Wrap It Up

By Lisa Arnett
December 2025 View more Discover

Three spots to find gifts for everyone on your list

The Little Traveler

404 S. Third St., Geneva

A 1947 issue of Women’s Wear Daily described this eclectic shopping destination in downtown Geneva as “Alice in Wonderland with price tags,” and honestly, they couldn’t have said it better. As shoppers wind their way through the historic former mansion and its various wings and additions, each room delights with gift-worthy treasures, from jewelry to kitchenware to gourmet goodies. The toy room and candy section are a must-visit for stocking stuffers or dreidel prizes. Founded in 1922 by Kate Raftery, who hosted sales of antiques and objets d’art sent from her friends living abroad, the store changed hands a few times before it was purchased in 1971 by the Simon family, who also ran longtime Geneva retailer the Merra-Lee Shops for 82 years.

Owner Mike Simon takes immense pride in stocking a deep selection of his customers’ favorite brands—think Nora Fleming serveware, Jellycat plush toys, Vera Bradley bags, Birkenstock sandals—and also scouting fresh finds. “The most fun part for me is looking for the next big thing and trying to have it before anyone else,” Simon says. Recent additions that have become bestsellers include a line of stackable gold-bead bracelets called enewton and LED pillar candles that emit tiny fountain-like streams of water. “They’re mesmerizing to look at and listen to,” he says.

Simon is also passionate about sourcing items for the store’s fair-trade gallery. “Everything in there is made by people in developing countries who are paid a fair wage,” he says. He especially loves a Nepalese line of woolen goods called The Winding Road. “They have finger puppets and children’s mobiles, and everything is really colorful and made by hand from wool.”

Good to know: Need a postshopping pick-me-up? The Little Traveler’s tea room, The Atrium Cafe, recently added chocolate fondue to the menu.

Fairy Tales

28 W. St. Charles Road, Lombard

This expansive gift shop in downtown Lombard actually started as a mail-order business specializing in collectible teddy bears. “We had a small catalog and we’d advertise in trade magazines and go to the teddy bear shows,” says Rochelle Pokorn, who owns the store with her husband, Jim. “We were just in our early 20s. I remember we went to the accountant on Rollerblades, and he probably thought, ‘These kids are not even going to make it,’ ” she says. The store operated out of several locations in Lombard before settling into this storefront 13 years ago. “When we first opened the store [in 1993], we broadened to other plush lines like Gund, and we carried the Ty line before the Beanie Babies craze even happened.”

The store now carries gift-worthy goods of all kinds, including home decor, greeting cards, toys, and collectibles. Popular brands include Mackenzie-Childs (ceramics and kitchenware with whimsical checkerboard patterns), Wee Forest Folk (cute mice miniatures), and Bethany Lowe (vintage-inspired holiday decor). Customers also love to snatch up Mason jar soy candles by 1803, a local maker based out of Waterman, a village in DeKalb County. “We sell a ton of them daily. They have great scents and they’re also woman owned,” Pokorn says.

Over the years, customer suggestions have made their way onto the store’s shelves, such as Maileg, a Danish line of stuffed mice with matchbox beds. “A customer told me about these, and they’re huge with us now,” she says. “They’re meant for children between 3 and 7, but even adult women like to collect them and play with them, too.” After 32 years in business, the Pokorns have relished bringing their customers small moments of joy. “A couple years ago, a little kid stepped into the store and he said, ‘This truly is a fairy tale!’ and I just thought it was perfect,” Rochelle says. “We want it to be magical for children and for grownups.”

Good to know: “If you don’t see it on the floor, please ask because it’s probably somewhere in this building,” Rochelle says. “We have 14,000 square feet of warehouse space, either below us or above us or in our corporate office.”

Nona Jo’s

410 W. Fifth Ave., Naperville

Named for a Naperville mother and run by her two daughters, this family venture has become a gifting destination for the surrounding community. “Our mom is Nona Jo, and she’s very artsy and very creative,” says Leigh Bratta, who owns the business with her sister, Jennifer White. “We started just putting together florals and wreaths in her basement as a fun craft. We would go flea marketing and paint antique furniture and had a sale in my garage one time [in 2004]. It was a hit and so much fun.” They moved locations to the basement of White’s home and continued to gain momentum. “It just started growing and growing, and people would stand outside waiting to come in,” White says. “We were getting too big to run a business out of our house. We didn’t really know what we were getting into but we said, ‘Let’s just open a store. It’ll be fun!’ ”

They set up shop in the Fifth & Mill Business Center near Naperville North High School in 2007. “We opened as a home-decor store,” Bratta says. “Then the recession came, and in order to survive, we had to start carrying gifts. Because everybody still needs gifts, even in times when they don’t need a lamp.”

The store now carries candles, mid-priced jewelry, and Naperville-centric items (a favorite of local real estate agents) as well as gifts for occasions such as weddings, retirement, birthdays, and new babies. “Faith-based gifts and memorial items to give when someone passes—that’s just an area that has really grown for us because there are no religious stores anymore,” White says. “People don’t know what to give for that, and it’s awkward, but we carry items that might have an angel, a cross, a cardinal, or a heart.”

Seasonal decor is a specialty all year round, from ceramic Easter bunnies to autumnal arrangements to Christmas wreaths. “With the holidays coming up, we do three of four different themed trees. Our whole goal is to inspire you,” White says.

Good to know: The Nona Jo’s team offers interior design services, including paint color consultations, furniture placement, window treatments, custom silk floral arrangements, seasonal decorating, and home staging.

Photos: The Little Traveler; Fairy Tales; Nona Jo’s