2018 holiday gift guide: The best places to shop local

By WP BrandStudio

Sure, you can shop at a national chain for your friends and family this holiday season — but why not root out something more unique, perhaps locally made and sold by one of Washington’s outstanding homegrown retailers?

Here, D.C. business owners at the helm of jewelry shops, chocolatiers, European-inspired retailers and beyond have curated their top picks for what to gift your friends and family this year — everything from a hyper-luxurious watch to a beautiful take on chocolates.

Chesapeake Bay 3D Nautical Wood Chart at Urban Dwell (Photo sourced Courtesy of WoodChart Company)

$298 | This stunning representation of the DMV’s beloved waterway depicts the Chesapeake as it wends its way through Maryland, past the District and into Virginia. Nautical wood chart designer WoodChart contacted Urban Dwell earlier this year and asked if the Adams Morgan shop would be interested in carrying the laser-cut wall-hanging, so this is the first holiday season the wood-framed piece will be sold there.

1837 Columbia Road NW; 202-558-9087; urbandwelldc.com

Louis Sherry Truffle Collection at Periwinkle (Photo sourced from Louis-Sherry.com)

$8.95–$38 | Louis Sherry takes the classic gift of a box of chocolates to the next level by nestling them into richly colored tins sold at this longtime Chevy Chase shop. The ethically sourced French-style truffles come in such flavors as Passionfruit Kumquat, Flor de Caña Rum and Piedmont Hazelnut and the gorgeous collectible tins will continue to remind the recipient of the giver long after the chocolates have been devoured.

3815 Livingston St. NW; 202-364-3076; periwinklegiftsdc.com

Copper Louise Trays at Salt & Sundry (Photo sourced from Hawkins New York) 

$80–$120 | Entertaining enthusiasts will adore these shiny copper-and-blush trays, which are food-safe and suitable for serving anything from hors d’oeuvres to cocktails. When displayed with a copper flatware place setting that echoes the elegant outer edge of the tray, the effect looks extra luxurious. And even if these trays are never pressed into service, they’ll still add an eye-catching design element to any dining room.

Union Market: 1309 Fifth St. NE; 202-556-1866;Logan Circle: 1625 14th St. NW; 202-621-6647; shopsaltandsundry.com

Weekender Duffel at Stitch & Rivet (Photo credit: Emma McAlary)

$199 | Stitch & Rivet owner Katie Stack swears by this bag. “It is big enough to hold everything I need for three nights, squishy enough to shove in an overhead — but you can also check it.” Its waxed canvas, solid brass hardware, nylon seat-belting handles and American-tanned leather make it sturdy and long-lasting. Plus a zipper pocket on the end and an open pocket on the side allow travel docs, phones and cords to remain at hand.

716 Monroe St. NE, Studio #24; no phone; shopstitchandrivet.com

Prisca Hobo Purse at Shop Made in DC (Photo credit: Kera Carpenter) 

$78 | Local designer Angela Enwezor was originally inspired to make these bags after finding rattan handles at a yard sale. Now she travels as far as Ghana, Cameroon and her native Nigeria to source both the handles and the colorful cloth used to craft these popular purses, which take about five hours to make by hand. Enwezor’s design company, Prisca, also makes clothes for men, women and babies, as well as home goods like pillows.

1330 19th St. NW; no phone; info@shopmadeindc.com

U-Konserve Insulated Tumblers at Hill’s Kitchen (Photo credit: Patryce Bak Photography) 

$15.95 | This beloved Capitol Hill spot is the perfect place to pick up items for the eco-conscious food- and drink-lover, since they stock an array of alternatives to single-use items, including these double-walled, stainless-steel tumblers. They’re perfect for keeping coffee or cocoa warm in winter (and holding chilled rosé in the summer.) For the diehard earth-lover, pair a colorful tumbler with a set of silicone drinking straws and natural alternatives to cling film, also available at Hill’s Kitchen.

713 D St. SE; 202-543-1997; hillskitchen.com

Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Watch at Tiny Jewel Box (Photo sourced from patek.com) 

$80,000 and up | According to Matthew Rosenheim, president of this family-operated downtown jewelry store, if you’re looking to buy a gift for the man in your life, consider a wrist watch. This particular watch taps into two big trends in men’s timepieces: high-end Swiss makers and rose-gold accents. The wow factor goes beyond the price tag; this self-winding ticker features a stunning moon phases dial, in addition to hands that will point out the day of the week, date and month.

1155 Connecticut Ave. NW; 202-393-2747; tinyjewelbox.com

Sweet Home Café Cookbook at the National Museum of African American History and Culture (Photo courtesy of Smithsonian Books) 

$29.95 | Home cooks can now connect with one of D.C.’s most popular museums in their own kitchens. This newly released cookbook features 109 recipes from the NMAAHC café and from African American culinary traditions across the country, along with their African, Caribbean and European influences. If you’re lucky enough to get a ticket to the museum, you can pick up the cookbook at the gift shop on your way out. Otherwise, you can order it online — meaning nothing is standing between your giftee and must-try recipes for Senegalese Peanut Soup, Maryland Crab Cakes and Jamaican Grilled Jerk Chicken.

1400 Constitution Ave. NW; 202-633-1000; nmaahc.si.edu

Inchworm Alley Baby Onesies at Steadfast Supply (Photo courtesy of  Inchworm Alley)

$30–$38.50 | When your friends’ and family’s babies are so cute you could eat them up, the gift choice is obvious: foodie onesies found at this Navy Yard shop. Made with certified organic cotton by a company that cares about sustainability and carbon footprints, you can feel good about giving these eye-catching outfits boldly printed with foodstuffs like sushi and macarons. Be sure to size up for the warm-weather sushi shorts romper, unless this baby is lucky enough to be hitting the beaches this winter.

301 Tingey St. SE #120; 202-308-4441; steadfastsupplydc.com

Harry Kotlar Criss Cross Bangles at Tiny Jewel Box (Photo sourced from harrykotlar.com) 

$11,310 and up | This longtime jewelry shop just opened the first Harry Kotlar boutique on the East Coast within its store, highlighting a large collection from the diamond manufacturer and high-end designer. Among the envy-inducing pieces are a selection of gorgeous Artisan Pavé halfway eternity bangles, available in 18 karat rose, white or yellow gold. The bracelets feature 146 hearts-and-arrows diamonds totaling as much as six carats of ethically sourced gems.

1155 Connecticut Ave. NW; 202-393-2747; tinyjewelbox.com

Voluspa Crane Flower Candles at Le Village Marché (Photo courtesy of Voluspa.com) 

$14–$36 | There’s always someone on your list who stumps you when it comes time to pick out a gift. That’s when a nice candle is the perfect solution — it’s a luxurious item that friends and family likely wouldn’t buy for themselves, and it does the job of letting someone know you were thinking about them. There are many candle options at Le Village Marché’s two locations, including several holiday-themed ones, like Fraser fir. The glitzy gold jars are the tops in form and function; long after the last flicker, the jar can be used for everything from jewelry storage to small bouquets.

Cathedral Commons: 3318 Wisconsin Ave. NW; 202-362-4444. Shirlington: 2800 S. Randolph St. #110 A (Arlington, Va.); 703-379-4444. levillagemarche.com

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