Shopping Small in the South Sound

The local shops we love with options to tackle your gift list

Small businesses help build thriving communities, so I love shopping them when possible. Each year, Emma and I hit the towns on Small Business Saturday to shop some of our favorite spots. It’s always a fun day that includes a bit too much coffee, great treats, and lots of stories and laughter. Read below to check out some of our all time favorites in the South Sound, a bonus shop in Portland that ships, and a nod to Eric’s East Coast roots. Click each shop’s name to visit their website. Happy shopping!

Many of these options offer online shopping and quick pickup or shipping services to help make life even easier.

John & Kira's | Philadelphia

Everyone loves chocolate. A nod to my husband's East Coast roots, chocolates from John & Kira’s make a fantastic gift. They source their ingredients from urban gardens and small farms around the world. My favorites are the whiskey infused, chocolate ganache filled, chocolate dipped figs. Honestly though, you can't go wrong with any of their items. 

Ground Up PDX | Portland

Ground Up Nut Butters are delicious, handcrafted, nut butters made from clean ingredients by a company with a loving cause. They provides job training, employment, and security to women overcoming adversity in the Portland area. They ship!! My favorites are the Cinnamon Snickerdoodle and Salted Eggnog. Buy one or two and add the Nut Butter Cookbook for a tasty and adorable gift. 

Peanut-Free | No Palm Oil | Refined Sugar-Free | Dairy-Free | Gluten-Free

Pine & Moss | DuPont

Their charcuterie supplies are on point and ready for gifting and party prep. Pick a gorgeous basket or bag and fill it with goodies for the person that loves to host. Other favorites include the Washington Wine & Food Cookbook, candles from Bridgewater Candle Co, the Farm Fresh beauty and R+Co haircare lines. For your always on the go friend, they have a collection of Scout Bags and Swig drinkware. For the new to WA or WA enthusiast, there’s lots of local gifts. Bonus - They deliver locally and offer shipping services, and owner, Kimberlee Cavin, is happy to put together a custom curated gift for you! She’s honestly a gifting lifesaver!

Gabi’s Olympic Cards and Comics | Lacey 

My husband and kids love Olympic Cards and Comics, so this is always a must on our list. They carry a huge assortment of comics, gaming books, board and card games, minis, and painting supplies. Owner, Gabi, is a lifesaver. She’s always happy to help me find something for my guys and gal. 

Browsers Books | Olympia 

For the readers, Browsers Books is the place to go. You can shop in person or order online for shipping or in-store pickup. If they don’t have a book in stock, they can usually order it and have it within a few days. Try them before Amazon! Their prices are competitive, and they’re lovely.  

Ember Goods | Olympia

I love a shop that combines good coffee with shopping, and Ember Goods does that well. For your outdoorsy/PNW lovers, hit them up. Grab a Rumpl Blanket, a Muir coffee canister and a bag of whole bean, and/or an Upper Left USA t-shirt or hoodie. Everything is great here.

Sound & Vision Living | Olympia 

Cute and modern objects for ridiculously awesome interiors pretty much sums up the vibe of Sound & Vision Living. Head there for art, gifts, and decor with a mid century nod. 

Compass Rose | Olympia & Tacoma 

Compass Rose has been a longtime favorite.  They have locations in Downtown Olympia and the Proctor District of Tacoma. Their local jewelry lines are funky, fun, and affordable. Splendor & Stone might be my newest love, and Emma already owns several pair of their earrings. If you have a home chef on your list, their collection of cookbooks and kitchen items are impressive!  They carry Le Creuset, Jacobsen Sea Salt, and an assortment of lines to make any kitchen lover happy. 

Drees of Olympia | Olympia 

Speaking of shopping for the home chef and/or the ultimate lifestyle purveyor, Drees has you covered with an extensive range of kitchen and homegoods including the tree collection from Simon Pierce, bags from Uashmama, local jewelry, French linens, and everything a soft live loves. 

Captain Little | Olympia 

The littles on your list would probably love it if you took a trip to Captain Little. The whole store is a littles paradise of toys, games, books, and art supplies. Emma says that the avocado stuffed toys are the best, but she’s a bit biased towards all things avocado. I gravitated to the art supplies and books.

Blossom Spa Retreat | Olympia 

Blossom Spa Retreat recently relocated to their new space and are hosting a holiday open house on November 14th, from 10am to 2pm. Stop by to see the gorgeous setup, snag some Eminence Organics Skincare for yourself, and pickup a gift card for your friend that needs an hour of self care. 

Ballaura Wellness Spa | Olympia 

Ballaura Wellness Spa is a well-rounded place for facials, massages, and warming up in an infrared sauna. Massage add-ons are at no additional cost, and with a large staff of qualified massage therapists, they often have openings available on short notice for your friend that sometimes forgets their age and tweaks their back doing something they shouldn’t (I’m that friend). 

Ossa Skinworks | Olympia 

Ossa approaches skin care from multiple angles, the science of the craft, meticulous technique, and a learning mindset to give clients effective, gratifying treatments and self-care experiences. Shop the store and grab a gift card for the friend that loves to indulge. 

Infernal Annex | Olympia 

Eric is a fan of the horror genre, so Infernal Annex is a new addition to the list. Horror might be the only genre that I don’t read, so I’ll need Emma and Gabriel’s help here.