If you’re like most college students, you don’t have a lot of free time or extra money while on campus. But, if you find yourself with pocket change — or if you’re just a serial shopper — you might be inclined to wander down to Green Street.

Our campus’ main commercial street has a lot of places to eat — obviously — but if you’re looking to shop, it can be a bit trickier. Most places to shop on Green Street are clothing-related, but that’s all right. Here are a few places to try.

Gameday Spirit is one of a few Illini-themed shops on campus, but it’s the only one that sits on Green Street. It used to sit where the McDonald’s does, closer to campus, but its new store is bright, airy and really nice, on the corner of Green and Sixth.

If you need orange and blue gear, they have the greatest variety of any of the stores in town. The stuff there is more likely to be new Nike gear, so it’s often more expensive than the things you’ll find at TIS or the Illini Union Bookstore.

Honestly, I haven’t shopped much in my life for women’s clothes, but when I walk past Apricot Lane, it looks nice enough inside. The girls I know tell me the clothes are comfortable and fashionable, so there you go. I guess you should shop there. I’ve never actually been inside, but I didn’t want to leave anything out.

I do know more about Ragstock, which sits just next door, and let me tell you, it is a great place. If you’re looking for any kind of attire, from costume-related or party-theme clothing to barn dance gear or some cheap pajamas, you’ll find it at Ragstock.

Its prices are cheap, and it has a wide range of pieces of clothing. What else could you want in a clothing store?

Now, I’m going to deviate from the theme of this article for just a second to plug one of my favorite places on Green Street …

It’s not exactly “shopping,” but Dave and Gene’s barber shop, just two doors down from the new Gameday Spirit store, is the best. The guys are chatty, nice and you get a good haircut with not much wait — and if you do have to wait, it’s a charming little barber shop. It’s also a local business that has been around for the better part of two decades. If you can, patronize those guys over a big chain hairdresser.

Anyway, just a few doors down from Dave and Gene’s is Urban Outfitters, perhaps the most generic of the shopping locales on Green Street. It’s similar to every other Urban Outfitters, so if you’ve ever been inside one, this won’t be any different. It’s not my style of clothing, but I know some people like it.

You know your style better than I do, so either you’re an Urban Outfitters fan, or you’re not.

Lastly, there’s the old standby on Green down between Fourth and Fifth streets: Walgreens. If you need anything, day or night, food or deodorant, detergent or toothpaste, you can find it at Walgreens.

You might be surprised, too, at some of the fun things Walgreens has in its aisles. You might find something you want for your next party or cookout.

Peter is a junior in Media.
[email protected]
@pbaileywells