By Jennifer Farnsworth
As the holiday shopping season swings into full gear, shoppers will find the Glens Falls and Lake George areas as good destinations to get their tasks accomplished.
From outlets to downtown Main Street, shoppers will find charm that shopping malls may not match..
At the gift shop MinkyMink, 203 Glen St. in Glens Falls, owner Maura Forcier said they will hold both a Black Friday and Small Business Saturday sale.
“We have a Ladies Night event on Thursday, Dec. 6,” he added. “All the downtown shops will be offering discounts, and the restaurants have specials as well.
“For gifts, I have these fun Zodiac necklaces from Satya. These 18K gold plated necklaces feature real stones and come with a description on the back of the packaging that describes the signs personality. So, they are really thoughtful and unique,” he said.
The store also has specialized gifts like beer caddies and wine bags
“These are perfect for a hostess gift or a stocking stuffer. These are made with recycled Army tarps, so they are also eco-friendly. The beer caddies hold 6 cans or bottles. The wine bags hold up to two standard bottles. They are definitely a favorite for the holiday season,” said Forcier.
MinkyMink also has items like texting gloves in a variety of different colors and styles. “Everyone loves a new pair of gloves when the weather turns chilly,” said Forcier.
Among the many downtown shops, Shine Style Boutique at 14 Ridge St. is ready with Black Friday specials on gifts like ponchos, scarves and accessories. Owner Jen Dennis said she will also have specials on Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday, including an online sale via her Facebook business page.
“In addition to our clothes, we have gifts that are one-size-fits-all, like scarves and hats,” said Denis.
Shine Style Boutique carries items for all shapes and sizes, with clothing running from S-3XL and an wide variety of fashion accessories.
Glens Falls Gift Back will hold its fifth annual alternative gift fair during Small Business Saturday on Nov. 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Spot Coffee and the Strand Theater and also at the Cabaret Space at Charles R. Wood Theater from 10 a.m. 3 p.m. during the Glens Falls Hometown Holiday celebration on Friday, Nov. 30 and Saturday, Dec. 1.
At Gift Back, various nonprofit agencies in the Glens Falls area will offer holiday shoppers an opportunity to purchase gifts for their coworkers, friends, and loved ones. One option will be making a $15 donation in someone’s name to provide six months of medicine for a child with asthma in Guatemala, $20 to train a new volunteer tutor or $50 to provide local artists and businesses with classes. Organizations that will be participating include Amanda’s House, Amorak Youth, Glens Falls Medical Mission Foundation
The Greater Glens Falls Senior Citizens Center, Hudson River Music Hall, Literacy NY Greater Capital Region, Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Council and the World Awareness Children’s Museum invite visitors to stop by on Nov. 24 to get people meaningful gifts while enjoying refreshments, kids’ activities and live music.
The Outlets at Lake George on Route 9 in Lake George is a place for designer gifts at low prices. Adidas, Michael Kors Outlet, Coach, Vera Bradley, Bass Factory Outlet, Levi’s Outlet Store, LOFT Outlet and Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Storeare represented among others.
The outlet village will kick off the start to the holiday shopping season on Friday, Nov. 23, at midnight. Black Friday and Thanksgiving weekend sales will take place all along Route. Visit theoutletsatlakegeorge.com for a complete store directory, holiday shopping hours, driving directions and more.