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Now that Thanksgiving is over, we’re making our lists and checking them twice… the season of holiday shopping is here and today is Small Business Saturday. If you’re getting started on your holiday shopping this weekend, please consider skipping the online shopping and shopping at local businesses. Why? While I do buy a few specific gifts online, I always shop in local stores for many reasons:
- It’s more fun than shopping online and shopping in stores is one of my holiday traditions. I love seeing the decorations and hearing the music and enjoying the entire experience that retail stores can create…especially the unique independent stores that we get in Brooklyn!
- I like supporting local artists and makers and businesses that contribute to the Brooklyn community. Without our unique local businesses and local artists, we would not be Brooklyn. If you love your community, shopping in local stores is a great way to support it and keep it from changing.
- There are times when I know exactly what I want to buy (and sometimes do buy those gifts online), but often I have no idea what to get for friends and family and find that browsing local stores (especially the ones that are known for having great gifts) is one of the best ways to come up with good gift ideas.
- Anyone can shop on the internet, but we have so many local stores with one-of-a-kind gifts that can be found nowhere else in the world. If you’re traveling to other places for the holidays, there’s a good chance you will be bringing gifts no one has seen before if you shop local in Brooklyn.
- It’s better for the environment! Shop local makers to cut down on transportation, packaging, and processing waste.
We have no shortage of amazing local stores to support this holiday season, but here are a few of our favorites to get you started.
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Annie’s Blue Ribbon General Store (Park Slope) – When I need to buy a gift for anyone, Annie’s is the first place I think of shopping. (Especially now that The Clay Pot has closed…) It’s a wonderful place to browse if you don’t know what to get; you can find something for everyone on your list from kids to adults and everything in between. I also love their selection of seasonal decorations and party supplies. They are very popular and get super crowded on weekends.
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Artists & Fleas (Williamsburg) – This “Marketplace for Makers” has been around since 2003 and I have always enjoyed stopping by to check out the interesting vintage, art, design, and fashion from 75+ different sellers that come every weekend. It’s a great place to find unique and interesting gifts for all kinds of people. They now have locations in Chelsea and SoHo too. Open weekends only, 10 AM – 7 PM.
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Brooklyn Beauty Fashion Labo (Park Slope) – I was surprised to stumble across this cool hybrid business while walking down a quiet block of 7th street in Park Slope. The Japanese Labo is committed to exploring a “unique, eco-friendly, and sustainable lifestyle” and their store sells unique fashion and accessories by local makers. Another great option for gifts that you would not find anywhere else, it’s also the a good place to shop for people who enjoy Japanese fashion and culture. They also have a cafe, beauty salon, and art gallery.
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Brooklyn Wine Company formerly known as Red, White & Bubbly (Park Slope) – This local wine store is a great place to purchase gifts for friends and family who love wine or to pick up bottles for all those holiday parties…or just to buy wine to help you get through the holiday season! The knowledgeable staff can answer your questions about the best wines to pair with holiday meals or guide you to special bottles that you can give as gifts. They recently moved into a beautiful new space that’s half a block closer to me, so that’s a plus too.
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Collier West (Boerum Hill) – This home goods and gift store on Atlantic Avenue is beautiful and I always find something special and unique when I visit. I especially love their jewelry and art, but you can also find handcrafted and antique lighting, decor, furniture and so many treasures tucked into the corners of this cozy Brooklyn store. They also sell a lot of their stuff online, but it’s a magical place to visit in person if you can. There is something quintessentially Brooklyn about it to me, even though the store moved from Columbus in 2011. They have several other spaces along Atlantic Avenue now, including the Collier West Annex (art gallery) and Collier West Rugery (antique rugs & textiles).
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FOA Collective (Greenpoint) – I was recently introduced to this artist-run home goods store that sells works made by a collective of artists and it’s one of my new favorite places. In addition to the incredible Friend of All Glass light fixtures (on my list if anyone is looking to get me a gift hint hint), you can also find beautiful blankets, jewelry, bags, candles, ceramics and more. The selection of items is ever-changing and features one-off exclusives and collaborations. Purchases also support the artists directly since members of the collective receive 100% of the proceeds.
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Independent Bookstores (All over Brooklyn) – I love giving books as gifts and we are lucky to have so many wonderful local bookstores around Brooklyn including Word Bookstore (Greenpoint), Greenlight Bookstore (Fort Greene), Community Bookstore (Park Slope), Books are Magic (Cobble Hill), McNally Jackson (Williamsburg), Spoonbill & Sugartown (Williamsburg), and more…just find one that is close to you and go. My local fave Community Bookstore is such a perfect neighborhood bookstore and feels especially magical around the holidays. Community and Books are Magic have especially great kids sections (they encourage hanging out and reading, so bring the kids!) while Word, Greenlight, McNally Jackson, and Spoonbill & Sugartown are great places to find interesting book gifts of all kinds.
