> Does anybody know of a store there which sells a good range of kayaking
> equipment... foam, sprayskirts etc. or should I just mail-order and have
> the stuff sent to my daughters address so I can pick it up ??

There is a fabulous paddlesports shop in Madison, WI - about an hour and a hlf drive north of Chicago. The name is Rutabaga - they have a web site, although I can't remember the address (it's not rutabaga.com). If you search the web using Rutabaga and canoe or kayak, you should find them.