The Elvis Presley Action Figure, Jailhouse Rock Edition-available only (so far as we know) at Queen City Bookstore, 3184 Main Street in University Heights ($14.99 each).

In University Heights there is a group of stores that seem perfectly aligned and ready to welcome anybody looking for a different type of present to give this year.

Nearby UB’s south campus is Music City, which is crammed full of the standard fare (guitars, basses, keyboards, drums and the like) along with a sprinkling of more eclectic instruments. Moving around the store, any local musician can find an instrument they need or accessories they may need for it. Even the budding musician can pick up an Acoustic Guitar Pack for $129 and saddle themselves with a nylon-stringed Tacoma acoustic guitar and a soft gig bag. There are also lessons offered for new players or those looking to advance a little more. One for drums is going on as I leave.

Next I end up at O’Connell’s, a traditional clothing store for men and women which deceives the casual passerby from the front by looking like a small place. Stepping inside I’m surprised to find 6,000 suits and sport coats in every discernible style staring back at me from a Borgesian array of wall racks. Some of the clothes look modern enough but others recall the days of old and remind me of the Irish store in Niagara on the Lake. It makes sense, as everything at O’Connell’s is made in the US, Canada, England or Ireland. One specific design by Vineyard Vines catches my eye: three ties that are known as the Buffalo Collection ($65 each). Each has a design specifically tailored for Buffalonians: first is the Buffalo lighthouse; second are flying buffalo; and third, the newest, Buffalo beef on weck. They are bright pastel colors, so not for everyone, yet there wouldn’t be a problem finding something to go with the ties elsewhere in the store. You can even have a suit custom made.

Moving down Main Street a little farther, I stroll into Queen City Bookstore, passing under a sign boasting that it has been the King of Comics in Buffalo since 1969. I’d be hard-pressed to rebuke the claim. Inside there are countless comic books lining the shelves, both old and new alike. Graphic novels sit in their own area, and off to the side are stacks of old dime-store novels. Collectibles line the shelves behind the counter, movie monster models ready for purchase and rare comic books protected from oily hands. It’s on the top shelf that something catches my eye, a gift so unexpected I can not go without mentioning it: Elvis Presley Action Figures ($14.99 each). I am unsure to whom the average holiday shopper would give such a gift, but they’re just too hard to pass up. I know I didn’t and my girlfriend has a surprise coming this year. Now if they made Johnny Cash action figures.

I continue my search for gifts in University Heights. After a quick sojourn at Parkside Candy, picking up some locally made holiday chocolate and taking a moment to look over the store’s beautiful interior, I come to Talking Leaves, Buffalo’s quintessential independent bookseller. The Main Street location tends to have more academic texts, but that is a good thing for college students or anyone else who wants to read something left of the norm. They have an open house coming up on a Saturday in early December, when everything will be 10 percent off. That may not be as big a discount as is offered during sales at the mega-chain booksellers, but you will feel cleaner and find books the chains don’t carry.

The last store I came to was Buffalo Picture Frame. I was not expecting much, but the paintings inside caught my eye. I became enthralled with sets of antique pictures and maps of Buffalo that the store offers for as little as $40. One in particular was a map of Buffalo circa 1900. You can see where the 1901 Exposition Grounds were planned to be, as well as the large vacant area where UB’s South Campus is.

University Heights may not be the typical place to search for gifts, but the choices it offers are extraordinary. You can be certain that whatever you pick up there will be remembered for a long time to come.

—todd natti