Longview, WA 45°F
Story and Photos by Laurel Murphy
What do guys want? Gift buying for men just seems so hard. Rick Pope, Columbia River Reader’s ethics columnist, says that a gift “…pays the ultimate compliment of taking them (the recipient) as they are and celebrating it.” Therefore, I explored “guy land” to find some Valentine’s Day gift suggestions. I added an activity to each gift to promote that lovin’ feeling.
Practical Flashlight
Don’t we have enough flashlights? Our electricity recently went out and we found five cheap flashlights; none of them worked. The one that did work was a $25 LED flashlight I bought at Bob’s Sporting Goods. I revisited Bob’s to check out a $50 flashlight (Streamlight PolyTac). Sales clerk Rick King (pictured, opposite page) told me that the flashlight “would blind an intruder.” The Gift: A walk in the dark to test out the flashlight. If it is raining, add umbrellas and singing.
Gloves
Cowlitz River Rigging’s “The Grown Man’s Candy Store” ad inspired this idea. This store is really guy land; chain saws surrounded me. The ad featured North Star Gloves, “the most popular heavy duty gloves in the Pacific Northwest for 70 years” ($4.46). Terry Ojala recommended Atlas Thermal Knit gloves with natural rubber palm coating because the weather is now cold and wet ($4.75). The Gift: A selection of gloves spanning the seasons with a Valentine tucked into every glove (DollarLand Plus has kid’s Valentines with monkey and pirate themes).
Vehicular Gifts
I went on a business trip with a colleague 25 years ago. When his wife picked him up at the airport, she announced that she had his truck detailed. He fell in love all over again. I went looking for Clean Machine, which offers gift certificates for detail packages. It has been in business for 20 years and I have driven past it hundreds of times but never saw it because women do not notice nondescript buildings surrounded by old cars. Borrow his truck or car and get it detailed. ($135 for exterior or internal cleaning packages.) The Gift: Take a day trip in that super clean vehicle. Pay for gas and lunch. Nothing is too good for your guy.
“Live, Love, Yogurt”
That is the motto of SweetSpot Frozen Yogurt. If you have not discovered this business, watch out — it can be addictive. You self-serve from a dozen flavors of yogurt and gazillions of toppings (42¢ per ounce). Buy a gift certificate for him. Buy a gift certificate for yourself. The Gift: Go there for both lunch (fruit and nut toppings) and a late dessert. (chopped candy and crushed cookies.)
Romantic Book
Buy him a book. Guys like dogs; I recommend Barkley & Betsy, A Love Story Written by Two Dogs for and About Their Humans” by Susan Drummond ($14.95). Find it at The Brits, which sells books by local authors. The Gift: Read the book to him.
Night Out
Do not go to that expensive restaurant in Portland. Go to the Kelso Theatre Pub/Backstage Cafe for great pizza, beer and a movie ($8 admission). The theatre has been showing Oscar worthy movies that do not make it to our local multiplex theatres. The Gift: read a couple of reviews of the movie and discuss it over dessert after the show.
Game(s)
I thought this would be easy; I was going to recommend a computer game for couples to play. I went to Classics, a retail retro game store in Kelso, selling video games, records and more, for suggestions. Classics is the most “guy land” of all. Owner Corey Strite was very helpful but the spirited conversation between Corey and a married male customer over my plight revealed the gulf between gamers and non-gamers. The issue is “even playing field,” a concept that was stated multiple times. Their recommendations centered on digital formats of word and board games. The Gift: Find out his favorite board game and see if Classics has it. Buy it. Play it.
DIY Six Pack
This gift is great because it is hard to craft for guys. Get a six-pack of empty glass bottles. Wash the bottles and make sure they are completely dry. Fill them with goodies he likes. The trick is getting items small enough to fit through the neck of the bottle. Decorate the bottles and container as desired. The Gift: He does not have to share it with you. (Keep your own stash.)
A Picture
Buy an inexpensive frame and find a picture of yourself. We are not talking about a good picture; you want the least flattering picture of you taken all year. This needs to be presented with a nice card to let him know how much you appreciate him for loving the real you — good, bad or ugly. The Gift: Get out your camera (or go to a professional) and get a great picture of you two lovebirds.
Good Places to Find Guy Gifts
Bob’s Sporting Goods, 1111 Hudson St, Longview 360-425-3870
Cowlitz River Rigging, 1540 Industrial Way, Longview 360-425-6720
Dollar Land Plus, 1244 15th Ave, Longview
Clean Machine, 1170 Commerce Ave, Longview 360-423-7054
SweetSpot Frozen Yogurt, 1015 Ocean Beach Hwy #115, Lgv 360-501-4696
The Brits, 1427 Commerce Ave, Longview 360-575-8090
Kelso Theatre Pub/Backstage Café, 214 S. Pacific, Kelso 360-414-9451
Classics, 201 Allen St, Kelso 360-747-2393
Sporty’s, 275 W. Col. River Hwy, Clatskanie, Ore, 503-728-2712
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Guys and Gals, what is the best Valentine's gift you've ever given or received and why? Let us know below...
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Laurel is giving Ed Phillips, her husband of 20 years, gloves and a picture. The picture is so bad, that she plans to ask him to keep it under the bed. She says “Thank You” to all the guys that helped her write this story.
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