Off To The Outlet

June 19th, 2007 by Kelly

I’ve had a thing for outlet malls since I was a teenager. My college years included many a trip to Michigan City, seeing as we passed by it every time I went back and forth from college to home and back to college again. I was just too cool in my outlet Ray-Bans and Ralph Lauren polos. Hee.

The older I got, the more I “got” it. Most outlets are really just a marketing scam to make you’re saving a bundle, when a good old fashioned Gap sale at Old Orchard is much, much better. In fact, I hardly every make it to outlets anymore, unless Josh has a hockey game at Gurnee, in which case I will sneak into abercrombie. Some habits are hard to quit.

There are only two outlets I make any effort for – Crate and Barrel on Clybourn (quite simply my fave!), and the Land of Nod, here in the ‘burbs in Northbrook.

I stumbled upon the Land of Nod outlet quite by accident. I had mentioned to a group of moms at Chloe’s ice skating class that I was debating making the trip to Naperville to check out the annual sale, and they looked at me like I had set my hair on fire. A collective “Um…why don’t you just go to the outlet? It’s two minutes away from here.” was uttered in my direction. What? Here? Northbrook? Suh-weet.

The best part about Land of Nod’s outlet is it really is an outlet, and things are priced accordingly. Furniture can either be slightly nicked, or may be really banged up. I keep eyeing those schoolhouse armoires - I just need to figure out the right place for it. There’s always a great selection of their great play furniture for kids - those fridges and stovetops, drawing tables and such.

If you’ve never been, but think your little prince or princess may need that matching desk or bureau for the bedroom set you bought last year, this weekend is a great time to check it out – the Sidewalk Sale is going on this Saturday, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Extra furniture will be on site, with prices 30 - 80 percent off retail. There’s also an extra 10 percent off non-furniture items. Oh, yeah. I’m all over that.

You can find the Land of Nod outlet at:
2177 Shermer Rd. (one-half mile north of Willow Rd. on the right)
Northbrook
847-656-4720

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