Even though the day after Black Friday has been designated as Small Business Saturday, supporting small and local businesses is important every day of the year! And with so many small businesses struggling this year, it’s even more important to show our love.
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This year I wanted to make sure I did a better job at supporting local and small businesses, so a lot of Christmas presents are coming from these wonderful people! And honestly, hand-made, hand-crafted, and local seem to have more creativity and love in them than a lot of mega-produced items you can get at big superstores.
This post is a big (although certainly not even remotely thorough) round-up of small businesses that I love!
I’m slightly obsessed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Although it’s super fun to actually go to their store and sample all the amazing oils and vinegars (especially when they show you unique and tasty combinations that you’d never think of), trust me when I say that all their flavors are winners – and they ship! We love making salads and using a combo of blood orange olive oil and peach balsamic vinegar! I also add the Chipotle olive oil to my chili!
My sister got me hooked on Annie O treats when she lived in Charleston. Annie makes vegan and gluten free treats (that are also almost completely free of soy and processed sugar!). I know, I know…you’re probably thinking, but that’s the best part? But her cookies and granola are CRAZY good! She also has a cafe in West Ashley, South Carolina, but if you can’t make it there, she ships granola and cookies!
The Birthplace of Country Music Museum Store
If you’re a music lover, show some love to the museum with some music- or Bristol-themed goodies! There are products from local artisans, shirts, and items for the home!
Don’t tell my pups, but Santa will probably be putting some gingerbread or peanut butter and jelly dog biscuits in their stockings from Scout’s Barkery. These treats are allergy-friendly and made from organic ingredients, so you can give your best friend the best!
Maya’s is a Black-owned vegan cookie store. I haven’t ordered any cookies yet, but I definitely will be soon. They look delicious and come in all kinds of different delicious-sounding flavors! She ships, so you don’t have to be in San Diego to enjoy!
Cactus Creek is a local (to me), veteran-owned coffee shop that I discovered earlier this year. The coffee is amazing, and it comes in 55 flavors in addition to the more traditional roasts (and the flavors come in decaf, which made my mom so excited!). We were big fans of Fireside Delight and Pecan Sticky Bun!
Southern Pines Growler Company
This is one you’ll have to be local-ish for (or driving through Southern Pines, North Carolina), but I can’t leave them off because we love them! They change up their offerings each week, so we drop by and fill up our growlers for beer at home. They also have a lovely new location with a fabulous patio and are dog-friendly!
Can you tell I love my pups? Three Spoiled Dogs has the cutest customizable dog products! Placemats, birthday bandanas, kennel covers, and so much more! I also just really love looking at all the cute dogs that are modeling the products 🙂
There are so many great bookstores out there, too! I know it’s so tempting to just use Amazon, but shopping small puts money back into the community. Some awesome independent bookstores to support are Books and Crannies (Virginia), Shelves Bookstore (North Carolina), The Lit Bar (New York), and Scuppernong Books (North Carolina). There are SO many more!
And of course on Etsy there are so many brilliant artists and artisans! I’ve made so many purchases this holiday season from Etsy to support the small businesses there. Here are some of my favorites!
MadsiClay – clay polymer earrings
HelloLemonZesty – hilarious prints, ornaments, mugs, and so much more!
RuthBeckerArt – if you need Chanukah gifts, her art is beautiful and powerful!
StitchyStitchDesigns – if you love your dog, you need a matching mask and bandana set.
This is a very small list compared to all the amazing businesses that are out there. What are some of your favorite small businesses? Let me know so I can add them to my list!
Happy shopping!
Biscotti and a Ph.D. 