We  are committed to shopping local this year.  However, we know that for some of you, the need for the newest designer bag outweighs all other priorities.  Neiman Marcus online has the Ultimate Holiday Giveaway for you bag babes…..their 12 DAYS OF HANDBAG SWEEPSTAKES.    Now thru 12/19, NM will enter you to win a designer bag each day.  You can enter two ways…..you will be entered each time you buy a bag on NM online or you can click here to enter without purchasing.  You can enter every day as far as we can tell.   Click here to see the rules we pulled from NM online, and link to their site for total details.

The bags are hot, retailing from $635 for an Alexander McQueen to over $2,000 for  GUCCI.  One lucky Grand Prize winner will receive ALL 12 bags, total value of $17,550.  Here are the bags in the Giveaway:

STELLA MCCARTNEY “FALABELLA” BIG TOTE $1195
MARC JACOBS “THE BOWERY SATCHEL” $1295
GUCCI 1973 MEDIUM TOP HANDLE BAG $2090
CHLOE “JANET” CROSSBODY SATCHEL $1295
JIMMY CHOO “SM ROSALIE” CROC EMBOSSED SATCHEL $1495
JUDITH LEIBER “FIZZY” STUDDED ENVELOPE CLUTCH $1595
NANCY GONZALEZ SHINY CROCODILE FLAP CLUTCH $1400
FENDI JAGUAR PRINT SHOULDER BAG $960
LANVIN HAPPY SHOULDER BAG $2150
VALENTINO “APHRODITE” LEATHER BOW BAG $1845
ALEXANDER MCQUEEN “DE-MANTA” TWEED CLUTCH $635
JASON WU “JOURDAN” CHAIN CROSSBODY BAG $1595

Let’s hear it for the boys!
Just in time for gift-buying season, the owner of Capitol and Poole Shop is bringing her pitch-perfect taste to the men of Charlotte (and their gift buying wives/partners).   For one week only, beginning this Wednesday, Laura Vinroot Poole and her husband Perry Poole are briefly opening a men’s store, Mr. Poole, as a pop-up shop in the old Asana space in the Morrison shopping plaza (corner Sharon & Colony Rds).

Mr. Poole will feature casual style and gifts  with a decidedly “American Heritage” spin.  Brands like Raleigh Denim, Ledbury shirts, Wiley Brothers belts, Rag & Bone, Pierrepont Hicks, Mark McNairy New Amsterdam footwear and so on.  Nothing remotely “euro”, formal or high-style.  Just extremely well-made menswear staples. If designers can be both contemporary and traditional at the same time, these are they.   Most of these lines have a cult following around the country of folks invested in the craftsmanship behind the products – the kind of customers who care more about the lining and the fit than the logo.

Mr. Poole will be open from Thursday, 12/1 through Sunday, 12/4 at 3920 Sharon Road in the former Asana space.

As a scoopreader, you’re invited to the launch party this Wednesday 11/30 from 7-10 pm hosted by Richmond VA based luxury men’s shirt maker Ledbury.  You’ll enjoy funk and soul music, a 20 percent discount on Ledbury shirts and  a chance to meet the two fellows behind the brand.  Please RSVP to events@ledbury.com.

If you and your man are more the whiskey/bubbly types, you can stop by Mr. Poole and Capitol for a Bourbon Tasting & Champagne Toasting this Thursday, December 1st, 7 to 9pm and shop the pop-up and the stores.

For more info on the brands to be carried at Mr. Poole, please visit their websites / facebook pages at the links.

I spoke with Laura briefly about the thinking behind Mr. Poole, and more importantly whether this pop-up would eventually stay-put.  No commitments were made, but I did get the feeling Mr. Poole was a test drive of sorts.  Laura explained that her Capitol and Poole Shop customers have been asking for a companion men’s shop for years, and that she and her staff often purchase menswear and men’s gifts for customers when on buying trips.  She sees this pop-up as a way to fill in narrow but important niche in the Charlotte retail market – best-in-class, contemporary, American heritage style brands.

I see it as a chance to buy something beautifully made for my husband and son – that they’ll be able to wear every day for years.  See you there?

This Saturday is the American Express Small Business Saturday shopping promotion.  Basically, you will get a one time $25 credit on your Amex when you spend $25 or more at a participating Amex small retailer.  You will need to register your card to get the credit.  Here’s the page on facebook where you can sign up, get the details, etc.  You put in your zip code on this fb page and see what stores in your area are participating.  Some we know of for sure are:

KK BLOOM (also 30% off all clothes)
CLEAN CATCH FISH MARKET
COTTAGE CHIC (also 20% off everything)
BOULEVARD AT SOUTH END (also 15% off sale)
CITY ART WORKS
JEWELOGY (NEXT DOOR TO CAW)
WINESTORE IN MORRISON
OUR PLACE BOUTIQUE
MONKEY JOE’S PARK RD
PARK RD BOOKS
BLACKHAWK HARDWARE
72SHOE BOUTIQUE (also 25-35% off sale)
HER THERAPY (also get $50gc when you spend $150)

Plus most of the small businesses in the South End area – here’s the South End blog fyi.

Feel Free (Please!!) to share this scoop with your Friends on Facebook, your Twitter feed, or email to your friends. Just click the icon below and GO!

This Friday and Saturday, enjoy wine & lite bites and the absolutely AMAZING Heather Moore Jewelry collection. Start your wish list now ladies.

Bringing shoppable runway shows to the Queen City, Simon Fashion Now^®  will be at SouthPark this Friday and Saturday, October 21 – 22.

Presented locally by Land Rover of Charlotte, Simon Fashion Now^® spotlights trends for fall from fashionable SouthPark retailers.  Unlike many industry runway shows, Simon Fashion Now makes the hottest men’s, women’s and children’s fashions of the season accessible; every look from the runway can be immediately found at retailers within the mall. (more…)

Went with 45 happy shoppers on the inaugural  Yelp.com  Frocking Fabulous Boutique Tour on Friday night, 10/14.  You can view lots of pics here on Flickr, and read the reviews posted on YELP here.  Take my word for it – lots and lots of fun.  Met so many cute, fun scoop & yelp readers and enjoyed some fab shopping at 9 boutiques.  Can’t wait to go again, this Friday night, to hit the South Park stores.  Still some seats left on the bus, RSVP here!

We’ll climb on board a Ragin Uptown bus at 6:30 (more…)

Sunday, Oct 16:   Lights! Camera! Fashion! Runway show by Belk South Park to benefit the Jr. League of Charlotte. 

Friday, Oct 21:  FABULOUS FROCKING BUS TOUR.  Private Shopping Party Bus in South Park & Myers Park.  Still plenty of seats left to save 25% at chic boutiques.

Fri & Sat Oct 21 & 22:  Simon Fashion Now Fashion Weekend  at South Park Mall.  Two days of non-stop fashion shows, giveaways, guest appearances, contests and shopping fun.  ALL the deets are in the link (it can take a while to load, so patience my friends).   And P.S. scoopcharlotte’s very own Susu Bear will be on hand to judge the DesignWars runway show contest Friday, 10/21 at 6:30 pm.  See.  You. There.