OK - so what do you buy at Cost Plus (World Market)?

[mamicka]

I have never tried Hob Nobs so I'm off to Cost Plus this afternoon. What else do I need to get there?

Allison

[Jen841]

They carry a Lite Champagne dressing I can rarely find, Girard's???

They have good wrapping paper too.

I would buy a large variety of things from there, including our dining room table and chairs which we love!

[C99]

- Bonne Maman jams and preserves.
- Patak's Indian simmer sauces. I actually haven't tried these yet, but my dad recommended them to me and he says they are really good. I bought two: Korma sauce and Tandoori marinade/grill sauce. The recommendation came out of a conversation about how Chicago doesn't have great Indian, despite several blocks of Indian shops and restaurants.
- LU le PIMs (although you can also buy these at regular grocery stores) or Bahlssen's cheaper version of le PIMs
- Marzipan or chocolate-covered marzipan goodies now that they have their holiday season stuff out
- Belgian chocolates -- they have some good ones that are heart-shaped and sell for $3/box
- "salt water" taffy in a giant $7 bag
- bulk dried spices
- tea -- lots of Twinings and Republic of Tea at good prices. They also do bulk coffee and tea. I have bought the bulk tea for baby shower favors and it's pretty good. I am not a coffee drinker, so I can't comment on the coffee, but they also usually have samples of coffee that you can drink in the store.
- British candies that you can't otherwise get here, many of them made by Cadbury: Violet something bars, Crunchie bars (I once brought a case of these back from Indonesia and stored them in my freezer), and some kind of chocolate-covered soft caramel thing that comes in a yellow wrapper.
- Milka chocolate bars and Kindermilk chocolate things
- Napa & Company (or something like that) dry rubs, marinades and spices. They come in little tins.
- Bulk imported candies
- Jelly Bellies in all sorts of sample/gift packs
- Lots of different imported snack crackers, etc. The things we'd eat for snacks but the Euros would serve with appertifs before dinner. :)
- Torani syrups. These used to be about $5-6/bottle so I would pick up a different kind every time I went. We drank them mixed with selzer or club soda, but they also work in coffee and many other things.

I am sure that I will think of more ideas once I go there again. I don't have a list of must-have things to get at Cost Plus, since there no longer is one terribly close or convenient to me. When I lived in SF, I shopped there about once/week, but now I only go once/quarter or so.

ETA: I agree w/ Jen. If I started listing out cool things to get there outside of food items, we'd be here all day!

[jbowman]

>- Patak's Indian simmer sauces. I actually haven't tried
>these yet, but my dad recommended them to me and he says they
>are really good.

These are really good, Caroline! DH and I get them when we can (no Cost Plus near us).

Allison--

They have a good selection of wines/champagnes at cheap prices I recall.

And they have cheap spices, dried pasta.

[californiamom]

Belgium chocolate! :-)

[houseof3boys]

The only thing I have ever bought there was wine! They have great prices on wine.

They also have good prices on tea.

Have fun shopping. :)

[gracelynne]

I love love love Cost Plus. We bought a coffee table and a bookcase from there, and we often buy tea and wine. Our laundry baskets came from there, too. The candy section is also amazing, but I'm doing my very best to stay away from it!

[starrynight]

I have bought some nice cloth napkins there, ramekins, they also sell inexpensive wood toys and other cool little gadgets, great for stocking stuffers. I bought both of their wooden food cutting sets, there is a fruit and a veggie one.

[pixelprincess]

Beer- they have a box of international beers for $10 that are fun to try out.
Lots of neat wine choices from all over too.
Coffee...makes good gifts
Found a neat wood trim mirror from India
Shower curtains
Patio set (didn't buy it, but they have some nice ones)
Picture frames
Door Mats

I love that store!! I always manage to buy stuff that I don't have on my list.