What's in Your Bag?

Brad McCormack

Occupation: Dentist

Age: 30

Hometown: Avon

Shopping at: Crocker Park in Westlake

Looking for: Shoes

Found: Brown leather shoes ($80) from Steve Madden. “I’m going to Las Vegas and need shoes for the trip,” he says. “I’m a little funky sometimes.”

Favorite place to shop: Nordstrom. “It’s surprising there aren’t any department stores inside Crocker Park.”

Mark Mizenko

Occupation: Human resources consultant

Age: 45

Hometown: Hudson

Shopping at: First and Main in Hudson

Looking for: A birthday present for his nephew

Found: “Bob the Builder Talking Roley” ($14.99) and “Bob the Builder Talking Benny,” ($14.99) from Fundamentals: The Creative Toy Store. “His favorite video is a construction video so I thought these would be great.”

Favorite place to shop: Best Buy and Kohl’s. “Best Buy has cool toys for cheap and Kohl’s is the easiest place to find clothes for me and my boys.”

Frank Willis

Occupation: Plumber

Age: 47

Hometown: Chardon

Shopping at: Legacy Village in Lyndhurst

Looking for: A chicken roaster. “I always wanted a chicken roaster,” he says. “It’s supposed to be a good way to eat chicken.”

Found: Beer-can chicken roaster ($10) from Dick’s Sporting Goods; Jolt Cola ($2), Maker’s Mark Gourmet Sauce ($10) Ketchapeno Sauce ($4.99) from Heather’s Heat and Flavor

On Cleveland’s shopping scene: “We need more independently owned stores and fewer chains,” he says. “We need more vintage shopping on the East Side.”

Leng-Fei Su

Occupation: College student

Age: 24

Hometown: Kent

Caught shopping at: Aurora Farms Premium Outlets in Aurora

Looking for: Something cute for going out

Found: Purse ($70) from Coach

On Cleveland’s shopping scene: “I think right now everything is fine.”

Kim Myers

Occupation: Stay-at-home-mom

Age: 45

Hometown: Westlake

Shopping at: Crocker Park in Westlake

Looking for: Information about colleges and universities for her college-bound children

What she found: Cleveland Magazine ($3.95); “The Princeton Review: The Best 361 Colleges,” 2007 edition ($21.95) U.S. News and World Review: America’s Best Colleges, 2007 edition ($9.95) all from Barnes and Noble

On Cleveland’s shopping scene: “We need more home decor stores, stationery stores and places to find nice dresses for homecoming and prom.”

Julia Hissa

Occupation: College student

Age: 18

Hometown: South Euclid

Shopping at: Crocker Park in Westlake

Looking for: Leggings

Found: Two tank tops ($7.90 each), V-neck sweater ($19.90), V-neck T-shirt ($7.90) from HandM. “I need clothes for school,” she says. “I wanted items you could layer.”

Favorite place to shop: American Eagle. “I love all their clothes,” she says. “I’m into the preppy look.”

Donna Rivera

Occupation: Dental assistant

Age: 36

Hometown: Brunswick

Shopping at: Crocker Park in Westlake

What she was looking for: Candles

Found: Candlestick ($39), small candle ($14.95), large candle ($18.95) from Z Gallerie. “I always get my candles from here,” she says. “I love the lemon grass scent. I will put these in my living room to add to what I have already.”

On Cleveland’s shopping scene: “We need more places outside rather than malls.”

Stephen Fela

Occupation: College student

Age: 22

Hometown: Avon Lake

Shopping at: Crocker Park in Westlake

Looking for: Clothes for fall

Found: Cream T-shirt ($10) from Hollister; thermal T-shirt ($24.99) from Gap. “These will be good for the Cleveland winters.”

On Cleveland’s shopping scene: “It’s fine,” he says. “There’s a lot of business in terms of shopping.”

Jean Rasmussen

Occupation: Retiree

Age: 66

Hometown: North Ridgeville

Caught shopping at: Crocker Park in Westlake

Looking for: A day out with her friend, Daryl, to introduce her to Cleveland shopping

Found: Butter dish ($18) from Artystic Polish Pottery

On Cleveland’s shopping scene: “We have a pretty good shopping area,” she says. “I think we can compete with Chicago.”

Ada DeSapri

Occupation: Retiree

Age: 78

Hometown: Highland Heights

Shopping at: Aurora Farms Premium Outlets in Aurora

Looking for: “We just came to spend the day outside. I haven’t been here in a while.”

What she found: Metal spoon ($2.49), slotted spoon ($1.99), skimmer ($3.99), turkey baster ($3.99), garlic grinder ($2.49), microplane zester ($9.99) from Farberware. “I love to cook,” she says. “You can never have enough [utensils].”

Favorite place to shop: Macy’s. “They have clothing, kitchen, menswear — everything,” she says. “They have a lot of sales, you can get stuff hardly for nothing.”

Kelly Critchett

Occupation: Stay-at-home mom

Age: 34

Hometown: Hinckley

Shopping at: Aurora Farms Premium Outlets in Aurora

Looking for: Clothes

Found: Two pair of jeans ($14.99), kids jean jumper ($13.99), kid’s pink shirt ($9.09) from Gap; pack of socks ($9.99) from Tommy Hilfiger

Favorite place to shop: Ann Taylor and Target

Gloria May

Occupation: Preschool teacher

Age: 56

Hometown: North Ridgeville

Shopping at: Rocky River

Looking for: New wardrobe pieces for the season

Found: Cooking classes ($50), pear candle ($12.50), leaf bowl ($23), pot holder ($5), oven mitt ($7) from Solari

On Cleveland’s shopping scene: “More department stores like Saks and Nordstrom on the West Side.”

Geri Swingle

Occupation: Personal trainer

Age: 48

Hometown: Fairlawn

Shopping at: Eton in Woodmere

What she was looking for: Clothes in warm, neutral colors for the fall

Found: Sweater ($128), pants ($118) from Anthropologie; coat ($141) from Indigo Nation

On Cleveland’s shopping scene: “They need to bring California style this way,” she says. “I much rather shop in boutiques than chain malls.”

Suha Shidiac

Occupation: Nurse

Age: 31

Hometown: Westlake

Shopping at: Legacy Village in Lyndhurst

Looking for: Clothes for her daughter, Sara.

Found: Shirt ($21.99), pants ($24.99), sweater ($36.99), from Janie and Jack. “The colors are nice and it’s good quality,” she says. “You don’t have to worry about it wearing out early.”

On Cleveland’s shopping scene: “I’m not a big shopper,” she says. “So the more, the better. More variety of prices.”

Chad Hollis

Occupation: Nurse

Age: 23

Hometown: Madison

Shopping at: Legacy Village in Lyndhurst

Looking for: Birthday presents for his sisters

Found: Two pairs of Croc sandals ($29.99 each) from Dick’s Sporting Goods. “My sisters had been wanting these, so I bought them for their birthdays.”

Favorite place to shop: Big Fun. “I really want the leg lamp.”