Best Places For Father's Day Gifts In Chicago

Whether dad was the type to tell you to quit your belly-aching or was always a soft touch, he's your one and only father dearest and you want to show him a smidgen of gratitude. That doesn't mean a six-pack of your favorite craft beer, either, but instead a thoughtful gift from one of these Chicago shops.

Optimo Hats
320 S. Dearborn St.
Chicago, IL 60604
(312) 922-2999
www.optimo.com

We are not talking about baseball caps or lids from a department store here. Optimo offers old world hat making made to the same standards that allowed hats to be worn for decades and only get better. The hats are blocked and decatized so they keep their shape with integrity, then get a "sanding" for softness and finally hand sewn and a final buffing. Optimo, with an additional location in Beverly, offers "A hat that ages well, stands up to the elements and becomes part of your life." Now, doesn't that sound exactly like dad?

Chicagoland Toys & Hobbies
6017 N. Northwest Highway
Chicago, IL 60631
(773) 775-4848
www.chicagolandtoysandhobbies.com

Now that you're a little older, you can see that dad is really more of a big kid than you ever thought when he towered over you. Feed his inner boy with outer gifts from Chicagoland Toys & Hobbies. Fathers new to a model railroad hobby can easily set up the new tech-integrated sets. Pennsylvania Flyer is now available in the easy-to-set-up LionChief set with a remote control that provides easy operation and walk-around fun, controlling speeds, sounds and other features up to 60 feet away. If he already has a set-up, help him expand the man cave with tall Lionel bar stools, mugs and or even a neon sign.

Chicago Detours
30 E. Adams St., Suite 425
Chicago, IL 60603
(312) 350-1131
www.chicagodetours.com

There are a plethora of tour companies in the city, but Chicago Detours never misses with smart, friendly tour guides, historic images displayed on iPads, stops at iconic Chicago places as well as often overlooked nooks and crannies. Get dad a gift card for the Historic Bar Tour or Loop Interior Architecture Tour. Make it a family affair and take the Loop tour at 1:30 p.m. right on Father's Day.

Related: More Places To Buy Father's Day Gifts in Chicago

Irv's Luggage
2200 S Busse Road
Mt Prospect, IL 60056
(847) 437-4787
www.irvsluggage.com

Dads love storing stuff, from their nuts and bolts and socket wrenches to pristine copies of Playboy Magazine from 1982. That includes containers for their clothes while traveling or wallets for their cash and cards. You can get up to 75 percent off on Irv's huge luggage selection from sporting names like Victorinox, Hartmann, Briggs & Riley, Dooney & Bourke, Delsey and Samsonite. Get him a nifty new wallet or a business case from the family-owned business that began in 1947 and dad will agree that he raised a smart human being.

Charles Tyrwhitt
208 S. LaSalle St.
Chicago, IL 60604
(312) 585-0700
www.ctshirts.com

For the love of god, don't get him another t-shirt from Old Navy or a barbecue apron from one of the discount stores. The man who showed you how to ride a two-wheeler or let you gorge on sweets when mother was away deserves a fine piece or two from the British menswear retailer, Charles Tyrwhitt, located in the Loop. Treat him to a crisp cotton shirt with a truly tailored fit, a luxe cashmere sweater, stunning cuff links or an elegant silk tie.

Related: Best Bike Shops In Chicago

Jacky Runice has been a columnist with the Daily Herald Chicago since grunge music and flannel was the new black. Her fingers and gray matter have been busy as travel editor of Reunions Magazine; penning a column that was syndicated around the nation via Tribune Media Services. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.