The holiday shopping season typically has early morning shoppers in line outside of shopping malls to buy gifts. This holiday shopping season is very different. Most of us will be shopping online instead of visiting stores.
We want to keep the shops in our cities, so please consider buying your holiday gifts in local stores to help the community during these difficult times.
In supporting our local economy, MSA created a list of our favorite shops in the Bay Area to find fun gifts for your loved ones.
Little john’s Candies, San Francisco
They make the best English Toffee, and provide it in multiple box sizes which are perfect for gifts. It is located not in the best part of Market Street, but worth the trip.
Maison d’Etre, Oakland
The name, Maison d’Etre, suggests the store’s reason for being: to celebrate life at home. The beauty and function of our homes and personal environments contribute to our wellbeing, trailing in importance not at all distantly behind the very basics of life.
Box and Bow, Brentwood now online only
Box + Bow rekindles a lost art by providing beautifully packaged, hand selected items sourced from small businesses, artisan crafters and Etsy sellers. They have the CUTEST gifts, they basically have a customized box for any occasion, from holiday boxes to corporate custom boxes.
Oaklandish, Oakland
I love locally shopping in boutique stores like along Piedmont in Oakland. I love buying things that represent the city (like clothing). Oaklandish’s mission is to spread “local love” by way of our civic pride-evoking tees and accessories, while creating quality inner city jobs for locals, and giving back to the people and places that maintain our city’s trailblazer spirit. So, wear it well. When you rock these roots, you're representing and supporting Oakland!
Anchor Brewing, San Francisco
Anchor Brewing’s annual Christmas Ale is a subtly spiced and sumptuously smooth winter warmer. This year’s brew marks the 46th annual release of this Anchor holiday tradition. Each year a new symbolic hand-drawn tree is chosen for the Christmas Ale label. This year’s label features The Three Graces; three iconic towering sequoias from the Mariposa Grove in California’s Yosemite National Park.
Oaktown Spice Shop, Oakland
In 2011, John and Erica opened Oaktown Spice Shop and the business has grown to a full team of employees, two retail shop locations and a growing number of restaurants, bakeries and bar customers -- not to mention chocolatiers, distillers, popcorn producers and candy makers -- who source their spices from the shop.
Isalis, San Francisco
Isalis was created in 2017 with the goal to make the in-store shopping experience fun again. Their stores is an extension of your dream closet. They bring a curated collection of trend-focused pieces every month! In addition to woman’s clothing, accessories and small gifts locally sourced can be found!
Local Take, 2 locations in San Francisco
Local Take is a gallery gift store featuring all local artists and designers. With an ever changing collection of products, Local Take currently showcases over 130 Bay Area artists and designers. We look forward to supporting even more local artists and designers in the years to come!