Chicago - September 28, 2007

Have Your Lake

The Great Lakes Goods

Last time your bicoastal bud came to visit, she was awestruck by the rolling waves of Lake Michigan.

You said straight up: “Duh, salt water. They don’t call the lakes great for nothing.”

Wait till she discovers The Great Lakes Goods, a stationery line with nostalgia-inducing sketches of hippie ephemera like afros, best-friend necklaces, and dream catchers.

Local designer Rose Lazar screen-prints birthday cards, thank-you notes, and romance memos with yes or no check boxes (“Do you like me-like me?”). She also tacks on thoughtful phrases like “Hang in there, baby” (beside a cat swinging from a tree branch) and “Roll with me” (next to a pair of skates).

They are clever, charming, funny, and most likely to be the next big thing.

At least on paper.

Available online at etsy.com. To see styles, go to thegreatlakesgoods.com.