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Jill Lindsey (Fort Greene) – Another great one-stop local business that does it all. In addition to being a store, it is also a wine and coffee bar, wellness center, and event space for the community. They host lots of events for kids and families and open up their magical backyard during warmer months. The store sells beautiful and artisanal clothes, accessories, jewelry, home goods, and other products by local artists and designers like the ever-present (and super friendly) owner Jill Lindsey. Every time I am there, I find incredible pieces of clothing that I can’t live without and I know it will be a great place to find gifts for others too. Everything sold in-store is made sustainably with attention paid to supply-chains and working conditions.
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Leroy’s Place (Park Slope) – This fun interactive art gallery and gift store has all kinds of unique and funky art gifts like t-shirts with original illustrations (I might need the Notorious BIG/RBG Tee) and artistic gift sets with themes like Legendary Unicorns or Modern Witches or Weird Al. (These are not your typical gift sets!) It’s a fun and whimsical place to visit and seems like the perfect place to find quirky gifts for people who are impossible to shop for. They even have a secret courtyard! We can’t wait to check it out when the weather warms up and look forward to attending their upcoming story times and other community events.
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Little Red Planet (Williamsburg) – Inside the North Third Street Food Hall, we came across this cute children’s boutique a while ago and spent way too much money on beautiful, sustainably produced clothing for our son. But you can find clothing gifts for any child in your life in this small, well-curated selection; the friendly owner will happily guide you towards the right pieces and sizes if you have any questions. And it’s a fun place to visit since you can grab a bite to eat at one of the many delicious vendors in the food hall while you’re there.
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Lucky Rubber Ducky (Park Slope) – If you’re shopping for anyone who loves design, this is a great place to go. This store filled with designer home goods and accessories was a welcome addition to the neighborhood when it was opened by the owners of neighboring Tarzian West a few years ago, though I am often somewhat overwhelmed by the expansive selection and volume of products in the store. But it’s a great gift store for anyone with discerning taste and you can probably find something for almost anyone. (I really want to get the Kitten Armchair for someone…)
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MeMe Antenna (Williamsburg) – Of course there are lots of great local stores up and down Bedford Avenue, but this tiny store has been tucked inside the Mini Mall on Bedford Avenue since Williamsburg first became cool. It will always have a place in my heart since I have spent countless hours browsing for gifts there – along with the wonderful neighboring bookstore Spoonbill & Sugartown – over the years. They sell an eclectic mix of audio electronics, home goods, vintage accessories and gifts. It’s also worth checking out some of the other interesting stores in the Mini Mall while you’re there.
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Norman & Jules (Park Slope) – My son was only a year old when we moved back to Park Slope and we were thrilled to find this beautiful, thoughtfully-curated store of children’s toys and clothing and other accessories. We thought we would be here all the time, but as our son got older we have mostly used it to buy children’s gifts for special occasions. It’s especially good for younger children; they have a beautiful selection of wooden toys and eco-friendly products and unique items that you may not find elsewhere. You can always ask the friendly staff for help finding a beautiful gift the parents will appreciate as much as the kids.
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O Live Brooklyn (Park Slope) – This olive oil store is obviously a great place to get gifts for the foodies in your life, but really…who doesn’t love and use olive oil? The local store claims to have the largest, freshest selection of extra virgin olive oils and aged balsamic vinegars on tap in Brooklyn. They also have tons of gift sets and foodie gifts… and it seems like these gifts could work for pretty much anyone who cooks or enjoys food. I’m thinking about doing most of my holiday shopping here this year.
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Pink Olive (Park Slope) – This beautifully-designed store sells “whimsical gifts for happiness and home” with a focus on children’s clothing and accessories. But they really do have a little bit of everything and you can also find great gifts for adults with or without kids. I can’t resist stopping by anytime someone I know has a baby to pick up one of their exquisite onesies and other baby gifts since my son is too big for them now. (Though they are starting to carry larger sizes, which is great.) They also have locations in the East Village, West Village, and Cold Spring.
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Sterling Place
(Park Slope, Boerum Hill) – For many years, my holiday shopping route included stops at a few businesses along a popular stretch of 7th Avenue including Community Bookstore, The Clay Pot, and Sterling Place. Between these stores, I could take care of almost all of my shopping in one day. Unfortunately The Clay Pot has closed (R.I.P.) and Sterling Place has closed that location, but it’s still worth traveling to their locations further south on 7th Avenue and on Atlantic in Boerum Hill. They have a great selection of refined, classy gifts that feel very “grown up” and sometimes a little old fashioned, but it’s one of those great places that has something for everyone.
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Margel Nusbaumer is a local writer and mom in Brooklyn. Thoughts? Reach out to margel@achildgrows.com.
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