Some days, you just don't have the time to scour the entire city trying to find a particular brand of shrink labels. You've got reports to write, a presentation to prepare, meetings to attend, kids to feed, and clothes to pick up from the dry cleaner's. On days like these, it would be helpful to have a guide that told you what you could find and where so you could make a quick surgical strike to get what you need. Well if you're having one of those days, this is one of those guides. Here are the goods on Peoria, Illinois' shopping destinations.

Northwoods Mall

What can you find here? Everything. It's two storeys showcase independent and franchise stores that specialize in clothing, sporting goods, toys, shoes, TREO leather cases, electronics, jewelry, home furnishings, beauty products, entertainment, books, and accessories. Anchored by department stores Macy's, J.C. Penny, and Sears, this is a one stop location for everything but hardware and office supplies. It's located at 2200 War Memorial Drive in Peoria.

The Shoppes at Grand Prairie

This is another one-stop destination for all your most common needs. Stores at this mall cover the alphabetical range from Aeropostale to Yankee Candle. You'll find gifts, wine, cell phones, running equipment, soap, shoes, a hairdresser, a portrait studio, mattresses, aquarium heaters, steak dinners, cutlery, clothes, books, college gear, even a hotel. There are over 70 shops here in an open air Georgian Revival plaza. If you're mapquesting directions, enter 5201 West War Memorial Drive.

Peoria Riverfront

Malls have a tendency to be generic, so if you're surgically striking out for a vanity license plate cover with a kangaroo on it or have a hankering for some homemade sweets, the Peoria Riverfront, with its eclectic collection of independent shops, is your best bet. There are over 175 antique dealers at the marketplace at 11 Water Street and slews of paintings, photos, crafts, jewelry and sculptures at the art guild at 203 Harrison Street. For an overview, stop in for a map and directions at the Riverfront Visitor's Center, which is located at 110 NE Water Street.

Stand Alones

Sometimes what you want just can't be found as part of a shopping center. Sometimes it's tucked into another part of the city you may not be familiar with. Here's how to meet some of your more common needs, like printer paper or project management timeline software.

Midwest Office Supplies: 320 Fulton Street
The Dollar General: 115 North Menard Street
The Greenhouse Flower Shoppe 2025 North Broadway Street
Guitar Center: 2601 West Lake Avenue
The International Grocer: 703 Northeast Perry Avenue
Anna Mae's Bakery: 815 North 8th Street
Lowe's Building Center: 5001 North Big Hollow Road