Roseville, Rocklin and Steinmart

I went in search of the only Steinmart in the Sacramento area as if on a mission. In fact, I was on a mission. I work with some ladies that love to shop, and I personally know they are missing out on a great experience, as only one has ever been to a Steinmart. There are only 22 in the entire state of California. However, since I returned to California from Arizona, where there are seven of these glorious stores in the Phoenix area, I am a big fan of what I call the “funky” store.

Well, after some trepidatious wandering down the wrong highway, I consulted my map again and finally found Steinmart after only 30 minutes of hard looking. It was actually easy to find, if you don’t follow the directions of an 18-year-old stock boy from Camping World, right off of Highway 65. He was sweet, but come on, he’s only been driving for two years.

I don’t usually extol the virtues of chain stores, but I have to make an exception here. What I love about Steinmart is that where other “discount” stores carry the castoffs from other chains, Steinmart concentrates on high quality and often very unique items. I always find things there that are unusual and therefore, to me, desirable. I don’t want to wear what everyone else is wearing, although I often end up doing just that.

In addition to clothes, I’ve found shoes, jewelry, gifts and household items that I just loved. Their selection of decorative pillows can’t be beat and one of my nieces was the recipient of a beautiful set of multi-colored, hand-blown wineglasses from Czechoslovakia that I found there.

Now let’s talk prices. When I wanted a shower curtain that was rich-looking, I found a red and gold one that had been $35 and paid less than $7. You can’t even get a nice Wal-Mart shower curtain for $7. My watch, the first one I’ve worn in years, is a Bulova that started its retail life with a price tag of $199. I paid $19.99. It has been running on the original battery for almost two years and I love it.

The trick is taking advantage of their “red dot” sales and signing up for their “card”, which doesn’t really do anything for you except that then you get on their mailing list and they send you coupons regularly. If you combine a 20% coupon with the discounts, up to 75%, you walk away nearly feeling guilty for the amazing bargains you’ve just scored.

Okay, so the title promises more than Steinmart, but to be truthful I don’t have a lot to deliver on Roseville or Rocklin. Both are growing communities with lots of shopping opportunities. In Roseville, I wandered around until I found Vernon Street, a restored and celebrated downtown area, but didn’t find much to cause me to stop and explore. However, the old cottagy ( I think I just made a word up) homes in the downtown area lend a lot of charm. And of course, I found another bridge. The one pictured here is a footbridge over a little creek and the Roseville Veterans Memorial Hall is captured in the background. I really liked old Roseville, but if there is an old Rocklin, I didn’t manage to find it.

Don’t worry, I’ll explore again when I’m not so excited about Steinmart, so I can really concentrate and bring you more to explore yourselves in both Roseville and Rocklin.