Fao Schwarz

Swanky toy merchant FAO Schwarz, home of the talking dinosaur and the walk-upon piano, said it will open its only Maryland store in October in Towson Town Center.Occupying 11,000 square feet of space, the Towson outlet is part of a new strategy by Schwarz to operate stores in indoor malls. Its arrival burnishes Towson Town Center's upscale status.Schwarz runs 30 stores nationwide, including large, flagship stores in New York, Boston, Chicago and San Francisco and five "mall flagship" stores similar to the one planned for Towson.

Whether you're already a savvy catalog shopper who just happened to forget a couple of presents or someone -- in last-minute desperation -- diving into your holiday shopping, catalogs can help you save time and face.What they likely won't help you save is money. What you save in time and frustration is made up in shipping costs and, likely at this late date, overnight or second-day mail charges. But then, being able to make your selections and phone in your order -- all while curled up in your bathrobe and fuzzy slippers before a comforting fire -- could be well worth the extra dollars.