|
 Botanica
Botanica is located on the southwest corner of
Mount Pulaski's downtown square.
In this full-service, independent flower shop,
you will find a wonderful variety of live plants and fresh-cut
floral arrangements, as well as beautiful permanent
silks.
Michael McCrea, the owner of the store, has been
in Mount Pulaski for nine years. He said that running a shop in a
small community is sometimes difficult, but he is still very happy
to be a part of Mount Pulaski.
McCrea said that especially at Christmas time he offers more retail items, such as ornaments and table toppers.
 Once you've made your way to the back of the
store, you won't be able to ignore the fantastic tree that stands at
least 15 feet tall. McCrea said that he wanted to show off the
height of the beautiful old building with a tall tree. Of course,
the tree
is adorned with a wide variety of ornaments, all for sale.
In addition, McCrea is offering some really
attractive key chains this year that would make excellent
stocking-stuffers. One variety of chain is a large key adorned
with jewels, and another variety is a tiny box with a hinge-and-latch lid that opens to hide a tiny treasure or message.
Saddie's Secret Place
The
magnificent montage of Christmas items will take your breath away as
you enter Saddie's Secret Place on the west side of the square.
Saddie's is the go-to place for all things
Victorian. From beautiful dolls and angels to candle stands
and a chess set with lifelike pewter chess pieces, there is
something there to please every shopper.
In addition to Victorian, though, Debbi Gellman
said she works to offer a variety of gift items, from Tiffany and
Co. jewelry to antique glassware.
And, as you walk toward the back of the
building, you'll find some whimsy, such as the Coca-Cola-themed
Christmas tree or the cute Christmas-themed vests at the
front window.
Along with all these items, you will find a
wide selection of Willow Tree figurines that are hugely
popular gifts for young couples and new parents especially.
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Salt Creek Attic
If Victorian isn't your taste, how about some
classic folk art?
At Salt Creek Attic, you'll find hundreds of
items in the folk art motif. From Christmas ornaments to wall
hangings, the store offers something for everyone.
The store is owned by Phyllis Beccue, Dorothy
Mason and Jo Richner. The three ladies take turns at the
store.
The store offers some retail, such as
stoneware crocks, but much of what they offer is consignment
items, handcrafted by local folks.
 In
this photo, Mason stands near a wall of quilt angels offered
by one of the local consignors. In her hand she holds an item of her
own creation, a cute little winter bag decorated with penguins
and dark blue feathers.
If there is a Santa collector on your list,
Salt Creek Attic offers a wide selection of Santas, all
hand-carved by local artisan Larry Wilham.
In addition to his Santas, note in the picture
above the whimsical wine cork busts of Jimmy Carter and our
beloved Abraham Lincoln.
Besides all of this, Salt Creek also has a
consignor or two who deal in beautiful antique glass and
stoneware.
While the number of stores available in Mount
Pulaski may be small, their offerings are huge; the business owners
are friendly, knowledgeable and happy to assist you as you shop for
that perfect gift.
[By NILA SMITH]
CHRISTMAS SHOPPING
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