Bright Ideas Parent-Teacher Store

I really like this teacher store because they have a lot to offer. The workers are also very friendly and helpful in helping you find things you need. I have bought several workbooks and games from here that I use in my classroom all the time.

This teacher store is definitely not as big as the one on Milwaukee (they are not related in any way) but it definitely has a lot to choose from. This shop is located south of downtown Oak Park on a quiet part of Oak Park Ave. There’s tons of parking outside and the meters don’t run on Sunday — yay, not Chicago!
They have all of the typical teacher things you may need for your classroom:
— Bulletin board items
— Workbooks
— Posters
— Cute stuff to hang around the room
— Supplies (pens, pencils, markers, etc.)
— Library accessories
There just isn’t as big a selection of these things as there is at other teacher stores. However, the staff are very, very welcome to orders and they are willing to let you take a look at the catalog in case there’s anything they can get for you. There was a pretty small selection of Spanish items and exactly ZERO French items, but this does not really surprise me. I know there are things I could probably order from their catalog, so that’s nice. I did not see a laminator, so I do not think they offer this service as other stores do. I will definitely have to check again.
Worth browsing if you’re a teacher. The prices are comparable to the other teacher stores I’ve browsed, so if you’re out of the area you don’t need to rush over to get a deal.

This is where I have spent my huge CPS $ 100 yearly supply budget for the past 5 years. Doesn’t go far, but the staff is friendly and helpful. I like getting out of the city to do my shopping, I feel more at ease.