She's Got Attitude

LuCinda’s in Old Town Square offers an unusual assortment of girly gifts.

The Shop:
LuCinda’s, 301 N. Mead St. in Old Town, 316-264-1080. (Mon.—Thurs. 10 a.m.–9 p.m., Fri.–Sat. 10 a.m.–11 p.m., Sun. 12–6 p.m.)

Atmosphere:
A spectrum of bright colors welcomes customers to this cozy shop on the northwest corner of Old Town Square. Periwinkle wisteria vines hang overhead, giving the shop an effervescent feel. An array of unusual gifts, including sun catchers, wind chimes, hand-decorated mirrors and many other shopping surprises fills the store.

Key People:
Sisters Lupe Plank and Valerie Berry opened LuCinda’s (named after their great-grandmother) in 2001, when Plank went from selling Southwestern jewelry at the farmers’ market to running a full-time store with her business partner. Over time, LuCinda’s has evolved from Southwestern décor to a contemporary, eclectic mix of feminine gifts. Berry visits markets across the country to discover special products. “We get anything that is innovative or new, fresh and fun,” she says.

What You’ll Find:
What makes LuCinda’s so different is the wide array of unusual gifts. You’ll find elaborate pop-up greeting cards, elegant stationary, zany reading glasses and loads of accessories from the adorable to the bizarre. Miso Pretty peony perfume ($11.95) and Woodwick 100-hour candles ($16.95) that hiss as they burn fill the air with pleasant scents.

LuCinda’s has humorous magnets, frilly and sophisticated clothing, a small selection of Coconuts beaded sandals and wedges (starting at $48), novelty books and journals. Illuminart nightlights ($26) show off famous works of art in small, glowing frames. Check out the solar-powered rainbow-makers ($26), “diamond” paperweights ($7) and photo mobiles ($11.99).

The store offers items from around the world. Woodstock wind chimes ($13.95–$82) have gong-like rings. (One chime even plays the tones of London’s Big Ben.) There are intricate, flame-resistant paper lanterns from the Netherlands ($68) and hand-decorated mirrors from Mexico and Peru (starting at $164). There’s jewelry (starting at $36) by Ayala Bar, an artist in Israel who creates crosses and necklaces with crystals, beads and fabric to give the pieces a sparkly matte quality. For something closer to home, LuCinda’s offers brightly colored, chunky crystal jewelry (starting at $35) created by Kathleen Asher, an artist from Great Bend, Kansas.

The store is open until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, so it’s an ideal place to pass the time while waiting for a movie at Warren Theatre or after a late dinner in Old Town.

Wichita Verdict:
This eclectic shop offers an unusual assortment of gifts while maintaining an elegant, fun atmosphere. It’s the perfect place to find a gift that’s out of the ordinary.