local shopping – Baltimore Magazine

The Best Places to Shop for Local Holiday Gifts This Year

Janelle Diamond — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 19:39:35 +0000

—Illustrations by Haley Schulz

‘Tis the season for holiday gifts and, whether you’re buying for your favorite dog walker or your closest friends and family, we have one big suggestion: Shop local. It feels good and it does good.

Shopping local keeps money in the community, of course. But it’s more than that. It’s the absolute best feeling to walk into a store and know exactly who curated everything you’re seeing (and who also happens to remember your best friend’s favorite scent and what book your dad devoured last year). We are lucky to have so many small businesses around us.

Greedy Reads
Fells Point/Remington
This sweet independent bookshop, owned by powerhouse Julia Fleischaker, is known not only for shop dog Audie but its wide range of books. The super-knowledgeable staff always has excellent suggestions, and there’s a great selection of adorable bookmarks and stickers for stocking stuffers. Might we suggest a doozy of a gift: tickets to the popular Greedy Reads Sunset Cruise & Book Swap.

Also around Fells Point: A Day In June, Fells Point Surf Co., The Sound Garden, Brightside, and The Seasoned Olive.

Found Studio
Hamilton-Lauraville
Look no further than this Lauraville boutique for not only great gifts, but the sweetest interaction with owner Kacey Stafford. Stafford’s shop is like a warm hug, with rows of ornaments, tons of locally made products, pretty packaged soaps, great earrings, Orioles and Ravens sock hats, candles, Hanukkah socks, and crab jammies for littles.

Also around Hamilton-Lauraville: The Margaret Cleveland at Walther Gardens, Snug Bookstore, Wockenfuss Candies, Domesticity, and Zeke’s Coffee.

Becket Hitch
Greenspring/Ruxton
Kohli Flick—the face of this Green Spring Station shop—is a delightful ray of sunshine on IG, talking about new and favorite items and how she uses them in her own home. Flick loves the holiday season and stocks her shop with pretty platters, jewelry (like bangles and gold earrings), key chains, perfume, cookbooks, cute pajamas, funny holiday cards, needlepoint pillows, and really good stocking stuffers.

Also around Greenspring/Ruxton: Wee Chic, Nova Man, Ruxton Mercantile, Gundalow Gourmet, South Moon Under, and Monkee’s of Baltimore.

Currency Studio
Station North
The brainchild of Michael Haskins Jr., this Station North boutique feels like shopping at an art gallery—or in your coolest friend’s closet. Find baseball hats, his famous T-shirts and pullovers, plus items like vintage baseballs, passport covers, and jewelry—all inspired by art and architecture. Shopping here is like a gift in and of itself.

Also around Station North: MICA Store, Artists & Craftsman Supply, Sophomore Coffee, and Ouftur.

Mt. Royal Soaps
Remington
A Remington staple, this bath and body shop—founded by three soap-obsessed friends, Pat Illes, Matt Williams, and Sam Kiffe—is stocked full of sugar scrubs, bath bombs, bubble baths, shower steamers, candles, tea towels, beard balms, and, yes, soaps. All the products are still made small-batch in Baltimore.

Also around Remington: Baltimore Museum of Art gift shop, Bird In the Hand, The Charmers Club, B.Willow, and Baltimore Photo Space.

In Watermelon Sugar
Hampden
This Hampden staple—just steps from Miracle on 34th Street—knocks out perfect storefront windows each season, but especially during the holidays. Owner Leslie Stevenson fills her magical corner boutique with felt ornaments, holiday gift wrap and tags, advent calendars, lotions, jewelry, cookbooks, home furnishings, and sweet kid gifts, including knit dolls. Stevenson and her team are also well-versed in recommending the perfect present for anyone on your list.

Also around Hampden: Balston Mercantile, Bazaar, Atomic Books, The Wine Source

Paper Herald
Mt. Vernon
Owner Ashleigh Coaxum fills her Mount Vernon stationery shop with everything a papyrophiliac (yup, that means paper lover) dreams about—notebooks, calendars, planners, fancy stationery, and letter-writing sets. Have a friend who swoons at the thought of a really good pen? Look no further. Coaxum is uber-knowledgeable and also gets it when people freak out about writing utensils.

