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Best Place to Buy a Last-Minute Gift

The Blue House

The Blue House stands out as a mecca of things whimsical and fun—from humorous knickknacks to furniture from Maine, handpicked by owner Connie Cissel from markets around the world.

Cissel, who previously owned a franchise of Koala Blue, Olivia Newton-John’s clothing store, opened the Bethesda shop seven years ago. Named Best Gift Shop in 2008 by Bethesda Magazine readers, it thrives on returning shoppers who “need their Blue House fix,” Manager Jill Godfrey says.

Longtime customer Kimberly Grafmeyer of Bethesda is among them. She likes the stationery and picture frames as gifts.

And for herself? “All I want is a gift card to Blue House,” she says.

7770 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda, 301-656-6088, www.thebluehousebethesda.com

Other top vote-getters: Ten Thousand Villages, Artisans Gallery, Target

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