbones decanter ($75) with four matching tumblers ($85). With owner Greg Walsh's keen eye for scarves, hats, bags, jewelry, shaving accessories, watches, tie clips and cuff links, you can't help but feel like the man with timeless yet contemporary style. Any guy who gets a gift from the underappreciated MP3 will ask, "Where did you get this?" and then want to shop there himself.
- 212 3rd Av. N., Mpls
- 612-746-5329
- martinpatrick3.com
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Photo by Erica Loeks

Stationery: Paperista

Monday May 14, 2012

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A browse around this 50th & France shop almost makes you wish e-mail had never been invented. If you're into the art of correspondence, you'd be off to a strong start with notecards designed by Kate Spade or Christian Lacroix, as well as some others you won't find elsewhere in town. What draws the most raves, however, are its custom letterpress invitations ($35 for 20 cards and envelopes), distinctive and sophisticated but never fussy. "Spat Balls" (a pair of pea shooters sold with a supply of handmade paper balls) offer an elegantly humorous touch, but a true test of grace and style is stocking appropriate cards for people battling cancer: "I admire your tenacity" in a beautiful script.
- 5023 France Av. S., Mpls.
- 612-886-3470
- paperista.com
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