Also around Mt. Vernon: Ceremony Coffee, ReLeaf Shop, The Doll House Boutique, and Paris West.

Doc Taylor’s Toy Emporium
Ellicott City/Catonsville
Since actual toy stores are getting harder and harder to find, this Ellicott City Main Street shop is a true gem. Overcrowded rows of toys fuel childhood nostalgia—back when days were spent playing with doctor kits, dolls, slime, spy kits, puzzles, games, train sets, Calico Critters, squishy cubes, and tons of cars and trucks. It’s pretty impossible not to find exactly what you need.

Also around Ellicott City: Su Casa, Bohemian House, Backwater Books, Bee Inspired Goods, Sweet Elizabeth Jane, Charm City Links & Co.

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Charm City Gift Guide: 100 Items for Every Time of Day

Aaron Hope — Tue, 21 Nov 2023 19:53:38 +0000

By Jessi Rutherford

Photography by Christopher Myers

Style & Shopping

Charm City Gift Guide: 100 Items for Every Time of Day

Our annual ode to local holiday gifting is chock full of items to use from the minute you wake up until bedtime—and all those hours in between.

By Jessi Rutherford

Photography by Christopher Myers

November 2023

It's the most wonderful time of the year, so we thought what better way to organize our gift guide than by time of day? We have curated ideas from the minute you wake up until bedtime and all those hours in between. Happy Gifting!

Clockwise from top: Bath towel ($44) at Hunting Ground. Reindeer pom hat ($28) at Wee Chic. Frnch Paris Colorful Cardigan ($100) at Poppy & Stella. SCS Kinto Mini Mug ($20) at good neighbor. Hot Little Biscuit buttermilk biscuit mix ($12) at Becket Hitch. Finding Home Farms maple syrup ($18) at Becket Hitch. Santa mug ($28) at Poppy & Stella. Ritual Kit: Fresh Start crystal set ($30) at Becket Hitch. Wight Tea Co. sage rose and Maryland mint tea ($8) at wighttea.com and various local locations. Dino knit pom hat ($26) at Wee Chic. Perk Up eye patches ($3) at In Watermelon Sugar. Two Minute Mornings journal ($16.95) at The Paper Herald. Como Tea llama tea infuser ($16) at Su Casa. Gold beaded bracelets ($3.50-$8 each) at Girlhero. Men’s supreme buffer ($22) at Best Day Ever. Bacon ornament ($17) at Best Day Ever. Wake the F*CK Up shower seamers ($26) at Poppy & Stella. Divine devotional candle ($19.99) at The Sound Garden.

Clockwise from top: Brodie cashmere sweater ($385) at Sassanova. Teal mini nylon crossbody with coin purse ($32) at Poppy & Stella. Blue pop pencil case ($18) at Wee Chic. Pens ($6.99 each) at The Paper Herald. Secrid wallet ($89.95) at Nova Man. Tech wipes ($8) at Best Day Ever. Reasonable Demands notepad ($11.50) at Becket Hitch. You Look Beautiful glasses tray ($17) at Becket Hitch. (BIG) Timeless Monthly Planner ($19.95) at The Paper Herald. Appointed notebook ($20) at The Paper Herald. Wild Woman perfume oils ($56 each) at Mint & Major. Pencils (starting at $3 each) at Best Day Ever. Camp Hollow panda earrings ($20) at In Watermelon Sugar. Kneads baker’s tie ($10) at Kneads Bake Shop & Cafe. Varsity letter stuff bag ($45) at Meg Fox Aesthetics. Rains rucksack in sky ($110) at Hunting Ground.

