Men: Your Valentine Wants Romance Not Function In Gift

Fri., Jan. 28, 2000

Tom Skierka Correspondent

Valentine’s Day is only a couple of weeks away. And, fellas, I’m here to remind you before you go shopping that kitchen appliances are not romantic gifts!

When trolling for something neat for your significant other, just cruise on by that section of the store, or anything else that requires an electric plug to assist in cleaning or cooking.

Here is a suggestion for something really special that can’t be returned for merchandise credit, and will show how much you care:

Go through your stacks of photos and find the silliest picture of the two of you together, or one of her childhood photos, and have it framed. I’m talking one photo per frame here, not one of those multi-frames.

There are a bunch of frame shops in the area that can do a bang-up job in a hurry. If you have a photo and can’t locate the negative, have it color-copied at Kinko’s or Office Depot for a couple of bucks. The photos can be displayed on a mantel or table, and will be there a long time. It’s pretty inexpensive, but Valentine’s Day is about sentiment, not spending a mint.

* Keep the beer posters in the garage: If price is no option and that someone special appreciates animated classics from Warner Brothers or Disney, make a stop at the Douglas Gallery, 120 N. Wall.

Besides just being a fun place to shop, the gallery has an assortment of celluloids from the two animation giants, probably including your favorite character. Cel and frame start at $100. Besides being a great gift, these collectibles conjure wonderful childhood memories. Douglas also has other art genres to add a personal touch to any home. Call 624-4179.

* Tops in service and smiles: In my continuing saga of admirable customer-service specialists, I got a wonderful letter praising Miller’s Trustworthy Hardware in Lincoln Heights. According to the letter, staff member Jim Smith, and owners Bob and Clara Miller make the South Hill shopping adventure exhilarating.

“We come in and they are so friendly. Someone is always there to assist us with a smile,” wrote John and Rita Leloud. “Any of our shopping problems are solved. Even if they don’t have the product, they quickly order it for us. In other words, they make shopping a pleasant experience.”

* For the men folk: One last Valentine note: While shopping for the man in your life, remember that we do think power tools, kitchen gadgets and anything electronic is romantic. Nothing says loving like a brand new Makita cordless drill and a Bose Waveless CD player.

* From the job jar: Change the filter in the furnace. Check the oil in the car. Set up a time to have the carpets cleaned. Take down the Christmas lights and put them away neatly. Change the spark plug in the snow blower and give the lawn mower a test start. Instead of finding a sitter for the weekend, stay home, throw a bag of popcorn in the microwave and have a movie night with the kids.

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