If you walk into Mike’s Scale Rails shop, 3008 N. Sterling, and tell employee Bill Foust that you want to start collecting model trains, he will probably hand you this Iron Horse train set.

If you are like me, you loathe the idea of spending money at chain stores. I figure, if you spend money at a locally owned spot, you are giving cash to a family that is going to shop and pay taxes here in the Peoria area. Besides, I figure Sam Walton’s kids already have enough yachts.

And it’s hard to shop on Christmas. I mean, it’s the American thing to do, right? You show up at WalMart and fill your cart with a bunch of junk made in China, you hand your money to a cashier earning the lowest wage WalMart can get away with paying, and you wrap it up and give it all away.

I figure, why not spend all that cash at stores owned by Peoria-area residents. That way, all your money will filter back to your community in the form of higher employee paychecks and more money going to state and local government in the forms of taxes.

I know. A radical idea. Here are some suggestions:

Decorator’s Grocery: This store has been in business for about 40 years, taking over the former Walther’s Market at the corner of East Arcadia and North Delaware in the classic East Bluff neighborhood. They focus on selling cake and candy baking and decorating supplies. And you can gift your cookie-crazy grandma with a gift certificate in any amount. An excellent stocking stuffer (assuming grandma still hangs her stocking with care). And it’s a gift that keeps on giving. Cake!

Retro Tech: This store at 625 W. Main St. (between North Ellis and North Sheridan) is a non-profit venture that keeps giving back to the community in the form of low cost computers to families that need them. You can buy used computers there, of course. As well as flat- and regular screen TV’s. And if you buy a used computer (probably donated by a local business that upgraded their own machines) you get $10 off the low price on a flat screen.

Mike’s Scale Rails: I don’t know about you, but for some reason, I have WAY too many friends who are train enthusiasts. Or, as I like to call them, nuts who like to take pictures of moving trains. Well, I worry about them and wonder how I can keep these raving lunatics indoors. Well, model trains are one way to go. So I suggest you get over to Mike’s Scale Rails at 3008 N. Sterling and buy your loved one a good starter item, and I suggest the “Iron Horse” package from Athearn. It includes a model locomotive, three freight cars, a caboose, train tracks and a power supply. It will cost you $109, but you are gonna get a 30 percent discount right off the bat.

One World: This delicious little gem of a restaurant is found at the corner of Main Street and North University, just catawampus from the Bradley University campus. They’ve got menu items from all over the world. I highly recommend getting the Cuban Pulled Pork sandwich. It’s just $9.50 and it will warm the cockles of your heart. Unfortunately, you can’t leave a Cuban pulled pork sandwich sitting in your loved one’s stocking for longer than an hour or two. So I recommend buying a gift certificate in any denomination. And while you are there buying swag, check out the t-shirts, mugs and wine glasses.

Leaves ‘n’ Beans: This Peoria Heights-based beanery has a lot of fans. It’s located at 4800 N. Prospect Rd. There’s also a store in Morton, which I guess is sorta local. A very popular type of coffee there is “Jamaican Me Crazy!” Seriously, that’s what they call it. You can always go there and order a cup, or you can buy a quarter pound of it for  $4.54 (after taxes). You can buy the coffee itself, or you can buy a gift certificate, sold in $5 increments.

30/30 Coffee Company: Hey, you gotta start your day off right with a cup of coffee. So why not get it at this locally owned coffee shop, located at 734 Main St. (at the intersection with North Kumpf Boulevard). And why not sign up your loved one with a coffee subscription. A “roaster’s choice” bimonthly coffee subscription starts at just $35 a month. If you are looking for something a bit more tangible for a loved one’s stocking, I suggest their 30/30 “Minus” the bear woman’s T-shirt for just $22.50.

Acme Comics: Got a friend who’s a nerd? Are YOU a nerd? Do you relate a little too closely to the characters on “Big Band Theory?” If you do, you probably already know about Acme Comics, located at 2218 W. Glen Ave (just two doors away from the Lariat Club). They sell a lot of stuff that they buy from other collectors, so I won’t recommend any ONE item, but they have a bunch of new and old comics, but they also sell a ton of comics-related collectibles. So, if you have a Batman fan in your life, you will probably find a Batman toy on the shelf behind the counter. Or, get your hands on a Nintendo or a Playstation game system. They are constantly buying those from sellers.

Book Nook: I’ve been in this place, and it’s stunning the amount of used books this joint (located at 6944 N. University) has to offer. They offer more than 60,000 books, DVDs, and CDs. That’s a lot to choose from. So, I am going to recommend “Starship Troopers” by the late science fiction author Robert A. Heinlein. Or “Stranger in a Strange Land,” also by Heinlein (what can I say, I’m really into Heinlein). I suppose if you have a juvenile fascination for Wookies and Ewoks, you can buy books in the “Star Wars” series if you like. The price will be a lot less than you will spend if you buy ’em new at chain bookstores. Hey, my parents used to buy me books for Christmas, and it kept me busy for weeks!