Goodbye to summer: Back-to-school and fall goods pack stores

Out with summer. In with fall — and back-to-school merchandise.

I swear the last time I checked, I was still sweltering in the heat. You wouldn’t know it out shopping. I think air conditioning makes it easy to forget that some of us are still looking for just the right swimsuit. Ah well, perhaps another year.

My big surprise was when I stopped in Old Time Pottery in Fairview Heights. I walked in the door and was met by Halloween decorations and fall foliage. Gone are almost all of the patio furniture, outdoor decorations and cushions. (I’m not mentioning the Christmas stuff they keep year-round.) Just about anything you can find that is related to summer 40 to 50 percent off. And, if your college-bound student needs small kitchen appliances, this is the place to get them for $9.99, from slow cooker to toaster to coffeemaker and more.

At least Peace by Piece in downtown Belleville is stepping outside: Starting at 10 a.m. today and Saturday, stop by to check out the goods during a sidewalk sale. You’ll find all remaining leather boots $99, select TOMS shoes as low as $10, select jewelry only $5 and much more. Other downtown retailers will have tables set up for sales, too.

When I give bridal shower gifts, I try to include a couple kitchen gadgets that I have found very useful. I stopped in Bed, Bath & Beyond in Fairview Heights to pick up one of my favorites, which was a gift to me: an oval-shaped, 3 1/2-cup capacity silicone strainer that expands to use and collapses to store. Even better, it comes with a snap-on base so I can soak blackberries or green beans, for example, then pop off the bottom and let them drain in the sink. At $4.99 in a couple colors, it’s handy for smaller items and fits in small apartment kitchens.

I stopped in Target in Fairview Heights and, while I was working my way through the crowd of moms packing carts with school supplies, I checked out the lunchbox section. New on the market is the freezable vertical lunch box from Pack It. You freeze the entire lunch box, then pack your meal and use it like a mini fridge. It cools food up to 10 hours, has zippered entry, an outside pocket and a mesh holder on the side for a water bottle. Cost is $19.99. I wish they made adult versions. They would be handy for lunch at the office.

In college, girls liked to light candles in their rooms. Looking back, it seems like a very dangerous practice. If you want lots of candles around you, opt for the LED kind. Usually, they’re a lot more expensive than wax, but Dollar Tree in Fairview Heights (by Shoe Carnival) has all kinds of pillar LED candles with nickle cadmium batteries already in them for a buck each. Here’s the thing, though: They’re hollow with colorful plastic patterns around the outside, so they’re a bit flimsy. Make sure they work before you buy them. These are a colorful way to light up the room or a deck.

Now is the time to stock up at Michaels Crafts in Shiloh with Dollar Deals through Saturday that include two-for-a-buck acrylic and satin paints, Yellow Label ribbon for a dollar a roll, Glidan T-shirts two for $6, and 10- and 12-ounce Wilton Candy Melts $2 each.

Dorm supplies: Select pillows and all-cotton bath towels are $2.99 each at Kmart. Cannon towels are $3.99 and flat or fitted twin sheets in a variety of colors are $5.99 each.

All jeans at Hollister (there’s one at St. Clair Square) are $25 through Sunday. Enough said.

This story was originally published July 23, 2015 at 6:45 AM with the headline "Goodbye to summer: Back-to-school and fall goods pack stores."