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Five reasons to ditch the mall for a road trip
I'm a fan of malls, but not during the holidays. Too many people. Too many stores that are the same everywhere. (I love the deals, but my inner diva finds it distasteful that recipients of my gifts will know how much I spent on that discounted set of Bath and Body Works lotion.)
So this season, I plan to spend a little time cruising the boutiques along MacDill Ave. in South Tampa.
There are tons. Here are five that I plan to poke in:
The Royal Tea Room & Gift Shoppe: Gifts for the tea lover and the hostess gal. Take a shopping break for formal tea, by calling ahead for seatings at 11:30, 1:30 and 3:30! (2719 S MacDill Ave, 813-837-3000)
Love That! Fashion, accessories and gifts for good girls who aren't afraid to be a little bad. (4109 S MacDill Ave, 813-902-0500)
DKM Accessories: Accessories for every trend. All that glitters and looks real, at prices that are not. (3104 Palmira Ave., right off MacDill Ave, 813-902-0044. Second location at 4017 Henderson Blvd.)
The Write Stuff: Pretty papers and pens, plus a growing collection of girly gifts and baby items. (3225 S. MacDill Avenue #107, 813-837-0400)
The Blue Moon Trading Company and Fresh Threads: Blue Moon has long been a destination for funky, vintage home furnishings and antiques. Not always cheap, but so much fun to look around. And now they have a boutique within a boutique, Fresh Threads, selling designer consignment at remarkable prices. Check out the $5 and $10 racks at their holiday soiree on Friday at 7 p.m. (4129 S. MacDill Ave., 813-839-2056)
This is just the beginning of the pickings on S. MacDill, not to mention the rest of South Tampa. What are your favorite boutique haunts?
Deal Diva Letitia
P.S. Don't forget to sign up for our new weekly Deal Diva email alerts. Never miss another deal and be registered for a $100 gift card to International Plaza!
(Photo: Love That!)
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Looking for shopping deals in Tampa Bay? The Deal Divas are on the prowl, sniffing out hot fashion finds that won't leave your wallet in ruins. Now you never have to miss a shopping deal! Sign up for weekly Deal Diva Alerts by e-mail. by e-mail. And check in often for the lowdown on local bargains, as well as fashion advice, fun photos and style news. Because shopping should be all about the Washingtons!
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THE AUTHORS
Stephanie Hayes came out of the womb wearing high heels. While other kids were reciting multiplication tables, she was learning to calculate an extra third off the half-price discount during buy-one-get-one week. She loves animal prints, black mascara and anything that sparkles. She objects to visible panty lines, Crocs and anything that costs more than a car payment. And she doesn't drive a nice car. She can be reached at (727) 893-8857 or shayes@tampabay.com.
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Kameel Stanley has never encountered a thrift store she didn’t like. Her
mother taught her that the true value of clothes isn’t how much they cost,
but how many outfits one can create from them. Having grown up in Michigan,
she was delighted to learn upon moving to Florida that she almost never
needed to wear socks or boots again. There’s a lot of turnover in her
closet, and she’s obsessed with dresses, necklaces and wedge heels. She can
be reached at (727) 893-8643 or kstanley@tampabay.com.
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A disciple of the little black dress classics school, Letitia Stein stretches her budget by looking for styles with staying power. She lives for 80 percent off shoes at DSW, floral sundresses and bohemian chic tops. She confesses to being a bit of a snob when it comes to handbags and jewelry. She can be reached at (813) 226-3400 or lstein@tampabay.com.
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Coming from a long line of fashionable women, Kim Wilmath considers herself lucky to fit into their hand-me-downs. Her wardrobe staples include her grandma's vintage blouses and her mom's funky jewelry. When she's in the market for "new" items, Kim hits her favorite thrift stores -- a habit she also picked up from mom. But when circumstances require a visit to the shiny stores in the mall, you'll find Kim at the sale rack like a good little diva. She can be reached at (813) 661-2442 or kwilmath@tampabay.com.
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