‘Clutch your pearls’: A new cheeky gift shop is coming to downtown Wilmette

A new storefront will tap into an untapped market in downtown Wilmette: comedic and creative gifts.

Nothing brings a community together like a good laugh, and siblings Elizabeth and Matt Lambrecht of Lambrecht’s Jewelers know that well. The duo plans to bring their love for home decor and a good giggle to a new store called Elizabeth Griffin, located at 1129 Central Ave.

In typical sibling fashion, the name combines their middle names: Elizabeth is Mary Elizabeth, and Matthew is Matthew Griffin. They plan to have the storefront ready by Labor Day, Sept. 2, and Matt Lambrecht has already purchased inventory for the holiday season. 

Elizabeth Griffin will take over the space occupied by Heroines & Heroes, which moved their business to Evanston. The new store will neighbor Lambrecht’s Jewelers in downtown Wilmette. According to Matt Lambrecht, the lease for jewelry store gave them the right to first refusal of the Heroines & Heroes space, and they didn’t want to pass up the opportunity.

Since Christmas, the Lambrechts have tested what they call “salty” merchandise in Lambrecht’s Jewelers. It was a hit, said Matt Lambrecht, so much so that he reordered the holiday mugs 10 times. 

“It’s something to make people laugh,” Matt said. “The mugs have stopped people in their tracks, and even the stuff in the window, people stop and they’re laughing.”

The success of the products inspired the Lambrechts to explore the market, and Matt Lambrecht found myriad clever and creative products that make great gifts for adults.

For some of the products, viewer discretion is advised.

“We’ll have a little sign at the front that says, ‘Several of our products contain adult language — you may need to clutch your pearls,’” Matt Lambrecht said.

“I’m sure we are going to offend some people,” he added, emphasizing that many comedic products are not far from the content seen on social media, yet the store might not be appropriate for young children.

Beyond getting a few laughs out of customers, Matt Lambrecht hopes Elizabeth Griffen will be a one-stop gift shop. Customers can get meaningful gifts like soaps and lotions from Ireland or goodies from Geez Louise, the company created by the former owners of Lad and Lassie. They can also pick up cheeky cards and gift bags to accompany their purchase. 

The store will have a bit of an eclectic feel, Matt Lambrecht explained, with the displays primarily featuring repurposed furniture. Visitors can expect to see furniture and products trickle in over the next few months.

Elizabeth Griffin has a Facebook page where excited clients can receive updates on the store. 

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