Unique shops at City Center: There are a handful of locally owned and specialty stores in the Oyster Point area of Newport News.

Dec 09, 2008 (Daily Press - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- CWTR | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Like the New Town shopping center in Williamsburg, City Center in Newport News is primarily made up of large clothing retailers, such as Ann Taylor Loft, Coldwater Creek and Banana Republic.

But there are a handful of specialty shops and locally owned stores that make it worth fighting Jefferson Avenue traffic. Here's a peek at them and some gift suggestions.

Sisters Unique and The Perfect Setting. Both locally-owned shops carry a large line of upscale home decor, with a focus on Christmas decorations right now. You won't find much in either store for less than $50, but the merchandise has the look of quality.

At Sisters Unique, a local version of Pottery Barn, elegant matchbooks to match any decor are a good stocking stuffer for $3.99. Curly Girl Designs cards and magnets with phrases like "I sing opera in the shower; I'm very good, all of my shampoos think so," are also fun small gifts. And among the large collection of modern Christmas decorations, shoppers can find collectible boxes of German Inge-Glas ornaments. A "We Three Kings" set costs $99.99.

Almost entirely Christmas decorations for the season, The Perfect Setting's one-of-a-kind silk floral arrangements are the eye-catching accouterments of the shop. One centerpiece stands several feet tall with red and silver flowers and reeds sprouting from the top of a large candlestick-like vase ($279.95). The back of the store is dressed in pastel pinks and blues with toys, clothes and room decor for young children. In this section, the Boo-Bear ice pack comfort kit ($14.95), a mini bottle attached to a teddy bear, is a cute gift for parents of small children, and "The Little Pink Dress" book and dress combo ($78.95) is a fun way to engage little girls with storybooks.

Ten Thousand Villages. The fair trade store (a store that works with artisans in impoverished countries and pays them a fee that covers labor, materials and a fair wage) is not locally owned, but it is the only location in Hampton Roads. Shoppers will find home decor and other trinkets from 30 different countries in Asia, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East.

This time of year, the store has many different nativity scenes and ornaments, including a set carved from olive wood in the West Bank. Shoppers also will find colorful recycled newspaper coasters and place mats from the Philippines, boxes shaped like a turtle carved from Bali's Albesia wood and organic Ethiopian deep ground coffee ($8 for a 12-ounce bag).

Ute's Gift Shop. The gift shop is one step down on the price scale from Sisters Unique and The Perfect Setting. The store houses cards, home decor and collectible trinkets, and the owner prides herself on carrying items that are hard to find elsewhere. There's a nice section catering to gifts for men, including the Caswell Massey men's line of cologne, shampoo and shaving balm, military desk ornaments and other gadgets for the office.

You can also find a purse for the woman who already has every style. The new Harvey's seat belt handbag is made entirely from car seat belts (anybody remember the "Project Runway" episode where the contestants had to make an entire outfit out of car parts?) for about $100.

Land of Lapis. This small store is another great option for ethnic gifts. Most of the clothing, rugs and jewelry hail from Afghanistan with a few pieces from Turkey, India and other Middle Eastern countries. The shop specializes in Lapis jewelry, a blue gemstone that is considered to be a stone of truth and friendship in Afghanistan. The shop owner, Naheed Tabibi, buys the jewelry from Afghanistan herself, and she carries pieces ranging from $25-$1,500.

Shoppers also can find hand-embroidered ethnic clothing, beaded ballet-flat shoes and embroidered home decor, including pillows and a beaded tissue box cover ($35).

Belgian Chocolatier & Beanery. Next door to the Land of Lapis, smells of chocolate waft from the Belgian Chocolatier. In addition to making a nice place to rest in between shopping spurts, the store also sells great executive gift boxes. The boxes themselves are interestingly shaped, and shoppers can choose individual chocolates or grab a pre-made box ($19.95-$49.95). The Frosty Bubble gum smoothie mix ($6.95 for a 3-pound bag) also makes a fun gift for families with kids.

Ceriello Fine Foods and Taste Unlimited. The shopping center boasts quite a few eateries, and holiday shoppers looking for a food gift should stop at these stores. Although not locally owned, they are one of few in the area.

Ceriello specializes in authentic Italian food, which the chef prepares from scratch every day. You can find baked ravioli, farfalle with prosciutto and eggplant rollatini platters ready to serve, or create an Italian gourmet gift basket from the different pasta shells and olive oils on the shelves.

Taste Unlimited has more than a dozen different gift baskets ($17-$142) to choose from, including an "Any Time Picnic" basket ($52), which has cheese, crackers, nuts and wine wrapped in a red basket. The "Office Munchies" basket ($72) is another fun gift for co-workers, and it includes Virginia peanuts, cheese straws, cashews, chips and salsa, snack mix, pretzels and dip, chocolate chip cookies and malt balls.

About this series

This is the third in a four-part series about local holiday shopping. We guided you through the shops in Williamsburg's New Town shopping center on Dec. 2 and in Phoebus on Dec. 6. On Saturday, Dec. 13, we'll take you to the shops in downtown Smithfield.

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