What better time to shop local and support small businesses around your area than during the holiday season? Now is a great time to discover and explore the makers, creatives, and artisans of Philadelphia and to pick up some unique Philly-based gifts for your friends and family (or to treat yourself) this holiday season!
We’re not going to bore you with numbers, but data in an American Express study revealed that for every $1 you spend in a local business, roughly 67% stays in the local community! Now more than ever, it’s important to shop locally to support your local communities.
Not only does shopping locally help support small local businesses, but it also helps create jobs for people in the area, invests in your community (both socially and economically), contributes to improving public infrastructure, and means you can get your hands on some unique (oftentimes handmade) products that you might not find sold anywhere else!
Here are some of our top picks to help you shop locally. We’ve got you covered with everything from plant-based skincare, artisan coffee (and tea for our tea-lovers out there!), delectable sweet treats (vegan and not), all the way to local bookstores, vintage jewelry, and Philly-themed tarot decks and tree ornaments!
Pro-tip:
Make sure to check if some of your favorite Philly restaurants and cafes sell gift cards as a great gift for the foodie lovers in your life! Some examples: Bing Bing Dim Sum on East Passyunk Ave, Jezabel’s Cafe in West Philly, or to experience all the flavors of Philly in one place Reading Terminal Market offers gift cards!
The List
Clarissa Eck
Clarissa Eck creates illustrated pottery that integrates animal messengers, ancient plant knowledge, and hermetic symbolism.(P.S. Each item is made by hand in Philadelphia!)
IllExotics
IllExotics is a boutique shop located on East Passyunk Ave and provides quality captive-bred exotic pets and healthy houseplants from around the world. The perfect gift for any plant mom or dad!
Creations By Coppola
Creations by Coppola is a flower shop that embodies elegance and grace founded by Marianna Coppola on East Passyunk Ave. Drop by to pick up a pre-made Grab n’ Go bouquet or a dried floral arrangement, or if you have some time you can have a customized design made for you right before your eyes at the Flower Bar!
(P.S. They also provide home decor and party supplies, which have been hand-selected by Marianna herself to bring elegance and beauty to any home or party!)
Ana Thorne
Ana Thorne offers different Philly-inspired handmade products. These products are created not only with Ana’s creativity but with her hands - which makes every product very unique! (P.S. Ana also offers custom designs for special occasions!)
Jawnaments
Jawnaments help you show some love to all things Philly in the form of tree ornaments! Because who doesn’t want a Wawa coffee cup or a Gritty ornament on their tree this holiday season?!(P.S. They also sell New Jersey, NJ/DE/MD Shore, Baltimore, Boston, Delaware, New England, New Hampshire, NYC, Pittsburgh, and Rhode Island-inspired ornaments).
Philly Word Art, by Art of Words
Philly Word Art is unique, handwritten word art posters and decor by artist Dan Duffy. Dan writes each original piece by hand, using only words relevant to the subject. These 16x20 prints make great, unique gifts for fans of the Eagles, Phillies, Flyers, 76ers, and more!(P.S. Each original takes at least 50 hours to complete (larger pieces can take up to 200 hours!). And as an added bonus, Dan signs each print by hand.)
The Philly Tarot Deck
The Philly Tarot Deck is a Philadelphia-themed tarot card deck with 78 full-color illustrations by James Boyle. The deck features beloved local icons, complete with an accompanying guidebook.The perfect gift for your Philly-obsessed, astrology-lover!
(P.S. You can also get prints, screenprints, and tees!)
Mighty Bread Co.
The Mighty Bread Co. is a bakery and cafe in South Philly. You can get your Christmas orders in now, they have everything from bread to panettone, to gingerbread pumpkin pie!(P.S. The Mighty Bread also sells gingerbread rowhome kits!)
