Small Businesses We Love to Shop for Small Business Saturday
‘Tis the season to shop small and support local any chance you get.
Cyber Week is upon us, and while it may be tempting to knock out your gift list with major department stores on Black Friday and Cyber Monday — we’re here to remind you to save some of your shopping fun for Small Business Saturday on November 25th. Small Business Saturday is the best day of the year to scoop up one-of-a-kind, top-quality gifts — often on sale! — all while supporting your favorite local shops and online entrepreneurs in the process. And, unlike with major retailers, each purchase you make with a small business supports an actual family, artist, maker or craftsman, helping them thrive in the competitive marketplace and continue offering their unique talents to the world.
If you’re ready to participate, but unsure where to begin, we’ve got you covered. You can always use Small Business Saturday as a reason (read: excuse) to escape your family for a few hours and peruse your favorite local spots for once-a-year savings for in-person shopping. But, if you’d prefer supporting small businesses without getting out of your holiday pajamas — this article is for you.
Below, we’re sharing 12 small businesses and creators we love to support any chance we get. These shops have earned a spot on our favorites list because of their distinctive products, attention to detail and exceptional quality materials. Whether you’re shopping for a choosey mother-in-law, laidback husband or a difficult-to-please teen daughter, these small shops are prepared to deliver, offering personalized leather goods, engraved jewelry, museum-worthy pet portraits, heirloom journals and more. Read on to learn about each shop or maker and find the best gifts for everyone on your list below.
Whether you’re searching for a sentimental token of your affection for your spouse or looking to elevate your stationery game — Narrative Forth is just the shop for you. The Denver-based, woman-owned shop offers heirloom-quality linen journals for mothers, fathers and couples. The journals are filled with thoughtful prompts, encouraging you to reflect and pour your feelings onto the page. Journals not your thing? Narrative Forth offers a bountiful collection of seasonal and custom wax seals to up the ante with your holiday cards or general correspondence this year.
If a hand-painted custom pet portrait is on your wishlist, look no further than the top-rated Etsy shop, Disabella Gallery. This woman-owned gallery offers custom, hand-painted pet portraits in the form of holiday ornaments, bookmarks, canvases, canvas pouches, key chains and — our personal favorite — denim jackets. The process is seamless: Submit a photo of your beloved companion, and then artist and shop-owner Kristen brings their personality to life on the surface of your choosing.
Hereafter LA is a small, woman-owned business specializing in heirloom-quality gifts forged from sustainably forested American-grown hardwoods. The top-rated seller offers a variety of products to celebrate life’s milestones, including custom-engraved keepsake memory boxes, carved wooden cards, notebooks, ornaments and hand-crafted picture frames.
Zach & Zoë Sweet Bee Farm is a small, family-run business that offers gourmet raw honey in delicious flavors like wildflower, lavender, truffle, blueberry and more. The sweet farm-to-table business started when the Johnson family took up beekeeping in hopes of combating their son, Zach’s, seasonal allergies. After seeing positive results with their son, the Johnsons took a leap of faith and expanded their beekeeping business, taking the same benefits beyond their backyard and offering infused raw honey free from all pesticides and additives.
Treat yourself (and anyone on your nice list!) to some spa-worthy self-care items from Charmed Bath & Body. The South Carolina-based shop is woman-owned and offers premium soaps, bath salts, bath bombs, lip balms and body butter. All Charmed Bath & Body products are vegan and handcrafted in small batches using quality ingredients to ensure unparalleled satisfaction.
Oakdene Designs is a standout, U.K.-based shop that offers whimsical home decor, pleasantly surprising paper goods and one-of-a-kind personalized gifts. The shop features thoughtful and inspired products designed with connection in mind and adorned with eye-catching colors and fonts that feel decidedly ahead of the trends. Head over to their shop page to peruse hundreds of distinctive items like a couples’ matchbox (pictured here), emergency dad joke dispensaries, positive mantra boxes and custom fold-out photo cards.
Gladfolk is one of our go-to destinations for premium handmade home goods, clothing and toys. The Ohio-based shop is operated out of a home-based studio and workshop and offers an array of modern wood and fabric gifts for all ages. Our favorite offerings for kids include wooden toy boards, blocks and banners, while tea towels, cutting boards, tee-shirts and tote bags are exceptional gift options for adults.
Spoil your special someone with custom goodies from Kingsley Leather. Owned by leather craftsman Kingsley Thompson, the U.K.-based shop offers an expansive array of handcrafted leather goods ranging from bookmarks and belts to wallets and cufflinks. Bonus: Everything is priced affordably without skimping on quality. And, if you still need some convincing — check out the Kingsley Leather x John Legend collection here.
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Do you know that friend who somehow manages to throw together a perfectly-curated, picture-worthy hostess gift every single time? You can be that friend with the help of Nor Mor Gifts. This five-star Etsy shop offers stunning pre-assembled gift boxes brimming with thoughtfully curated, high-quality goodies in distinctive color palettes for every occasion. Some of the items you may find in the Nor Mor Gift boxes Items include handmade stoneware mugs, fuzzy socks, caramel candies, quilted blankets, scented candles and holiday ornaments.
Add a little sparkle to your wardrobe with personalized and handcrafted jewelry from EVREN. The Vancouver-based, woman-owned jewelry shop offers a mix of modern and classic keepsake jewelry designed to wear daily. From engraved bracelets and signet rings to minimalist initial necklaces and men’s items, EVREN has jewelry for everyone and every style.
Feeling clueless about what to buy your bestie? Scoop up one of the heavenly-scented, hand-poured candles from NaturalAnnie Essentials. This black woman-owned soy candle company offers non-toxic soy candles and wax melts in captivating seasonal fragrances, like winter cranberry, brown rum sugar, island vibes and pineapple ginger tea. Each hand-poured candle comes in an amber glass jar with either the NaturalAnnie Essentials tropical branding or a cheeky quote like the one pictured here.
Morning Joy Co. is a star-selling Etsy shop that offers our favorite custom-engraved cutting boards. Run by a husband and wife team, this small family business uses a laser engraver to personalize wood cutting boards with a handwritten recipe or note to yield a sentimental, one-of-a-kind gift for the home chef in your family. Choose from a variety of cutting board sizes, stain colors and silhouettes to best serve your gifting needs.
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