Clockwise from top left: Clear water bottle ($25) at good neighbor. Floral Baggu lunch box ($34) at Hunting Ground. Corcksicle 36oz. traveler thermos ($79.95) at Becket Hitch. Kindroot Adaptogens plant lozenges ($20) at Far & Dotter. Norfolk Natural Living garment refresher botanical spray ($15) at Gundalow Gourmet. Leather utility gloves ($100) at Nova Man. Carlton beanie ($50) at Nova Man. Pure Raw Juice gift card (any amount) at Pure Raw Juice. Malvi fluffernutter marshmallows ($6) at Gundalow Gourmet. Mouth Party Caramel (prices vary) at mouthpartycaramel.com and various local locations. Zoe’s Chocolate Co. gold bar ($9.50) and espresso bar ($7.95) at zoeschocolate.com and Kneads Bake Shop & Café. Pinch Me therapy dough ($15) at Poppy & Stella. Hon's Honey specialty honey flight ($32) at and honshoney.com and various local locations. Baltimore Dog Bakery dog treats ($9) at Howl Pet Supply. Yellow berry bowl ($9) at Su Casa. Basil & Neroli botanical hand lotion ($32) at Gundalow Gourmet. Fulton & Roark solid fragrance ($60) at Nova Man. Bite mouthwash bits ($26) at Best Day Ever. No Justice No Peace by Devin Allen ($30) at Greedy Reads.

Pink leopard fuzzy Brooke bag ($195) at Sassanova. Citrus vintage puzzle ($24) at Gundalow Gourmet. Beach House 7 album ($23.99) at The Sound Garden. Pink stone hoop earrings ($28) at Sassanova. Marlyn Schiff CZ heart charm necklace ($102) at Sassanova. Jane Win lucky lapis stone elephant necklace ($278) at Sassanova. The Wine Collective canned Vermútino cocktails ($18 for four) at winecollective.vin. Felted catnip toys ($8 each) at Hunting Ground. Popsicle ornament ($12) at Poppy & Stella. Mini bar books ($20 for the set) at In Watermelon Sugar. Raft citrus rosemary syrup ($15) at good neighbor. Champagne ornament ($18) at Poppy & Stella. Gold Bracelets ($28-29) at Mint and Major. Four Wheels And A Board by Betsy Gordon and Jane Rogers ($35) at Atomic Books. Sorry vintage board game ($44) at Becket Hitch. Fancy sprinkles drink glitter ($20) at The Wine Source.

Clockwise from top left: Cooking class gift card (prices vary) at Baltimore Chef Shop. Antique candlestick ($150 for the set) at Gundalow Gourmet. Pierogi cookbook ($25.99) at Su Casa. Beige cloth napkins ($24 each) and napkin ring ($20) at Becket Hitch. Enamel measuring cups ($36) at Poppy & Stella. Oyster ornament ($17) at Best Day Ever. Measuring spoons ($32) at Poppy & Stella. Twisty candles ($24 for four) at Poppy & Stella. Dimitri unfiltered extra virgin olive oil lemon and herbs infused ($22) at Dimitri’s or various local retailers. Wildflower serving tray ($55) at Misfit Creative Arts Collective. Brackish royal feather bow tie ($225) at Nova Man. Audo Copenhagen salt and pepper mills ($90 for the set) at good neighbor. Green marbled bowl ($18) at In Watermelon Sugar.

Find Me Now dusty blue oversized cardigan ($128) at Hunting Ground. Tooth Fairy friend ($32) at In Watermelon Sugar. Cause Medic CBD relief cream ($60) at Far & Dotter. Calm bath salts ($22) at In Watermelon Sugar. Bunny tooth brush holder ($5) at Su Casa. Herbivore Cloud Milk body cream ($40) at In Watermelon Sugar. Riverside tie-dye thermal ($124) at Hunting Ground. Silk sleep mask and scrunchie set ($24) at Meg Fox Aesthetics and Mount Royal Soap Co.. PJ Salvage bordeaux fuzzy slides ($45) at Necessary Secrets. Pinch self care advent calendar ($55) at Necessary Secrets. Charles Village Painted Ladies candle ($24) at southanncandles.etsy.com and various local retailers. Grant Street long matches ($13) at Su Casa. Herbivore Moon Fruit serum ($60) at In Watermelon Sugar. Patchology beauty sleep hydrogel mask ($10) at Poppy & Stella. Nite Nite patch ($16) at Far & Dotter. Oh What a Night bath salts ($26) at Poppy & Stella. 15 Min Groom Me kit ($20) at Far & Dotter. Cast in Stones pillow spray ($25) at In Watermelon Sugar.

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