Leipolds Gifts and Novelty in Excelsior opened in 1971 and is an homage to Minnesota nostalgia. That’s not an overstatement either. This place is completely packed, from carpet to ceiling with old rosters, books, ‘on Lake Minnetonka’ décor, prairie and church group cookbooks, toys, Christmas ornaments, pottery, puzzles, unusual greeting cards, hunting and fishing garb and magazines going back to the 1920’s. They are the retail equivalent of a scavenger hunt. They also accept ‘want lists’ and offer mail orders. They are regionally known as the House of 1000 Lamp Shades as they also specialize in lamps and lamp repairs. AND if they weren’t anomalous enough, see that cat in the picture? Yea, he’s real. I know, I touched him. I almost had a heart attack… His name is Boots. He just hangs out, doing antique shop cat things, I suppose.