I love giving gifts. I enjoy the challenge of finding a perfect gift to share. In my family, the adults get tricky to shop for. Gone are the days of a wishlist or finding the new ‘it’ item. I like to go the extra mile and buy something unique and local. I usually default to a necessity or practical item, but one that they might not necessarily splurge on for themselves.
1. Savory Spice.
I usually spend time in this store. You can order online which cuts down on time, but I almost always take home at least one little gift for myself. I love gifting spices because everyone cooks and new spices are always fun. I love talking to the employees because they have the best recommendations. They blend their spices in store and also give out free samples. I have loved everything I have tried from them, which is a lot!
2. Cole’s Chocolates and Popcorn.
One year, I made a movie date night basket. I did these for couples. I included a savory and sweet popcorn, candy, and cocktail ingredients or favorite beer or wine. It was such a fun basket to make for everyone. The hardest part was selecting just a few popcorn flavors, they really have every variety you can think of. The ski run is my personal favorite and I have to pick up a bag every time I go here!
3. The Wine Gallery.
Years ago, I went to Napa Valley and fell in love with a wine from a vineyard there. I couldn’t find it locally and I didn’t want to pay for shipping. I hate paying for shipping—I avoid it all costs. After an extensive google search, I learned the Wine Gallery carried it. I instantly fell in love with this store.
They try to carry more unique items that you can’t find at your neighborhood liquor store. My personal favorite is they do a special, 6 bottles for $65. They help you choose wines that you’ll actually like. While I do like wine, I know next to nothing about it. So, choosing based on flavor notes or profiles is over my head. I have never bought a bottle that I didn’t like from them. They also do free wine tastings on Friday evenings from 3pm-6pm. They have a more extensive wine class for $10 on Saturdays.
4. Loyal Coffee.
Coffee is my love language. This is by far my favorite coffee shop. They are the only one that I willingly drive across town for. I don’t really like lattes, but crave their oatmeal cookie latte. It is insanely good. For fellow coffee lovers, I will gift a bag of their grounds. I have tried almost all of the blends and they are all fantastic. We buy them for our weekend coffee, because it is a splurge, but sooooo worth it!
5. Sela Designs.
This isn’t a Colorado Springs local. But it is a small business. I love her jewelry and have gifted something to most of the women in my family. Her jewelry is comfortable to wear and looks great. My favorite aspect of her business is that she donates 100% of her profits to fight sex trafficking. She is transparent about her mission and emails updates about where the money went and who it helped. I love knowing that my money is helping!
I want to know where your favorite local shops are or if you have go-to gifts, I want to know what they are. Share in the comments below.
