Once again, I missed the official shop small Saturday. I spent the day in Anchorage visiting a good friend. We sipped wine, put up a Christmas tree, and caught up while the kids watched movies on Netflix – it was glorious.
As I drove home from Anchorage, I put some thought to my Christmas list and the local goodies I’d be sending family this year. So in honor of the Shop Small Saturday that I seem to always miss, here are my personal favorite local things to gift this year.
Please leave me a comment with your favourite local buy and let’s inspire each other to support small business in our community.
- Still holding strong at my very most favourite are Eco Gifts from Sustainable Wares. The best thing I bought this year were Marley’s Monsters facial rounds. Instead of buying cotton make up remover pads that I toss away, I bought a set of reusable ones. They’re super soft, colourful, and I love them. Sustainable Wares carries the full line of Marley’s Monsters. Check them out. There’s an online store that will ship if you’re not feeling like going out in this weather.
1103 Ocean Drive, Homer - Necklaces from Wooded Diamonds by Scott Miller. I finally bought myself one this year and it’s my favourite to wear. His elegant necklaces are hand carved and inlaid with local sea shells and other materials.
I found Scott at the Nutcracker Faire. Or you can call Scott at
(907) 399-8350 and see where he’ll be next. - A manicure from Lotus Lounge. This one was gifted to me and I loved it. Lotus Condon has a gorgeous little she shed at her place. It’s cozy and warm and perfectly equipped for a luxurious mani/pedi. I got my nails done before a trip home to Canada and it lasted the entire trip and some.
4627 South Slope Road - Last in this run of gifts for women is really really good hair tools from Wave Room. I went on a hiking trip with my friend, Michele, this fall and on our way home, I passed by a blow-out bar. When you have as much hair as I do, you don’t say no to a blow out. The salon workers sold me on high quality tools. Being in a shop local frame of mind, I went home and bought me a salon-quality curling iron and it’s totally worth the $40 I spent on it.
921 Ben Walter’s Court - Board Games from Captains Toy Chest. We spent this Thanksgiving with friends at Alyeska Resort. While the kids swam off their dinner, the adults played card games poolside. We had so much fun playing Cover your Assets and Phase 10. These games are completely kid friendly and my kids are finally old enough to play. It inspired me to renew my board game collection.
345 West Sterling Highway, Ste. 105 - My friend Christine moved to Fairbanks and I miss her every day. When she comes to visit, we always end up having a beer at Grace Ridge Brewing. This last visit, I noticed they have a winter 4-pack in a fancy gift-able carrying case. I’ll be buying a few for friends and clients this year and maybe one for me, too!
3388 B Street - Homer Animal Friends has a new storefront location in the Kachemak Center. We lost our four legged friend this year and we’ve been filling the hole he left behind by dog sitting for friends. We had a chocolate lab all summer and Homer Animal Friends had everything we needed for our borrowed dog. Even a bath station! Look on their bulletin board for information on Dog training classes – Noseworks classes are a great gift for any doggo on your list!
601 E Pioneer Ave Suite 109, Homer, AK 99603 - Chocolate from Home Truffle Co. My mom’s most favouite thing is dark chocolate and Homer Truffle Co makes the best bars around. I found them at the Nutcracker Faire and was treated to a sample of their drinking chocolate. Gifts for mom and a luxurious cup of Mexican drinking chocolate? It was good to be me, that’s for sure! Check out their Web site and contact them with an order.
- Stocking stuffers from Homer’s Jeans. I stopped by Homer’s Jeans after the Nutcracker this weekend and they had the coolest stocking stuffers for the outdoorsy types. And socks! A year older, a year wiser, and I still love a great pair of socks as a gift.
564 East Pioneer Ave, Homer - High on my list of experience gifts are gift certificates to Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies summer programs. The Tree and Sea certificate for $10 allows bearers to hike the Wynn Nature Center and go discover the creatures of the dock down at the harbour. You can also buy gift certificates for all sorts of summer tours and education programs.
708 Smokey Bay Way or (907) 235-6667
Bonus Inspiration:
This year, I asked my colleagues what their favorite local purchases were. For added inspiration, here they are!
Amanda: Stoked Honey available at Save U More
Tiffany: Anything from Salt & Pine at 165 E Bunnell Ave, Homer, AK 99603
Chris: Salt from Alaska Salt CoAlaska Salt Co.
Ian: Anything from Salmon Sisters. Their Store front at 1544 Homer Spit Road looks open for the season