A geek’s guide to Valentine’s Day in Philadelphia: 5 great places to shop for gifts

Valentine's Day is just around the corner. You're nervous. You want to get the perfect gift. I get it.

Now, you could go the standard chocolates and flowers route, but let's be real. Geeks, we're creative. You're above going into the local Rite Aid and picking up a box of Whitman's Chocolates. And as classy as those gas station roses might be… come on, you can do better.

So, I've gone ahead and rounded up some of my favorite boutiques for geeky gifts. From screenprinted DIY housewares to limited edition collectables, beautifully designed kitsch to handmade crafts, there's a little bit of everything in here. Good luck!

OMOI (1608 Pine St): Omoi is an unusual shop in an unconventional place. Located in a residential area in Rittenhouse Square, there aren't many other stores around it. And here in Philadelphia, there aren't many stores like it. Most of Pine Street's cute boutiques and antique stores don't start until you get to around 10^th Street. But there it sits, with its sunny yellow sign and bright bay window, full of unique and quirky gifts you can't wait to get your hands on.

The shop specializes in all things Japanese pop culture, from misc. kitsch to limited edition prints, charming stationary to limited run clothing, gift books to creative housewares. And they stay on top of what's hot. The owner, Elizabeth Sieber, regularly takes research trips to Japan to make sure she has the hippest, cutest knick-knacks in her shop.

All those vinyl figurines and clever books you've spotted in Urban Outfitters? Yeah, Liz had them first.

Visit the shop's website to get familiar with what they have. It's a great place to shop for your Valentine, as there's a little something for every geek. The store also has a cute Tumblr where they post about new products they're selling in the shop and online. Check that out here.

JINXED (The Piazza - 1050 N. Hancock St): I remember back when Jinxed was a small shop on South St. These days, it's in a much larger space in Northern Liberties, sitting snuggly in the Piazza at Schmidts.

On most days, the storefront of Jinxed has a bunch of vintage trunks stacked outside the shop, a welcome introduction to what you're about to experience inside. Antique wares, from old cameras to cloudy old bottles, leather bags to ancient books and maps… there's a lot of old stuff in here. And on the flip side of things, the shop is loaded with artsy shirts, vinyl collectables and hip décor you'd find in Urban Outfitters, and gorgeous work from local artists.

Does your darling Valentine appreciate all things vintage, but still enjoys the occasional trendy trinket? Then Jinxed is where you want to go.

Visit their website to get an idea of what you can pick up there. Note, the site doesn't do the place much justice. You really need to just go to the shop.

WHIPPED BAKESHOP (636 Belgrade St): The team over at Whipped Bakeshop are a bunch of serious geeks. And not just because of this hilarious Grumpy Cat Valentine's Day gift box they're offering up.  Star Wars cookies and a Boba Fett cake? A Tranzor Z robot cake? Come on. Amazing.

I highly recommend stopping by and enlisting the skills of the Whipped crew to create something truly special. Cookies, cakes, cupcakes, cakecups… they do it all.

The shop keeps regular hours, you'll be able to swing by Monday through Saturday, 10am to 6pm, and on Sundays from noon til 4pm. Working late and busy on Sundays? That's okay, because they deliver. If you're in Fishtown, they'll deliver for free.

I encourage you to spend some serious time on their Flickr page. Prepare to get lost in some amazing photography and beautiful work.

HELLO WORLD & HELLO HOME (257 South 20^th St and 1004 Pine St): I'm going to go ahead and rope these into a single pick. Two adorable boutiques, part of the same local chain, each with a similar theme but slightly different products.

WORLD: The Rittenhouse Square boutique carries an array of cute stationary, jewelry, clothes, and handbags, the perfect need-a-quick-gift-that's-still-thoughtful shop. The entire shop has a fun, sunny look, with lots of quirky wares that are sure to thrill your geeky Valentine.

HOME: The Washington Square shop has a number of bigger items. I'm talking furniture and large housewares. But it's also a great place for little gifts and small items for the home. They carry a lot of UMBRA products here, which are beautifully designed and affordable. That design loving beau of yours will love anything you pick up in here.

BONUS PICK: Part of the mini empire that the Hello World folks seem to be building, the new store a few doors away from Hello Home, INDUSTRY (1020 Pine St), carries high end artisan bags, wallets, and clothes, as well as furniture and décor. A little higher priced, but still quite awesome.

GIRLS CAN TELL (1725 South 12^th St): I've been a fan of Sara Selepouchin's for years, back when she was just running her Etsy shop and making appearances at local craft fairs. She specializes in adorable housewares that have her unique, signature diagrams drawn on them. Is your darling geek a photographer? Chef? Foodie? She's got something for everyone.

These days, Sara has her own boutique located just a few steps away from the Cantina Los Caballitos, and you can find her adorable line of diagram-print housewares and gifts in plenty of independent boutiques around the city and country. You can check out a full list of where you can pick up her work here.

Be warned. If you go to the Cantina for lunchtime drinks and visit her shop a little too tipsy, you might just buy every single thing in there. To be fair, you might do that anyway, alcohol induced shopping spree or not.

You can scope out her handmade wares on her website. The boutique keeps unconventional hours, open on Thursdays and Fridays, noon to 8pm, Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5pm. If you want to stop by during the week, make sure you schedule an appointment.