Warehouse stores offer holiday bargains

Looking for a way to avoid the crowds at

the malls and big box stores this season, and get a bargain to boot?

Try some local warehouse stores that are opening their doors for holiday shopping.

What began as a bookbinding operation, Graphic Image in Melville, is now a large leather goods factory with an impressive lineup of items at deep discounts, from photo albums and diaries to leather-bound books and pocketbooks. The company has a retail space in front and a large area set aside in the warehouse for discounts on past-year styles or items with slight imperfections.

"Digging around is part of the fun," says the company's president, Thomas Glazer.

Some of Graphic Image's leather pocketbooks, passport covers and luggage tags, marketed under its GiGi line, are sold in Bergdorf Goodman, Saks and Neiman Marcus online.

Meanwhile, It Makes Scents fragrance outlet in Brentwood sells hundreds of perfumes in its retail store but opens up part of its warehouse during the holidays, allowing customers to get discounts of more than 70 percent on favorite perfumes, such as Burberry, Juicy Couture and Guess.

"Some are damaged and some are first quality," says Dana Ladd, marketing manager for the perfume company. "We may have an overstock. Or a lot of things we bring in especially for this sale."

Graphic ImageWHERE 305 Spagnoli Rd., Melville

INFO 631-249-9600,

graphicimage.com

OPEN 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Wednesday-Saturday

Leather goods of all types and sizes are made right on premises, from a $5 business card holder to $450 hobo bags. Among the fun finds in the "warehouse" on a recent day were $10 coasters and $20 picture frames.

The company's GiGi New York line sells pocketbooks in its retail space here for full price or at slight discounts, but past-season bags are marked up to 50 percent off, such as the company's classic and best-selling Teddie Tote bag, normally retailing for $295, now on sale for $145.

Have a book lover on your list? You can find classics such as "Huckleberry Finn" and "The Great Gatsby," leather bound by the company. A copy of the "Wizard of Oz," for instance, rebound and with red glitter glued to the first inside page, sells for $60.

Personalizing in gold or silver runs from $10 to $25 a line.

Miss ChocolateWHERE 300 Spagnoli Rd., Melville

INFO 631-777-2400,

misschocolate.com

OPEN 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday

There's candy but, more importantly, lots of wrapping paper and other inexpensive holiday tchotchkes (looking for reindeer headbands and colored bulb earrings?).

Miss Chocolate specializes in school fundraising, so boxes of chocolate are for sale, including chocolate-covered pretzels, from $2.25, or 3 for $6. Food gift baskets range from $14.99 to $32.99. Small rolls of holiday wrapping paper go for $1 a roll, and all sizes of ribbons and bows are on sale. An adorable 12 days of Christmas charm bracelet sells for $5.99.

There are only two display areas and one short aisle open to the public, so the shopping experience will be quick.

Bring the coupon from the company's website for 10 percent off your entire purchase.

It Makes ScentsWHERE 2 Rodeo Dr., Brentwood (Edgewood), across from the Deer Park train station

INFO 631-297-8220,

itmakesscents.com

OPEN 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday

and Dec. 20

The shop is open year-round and sells authentic perfumes for less than retail prices, but at this time of year, the distributor cordons off part of its warehouse to sell scent-related items at a deeper discount.

Some deals: Burberry Body 1.1-ounce spray, $19.99; 2.5-ounce Guess for Women, $16.99; 1-ounce Burberry London for Men, $19.99.

"Probably the most popular is Marc Jacobs' Honey for $29.99," says Ladd. "This year, his fragrances have taken off."

Gifts for kids are on sale, too, including Mickey Mouse and Disney bath sets and fragrances, starting at $3 for a spray to $20 for a set.

The first 100 customers get the doorbuster special, a free ladies' designer fragrance miniature set with a $19.99 purchase.