Duross + Langel
Duross + Langel offers custom handmade natural bath, spa, and skincare products. Philadelphia's award-winning soap makers, create skincare, perfumes, and pure soy candles. Using old family recipes along with a modern approach to natural formulation, Duross + Langel’s most inspired products begin in-house, though the bulk of manufacturing now resides with local, family-run laboratories, they still create the simplest 100% natural items on-site! Find them at 117 S. 13th Street.Aurora Grace
Aurora Grace creates artisanal, handcrafted chocolates, French macarons, and freshly baked pastries.(P.S. They use sustainably sourced chocolate and their ingredients are locally sourced, seasonal, and organic when possible!).
(P.S.! All of their chocolates are painted by hand!)
Girls Can Tell
Girls Can Tell offers gifts and homewares created by Sara Villari, featuring her original diagram illustrations, printed on tea towels, and more!(P.S. To make holiday shopping super simple, you can shop for gift ideas for ‘Dad’, ‘Mom’, ‘Sister/Sister-In-Law’, and ‘Brother/Brother-In-Law’.)
Occassionette
Occasionette is a curated gift shop, on East Passyunk Ave. You'll find cards for every occasion, candles, tea towels, jewelry, bar wares, candies, notebooks, journals, photo frames, and much more!(P.S. Did you know that Occassionette is owned by the same creator as Girls Can Tell?)
Rhea Gingrow
Rhea Gingrow offers fabulous desserts delivered to your doorstep. Say less!Dottie’s Donuts
Dottie’s Donuts offers the most incredible vegan donuts! And although they always have chocolate, vanilla/vanilla sprinkles, cinnamon sugar, Boston cream, apple fritters, cinnamon buns, and brownies in store, the rest of their flavors change daily to keep things interesting!(P.S. Keep an eye on their Instagram for daily menus!)
House of Our Own
House of Our Own is any book lover's dream! Founded in 1971, this bookstore is located on two floors of a quiet, comfortable Victorian house on the edge of UPenn’s campus. House of Our Own offers a large selection of general and scholarly books. And by ‘large selection’ we really do mean it! You’ll find books lining the stairs, and books lining the hallway, it is floor-to-ceiling books! And although filled to its brim, the owners manage to keep a tidy and well-curated collection.(P.S. They sell both new and used books! Only a small fraction of their inventory is online, so if you do not find what you are looking for, you can contact them by phone or email to see if they have a copy in the store!)
Valerio Coffee
Valerio Coffee are artisan roasters whose years of experience bring a unique taste and characteristics to all of their coffees!(P.S. All Valerio’s roasts are fair-trade, organic, and single origin!)
(P.P.S. If coffee is not your thing but you live for tea, check out MajaTei, Valerio’s tea counterpart!)
Franklin + Whitman
Franklin + Whitman creates non-toxic, plant-based, cruelty-free skincare products, each product is original and is proudly handcrafted in Philadelphia.(P.S. Each product name comes from a neighborhood or park in Philly. Even their company name comes from something Philly! Hint: it’s Philly’s two major bridges!)
Harriette’s Bookshop
Just weeks before the pandemic hit, Jeannine Cook opened Harriett’s Bookshop in Fishtown as a way to celebrate Black women authors, activists, and artists. Harriett's Bookshop is named for the historical heroine Harriett Tubman.(P.S. Harriette’s has a sister store in New Jersey called Ida’s Bookshop, named for the historic heroine, Ida B. Wells)
(P.P.S. You can also purchase gift cards here!)
Moon + Arrow
Moon + Arrow is a socially-responsible and environmentally conscious boutique for handmade and vintage jewelry, clothing, accessories, home furnishings, decor, and apothecaries. It is the curation of Chelsea Pearce, the founder and original maker.(P.S. Did you know Chelsea’s vision for Moon + Arrow came to her in a dream about friends aiming arrows toward the moon?)
Craft Tea
Craft Tea is an all-natural, caffeine-free, herbal tea that’s handmade in small batches in Mt Airy. For the full Craft Tea experience check out their list of specific records that play well with their respective teas!(P.S. Craft Tea offers free delivery for orders in Philadelphia!)
