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Grills, safes popular gifts for Father's Day
From barbecue grills to baseball gloves, a variety of popular items offered by local businesses could make an ideal gift for dad this Father's Day.
Tractor Supply Store Manager Casey Crum said some of the more popular items at the store include smokers and barbecue grills. Other popular items for Father's Day include hand tools and power tools, toolboxes, pocket knives, paddle boats, welders, air compressors, weed trimmers, pressure washers and shop fans that "really move air," which is especially useful in the summer, he said.
And for mowing season, Crum said the store sells mower jacks that are designed to "make it easier to work on a lawnmower." The device lifts up a riding mower much in the same way a car jack raises a vehicle.
The store also sells fireproof gun safes that are available in a variety of sizes and range in price from $250 to $1,300. The safes, which are currently on sale, can be used to store guns, papers, jewels or other valuables. One of the safes is "big enough to walk in," Crum said.
Chris Maycumber, manager and owner of Mayco Ace Hardware, said several items have been popular of late at his store, especially tools for the dad who is a handyman and barbecue grills and accessories for the outdoor cook.
"This year, it's hand and power tools," he said. "Barbecue is always popular."
The store sells a variety of charcoal and gas grills and smokers. Other popular products include hammocks and lounge chairs, and some lawn and garden items.
Some brand-name wrench sets and other tool sets are typically popular Father's Day items. Prices for these sets vary, and start at $10, Maycumber said.
Maycumber said the store's top selling item is hardwood charcoal -- hickory wood burned down to charcoal.
"It's a natural hardwood charcoal," Maycumber said. "People use it for smoking and grilling."
A unique gift item is a beer can chicken rack, available for about $8, which can be used when grilling chicken. A seasoned chicken is placed on the rack and both chicken and rack are placed on the grill. Moisture from cans of beer inserted in the rack under the chicken keeps the meat moist as it cooks.
"It bakes the outside of the chicken so you get a cooked crispy skin, but the meat stays moist," Maycumber said. "The beer adds flavor to the meat, too."
And, Maycumber said the product is "super easy" to use and a "real affordable" Father's Day gift.
"It's something a kid could get for a dad that they probably don't have," he said.
For dads who like electronics, everything from cell phones and accessories, to weather radios, GPS systems and digital voice recorders are available at Radio Shack, owner Tim McKenney said.
"I've sold some cell phones this week just for Father's Day," he said.
A notable item is a digital video player manufactured by Roku, available for about $90. The device connects to a television and allows a user with wireless Internet access to stream video from several different websites free of charge, McKenney said.
McKenney said he is currently sold out of indoor and outdoor wireless speakers -- which retail for about $150 for a set of two -- and is waiting for another shipment.
"A lot of people have been asking for them," he said.
A small transmitter is hooked up to any device such as a stereo, iPod, or satellite radio system, and the "speakers can go anywhere," McKenney said.
"It allows for music anywhere throughout the house without worrying about wires," he said.
Dads who are sports enthusiasts can find a variety of merchandise, including shirts, bandanas, license plates, cups and mugs featuring teams such as Kansas State University, the University of Kansas and Kansas City Chiefs, at J&W Sport Shop.
Store owner Leesa Stephan said she also sells discs for use at the disc golf course located at Gunn Park, team jerseys and softball gloves, hats and cleats that would make great gifts for sport fans.
Stephan said she also offers embroidery and screen printing services.