I love this shop. It is the best gift boutique shop in Carbondale, IL! When I'm looking for gifts…read morefor others (or myself), this store is my first stop. While the store itself is a modest (smallish) size, the owner has packed it full of goodies galore - literally from floor to ceiling. And speaking of the owner, more often than not she is there to help you find that perfect item, ring you up at the cash register, and is the first to greet you by name when you walk in the door! The shop itself has an eclectic mix of items: -Yankee candles -boutique baby gifts -one of a kind, exquisite holiday decorations (including Christmas Village collectibles) -gourmet food items like teas, hot chocolate, crackers, cookies, etc -garden flags -women's accessories such as scarves -women's jewelry -unique linens like crisp cotton table runners and table cloths -kitchen decoration / accessories like picnic baskets, decorative olive oil dispensers, and select ceramics -small yard art -and much much more I know I said this already, but I love this place. I never go in without buying something! The staff will beautifully gift wrap your packages, help you create a gift basket, and they even have gift registries. The shop is tucked away in a quiet little strip mall (next to Murdale Shopping Center), but that ensures you almost always get a parking spot. If you're in Carbondale, and you want a nice little gift for mom, (yourself), aunt, (yourself), grandma, (yourself), BFF, (yourself), newlyweds, (yourself), or just about any ladies(yourself), you must stop here. The Apple Tree is just about perfect.

Letting my wife write this one... My daughter and I really…read moreenjoy shopping at this one-of-a-kind treat of a boutique! If we don't want the "same old" we go here! It's a wonderful place for a gift, and they will wrap it for you too! Great selection of jewelry, cards, garden flags, candles and dip mixes too. They never disappoint, which means we "never" leave empty handed!

This is a very cool crafty shop.Find exactly what you're looking for for that one unique…read moreperson!!!!!! Or find all your seasonal decorations right in one spot. They have a lot of different inventory here and it changes daily!!!!! This is my absolute favorite crafty store to go in.They make a lot of specialized items for people to like signs and stuff like that. It's a must-see store!!!!!!!

We where visiting Marion and looking to kill some time and decided to go antique shopping . We fell…read moreupon Pickers Paradise and just loved the vibe . Sweet lady that owns the shop was so nice and kind . I bought a couple of bowls to take home for my daughter and I . Thank you for your awesome service .

Pickers Paradise is awesome! A purchased a few items and the price was more than reasonable. Duane…read morewas working and he was really helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable about the town. He even gave us a visitors guide so we could check out local spots. Marion is a really cute town and these small businesses make it really worthwhile.

I've heard about this little store on Facebook and couldn't make it to visit until now. This is a…read moregreat store to find a unique gift for someone who is difficult to buy for. I personally love the signs they have for sale. They are made locally.

MJ is so sweet she does make beautiful arrangements. She will tell you up front if she…read more can't do something. I've never been disappointed. She is terrific.

Very pleased with flower arrangements for funeral, went out of her way to make it what we wanted…read more Service and selection A+! Highly recommended.

Wow...what a charming diamond in the rough... with beautiful Monroe county as a back drop…read more We Had the chicken rice casserole, asparagus quiche, Parma crusted chicken breast stuffed with provel, mushrooms, spinach, and a light, harmonious blend of herbs Also enjoyed chicken salad sandwich and buttermilk pie ( sort of a cross between creme brûlée and custard ). All FANTASTIC and highly recommended! Only negatives are; * limited menu and limited hours ( but as the delightful owner/only cook, Jeannette puts it: "She's it."). You have to check web-site daily to see that day's whimsical menu. * maybe nit picking but view on webpage is not their view... Still pretty though. A few tips: 1. Make a rez (small place and she has to turn people away sometimes) ...be a shame to drive all that way and not eat. 2. It's not too too hard to find...looking for the signs helps. Best to use directions from their website rather than mapquest ( which has some mileage off) both work though. * There is no town really of "Fults, IL"...nearest quaint town is Maeystown for a drive through on way back via Bluff road. On that note, HIGHLY recommend driving back via BLUFF ROAD. Melissa, the farmer's daughter (I know, and shame on you), will tell you how to get there...it's real easy...bucolic, river valley farmland on your left, river bluffs on your right Just as fast back to stl as route 3, ...but what do you care ...it's the journey as much as the destination, right? :) Hope this helped, John

Yesterday two friends and I drove across the JB Bridge, through Columbia and Waterloo to Kaskaskia…read moreRd., then on about another 6 miles or so to find a recommended lunch place. The drive was less than 20 minutes from the bridge, good roads and farmland. It would be lovely with fall color! Signage begins at Kaskaskia road, so it was not difficult to find. When we arrived we parked at the remodeled barn than houses the restaurant and gift shop. There are two outdoor dining areas as well as a few tables inside. The owner and her daughters welcomed us warmly. Jeannette, the owner, makes all of the food, locally grown whenever possible. Each of us had either spinach or asparagus quiche and it was light, creamy and delicious! It came with a Italian style green salad and fresh bread. One of us had cheesecake with strawberries that Jeannette had grown and frozen herself. The other two had buttermilk pie simply because we had always heard of it but never tried it... also delicious, topped with freshly whipped cream. We were seated near the kitchen and Jeannette chatted with us amiably while she tossed fresh salads for each order and warmed dishes individually for the guests. It was as though we were dining with a friend. They serve bottled water and soda as well as wine and beer. The gift shop has very cute items such as you would see in any nice gift boutique. Although lunch, water and dessert ran each of us $18+, all three of us intend to return. With the cooler weather Jeannette promises to add pot pie to the menu which changes with available ingredients and her mood.

While exploring Vincennes, I headed out to the north/east end and found this cool Hallmark Store in…read moreNewburgh Plaza. As expected, the shop has a lot of greeting cards and due to the timing of my visit, was discounting a lot of Christmas items at 75% off! They also carry a variety of games and puzzles and even have a Vera Bradley section for ladies. Despite the transition from Christmas to Valentine's Day, the store was in good shape and easy to get around. The staff were very friendly and offered to help me find anything but otherwise, let me browse. Plenty of parking in the shared lot even though there are some larger shops in the plaza. Review #3576