The ‘Secret Chicago’ Gift Guide

Secret Chicago Book

Are you shopping local this holiday season? I thought I’d highlight some gifts from Chicago small businesses featured in my book Secret Chicago! They’re sure to be a hit with your loved ones wherever they live.

Circus Classes at Aloft

Who knew that a Logan Square church is hiding a circus school? Aloft Circus Arts offers classes in trapeze, trampoline and more at all experience levels. Gift an in-person class in Beginning Trapeze ($150) or a virtual class (starting at $10) in handstands!

Aloft Circus Arts by Jessica Mlinarc

Pothole Art Puzzle

Local artist Jim Bachor is on a mission to beautify Chicago’s potholes with works of art. I’ve written before about his work installing mosaics in the city streets. This 1,000-piece puzzle ($49.99) lets you bring his artwork home!

Jim Bachor pothole art puzzle

Whiner Beer (and more) at The Plant

A former Back of the Yards meatpacking plant is now home to 20+ sustainable food businesses at The Plant. Stop by to pick up barrel-aged beer at Whiner Beer Co. ($12) or check out locally made kombucha, honey, cheese, and more.

Whiner Beer Co. in Chicago by Jessica Mlinaric

The Kartemquin Films Collection: Four-Volume Set

Kartemquin Films has produced influential documentaries from a little house in Lake View for over 50 years. Enjoy ten classic films from Kartemquin’s early years in one set ($69.99).

Kartemquin Films Collection
Credit

Plagues of the 21st Century Gift Box at IMSS

Plagues of the 21st Century ($20) is just one of the many surprising finds in the International Museum of Surgical Science gift shop. These mini microbes will help you learn about and spread awareness of modern plagues like COVID-19, Zika Virus, Measles, Pandemic Flu and SARS.

Plagues of the 21st Century

Vintage Vinyl at Out of the Past

You can spend the whole day scouring vintage music scores in the two buildings that make up this West Garfield Park shop. Out of the Past specializes in blues, soul, R&B, gospel, and jazz records (starting at $5), but they’ve also amassed CDs, cassettes, and DVDs since opening in 1986.

Out of the Past Records by Jessica Mlinaric

Edgar Miller “City & Frontier” Mug

You may not live in an Edgar Miller home, but you can admire the artisan extraordinaire’s work in your home with this mug ($15). It features Miller’s “World Atlas” commissioned in 1936.

Edgar Miller Mug

[Insert Title Here]

This collection of writing by Chicago students ($15) includes stories about inventions, if students could change the world, and letters to their future selves. ⁣Proceeds benefit 826CHI, a non-profit tutoring center. Their Wicker Park Secret Agent Supply Store is a great stop for unique gifts!

Solar Robot Kit

American Science & Surplus stocks offbeat scientific items to spark your curiosity. This kit ($28.95) will introduce kids to the basic concepts of solar tech with parts to make 14 different projects.

Solar Robot Kit


Wonderland Tarot Tin

Founded in 1918, The Occult Bookstore bills itself as the oldest spiritual shop in the world. What better place to brush up on your tarot skills? This tarot ($18.95) deck features the Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland characters in a hand-drawn Victorian style.

Wonderland Tarot

Cran Nectar Mead

Pass on the punch and reach for mead this holiday. Wild Blossom Meadery in Beverly offers semi-dry Cran Nectar Mead made from honey fermented with cranberries. ($18.99)

Wild Blossom Meadery by Jessica Mlinaric

Mr. Bitey Taxidermy Shark

Woolly Mammoth Antiques and Oddities is where you shop for the person who has everything. Run by a husband and wife, this Andersonville shop stocks cool and creepy finds like old dental slides and Ecuadorian shrunken heads. No one else will have this real, vintage, or antique skin mount taxidermy shark ($900) under their Christmas tree!

Secret Chicago: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure

Do you think you know Chicago? My book ($20.95) uncovers 90 uncommon spots including hidden attractions, haunted locales, and unique landmarks. From an energy vortex in Fulton Market to a salt cave in Portage Park, this guide proves that when it comes to secrets, Chicago is second to none!

Jessica Mlinaric's book Secret Chicago is now available


Jessica Mlinaric founded Urban Explorer in 2010 to inspire curious travelers by highlighting history, culture, and hidden gems in Chicago and beyond. She is the author of 'Secret Chicago' and 'Chicago Scavenger.' Jessica has visited 20+ countries and 30+ U.S. states. She has more than 16 years of experience as a marketing strategist and works as a freelance writer and photographer.