When parents come in town to visit, we all know what’s on the forefront of any student’s mind: “How are you going to spoil me?”

Luckily for students and parents, Chico is home to many shops and boutiques that cater to any shopper’s needs.

If you are a workout hound, fashionista, thrift store junkie or even just a casual shopper, the 33.1 miles of Chico land can be a gold mine for the deepest shopping desires.

Workout clothes for the college generation

For those who can’t be caught dead looking bad while working out, Montana Blues might be the place for you.

Located on Thorntree Drive, just four miles from Chico State’s campus, shoppers can find anything from snake-print leggings to workout bags.

“The staff is really nice and helpful,” said Erin Lynch, senior health services administration major. “It’s workout clothes for the younger generation.”

Some other great resources for workout attire and accessories include Fleet Feet Sports, Chico Sports Ltd and Mountain Sports.

Thrift stores: The art of bargain hunting

If you have a strong desire to pop some tags, Chico is home to more than 20 different thrift shops.

One that has specifically been catching the attention of students is called Pepper Grand Coulee’s Funky Trunk. It is known for its unique clothing that fits the ages.

“They have a lot of things that are more vintage and period clothing if you’re interested in that kind of stuff,” said Taylor Holmes, senior women studies major. “They are also locally-based and very LGBTQ+ friendly. They do a lot of collaboration with Queer Week and the other cool events we have.”

The store is located on Mangrove Avenue, an eight-minute drive from campus.

Students can also find some thrift shop steals downtown at The Salvation Army or Three Sixty Ecotique.

Cheap and affordable: The Target experience

We all want to look fashionable, but who wants to burn a hole in their pocket in the process?

Many stores in Chico can satisfy that clothing hunger while keeping the spending to the college student budget.

One not-so-hidden gem of the cheap clothing market is Target.

“I go check out Target because they have a lot of great clothes that are always on sale,” said Lewis Lomugdang, junior computer science major. “Whenever I am doing grocery shopping, I like to stop in the aisles and buy more clothes than food in general. They’re very stylish.”

The Target in Chico is located on East 20th Street, across the street from the Chico Mall. They provide everything from clothes to toiletries to food and home furniture.

Fabulous boutiques: For Elyse is right for you

It’s no secret that downtown is filled with unique boutiques complete with the latest styles. One that attracts many students and has rightfully adopted the title of shopaholic’s galore is For Elyse.

The store, located on Broadway Street, provides clothes for both men and women.

“I like For Elyse because I think they have the cutest clothes downtown and they are reasonably priced,” said Sammie Beck, senior anthropology major.

If you are one of those indecisive shoppers, For Elyse employees are trained to pick out full outfits that they think would look good on their customers.

“I ended up trying something new that I wouldn’t have otherwise picked out,” Beck said.

While Chico may seem like a small town, it is abundant with a variety of shops to suit any style.

When parents hit the town, get ready to shop ‘till you drop.

Stephanie Schmieding can be reached at [email protected] or @stephbottt on twitter.