Throughout the streets of our community lie many exquisite specialty stores. Each are unique to our area and bring character to our community. Here, The Oracle goes in-depth with five stores ranging from clothing to houseware that are worth checking out. Pick up a unique gift for your family or friends for the holiday season.

Maido

Maido, located in a corner of Town and Country, has all kinds of stationary and accessories that you can give to your friends as small gifts or just keep for yourself.

As you walk in, rows of keychains, cell phone accessories, stuffed animals, and school necessities and patterned binders and notebooks greet you with flashy colors and neat stacks. There is also a whole row of origami paper. Though sometimes expensive, the quality of the item is not bad and you are bound to find something in the store that suits you or a friend. maido can be found at 855 El Camino Real.

Sweet Things

Sweet Things, a small store at Stanford Shopping Center, is the perfect place to go and find gifts for your friends. You can find anything from jewelry to cards and candy in there.

Though the store looks small from the outside, it’s worth it to take a look at the range and variation of the items there. When you walk in, there is soft music or classical music is playing, and it gives a cozy home type of welcoming. There is a corner with stuffed animals of different sizes and species. That same corner holds other perfect gifts such as stickers, child books and balloons. Sweet Things is located at 168 Stanford Shopping Center, next to Macy’s Womens and Gap.

Design Within Reach

This store is on one of the corners of University Avenue is the place to go if you are looking for modern classic furniture. The brightly colored furniture displayed outside is eye-catching. Most of the items outside are chairs, but they are different from other stores. Rather than having usual plain chairs, this store contains unique chairs that anybody would love. There are chairs shaped as animals in soft colors, wall clocks in different shapes and floor lights. Besides children items, there are also pieces that an adult would consider buying too, like chairs and stools, art, tables and beds. The people working there are friendly and will gladly help answer any questions. Design Within Reach is located at 151 University Ave.

Restoration Hardware

Across from the Starbuck’s on University, Restoration Hardware has already started decorating for the season. The outside gives a welcoming gesture for anyone to go in. If you or your parents are looking to get your house or room decorated in any way, you can probably find much of what you need here.

The store is neatly separated in to sections of what kinds of things they have. They have a bathware section that contains mirrors, towels and anything else you might need for the bathroom. Other things they have are soap, window drapes, pillows and picture frames. If you take a look around, you are bound to make your house nicely decorated to look as neat and organized as the shop. You can find Restoration Hardware at 281 University Avenue.

Repeter

Repeter may not be the only consignment store located in Down Town Los Altos, but the store’s stylish and metropolitan items make it outshine the others. Young women flock to Repeter to buy name brand items such as Se7en for all Mankind, Dulce and Gabbana, Juicy Couture and Lacoste—just to name a few.

The new boutique sells clothes that are either new with tags, or used yet unworn looking. Repeter’s favorable policy allows sellers to earn exactly half of what the clothing item sells for and sellers can bring in their apparel at any time. You can locate Repeter at 334 State Street, Suite 105.