One of the things I worked on throughout the pandemic was shopping locally. From changing our Lowe’s trips to the locally franchised Ace Hardware to doing the bulk of our grocery shopping at the small butcher shop down the street and restricting our choices to what was in season locally. I wanted to do our best to keep as many dollars as locally as possible. It’s not always easy, but it has been very rewarding. It has also opened up our taste buds to some new flavors and dishes that we might not have tried otherwise.
I’m also the type of person that prefers to shop in stores rather than online. That may come as a surprise as a millennial but it’s very true. In-store shopping is probably one of my favorite activities. Even if it’s just window shopping and longing for things that are out of my price range at the moment (but someday, someday).
So it will come as no surprise that for the holidays this year, assuming we still have holidays after the election, I’m going to do my best to source gifts from some of my favorite local shops here in Colorado Springs.
Eclectic Co
Eclectic Co is a fantastic shop downtown and a go-to of mine for gifts. They carry a wide variety of locally made accessories and jewelry, vintage clothing and housewares, and art. I love the selection and it’s a perfect place to shop for gifts this holiday season, especially if anyone on your list leans more feminine and earthy. Some of my favorite vendors in this shop are Two Wolves Vintage, Berry Good Goods, and Bon Bon Bombardier.
Eclectic is absolutely my first stop for gifts for every occasion. From cute onesies for new babies in the family to cheeky enamel pins for my teenage siblings, to “COLORADO” souvenirs for our family back east; you are sure to find a perfect gift for you and your loved ones.
Eclectic co is located at 214 1/2 N Tejon St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903. A new location just opened up in Old Colorado City 2518 W Colorado Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80904.
Sparrowhawk Cookware
My second favorite shop downtown has to be Sparrowhawk Cookware. In fact, it’s officially the only place I’ll shop for cookware now. The store is packed full of any and everything you could possibly need in your kitchen. Every time I go in I’m amazed at what I find. It’s also impossible to not buy something when you enter. And there are plenty of options at a variety of price points. However, do not expect any cheap cookware. This is not that kind of store. You can find great bargains on high-end cookware but you can still expect to pay a little more than what you would see in the cooking aisle at the grocery store or on those budget sets at a department store.
I think the big selling point is the customer service in this store. If I need help, someone has already offered. When I’m ready to check out, there’s someone at the register (and often more than one person). Once I went in for some ramekins and when I brought 6 individuals up to the register, someone graciously went and found me six that were still boxed from their supplier so I could carry them out safely.
Try getting that kind of service at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. I won’t hold my breath.
Sparrowhawk Cookware is located at 120 N Tejon St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903.
Living Room Plants
There are a lot of places to buy plants, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a place so full of plants the way Living Room is. It’s any budding botanist’s dream come true. A neat feature about this store is that they have a free potting station so you can give your new plants a new home before you find the perfect place for it in yours.
I picked up a bunch of plants from this store a few weeks ago and I’m already planning on going back for more. The plants remain healthy, vibrant, and happy in their new home. Having had some bad experience with plants from other nurseries, I was a little worried that they wouldn’t all survive the transition. I think that they’ve all survived has everything to do with the care they received from The Living Room before I brought them all home here with me.
Get washed in sunlight and bathe in the greenery here. It feels lush and luxurious and fresh. This is a great place to shop for all your green-thumbed friends.
The Living Room is located at 22 E Rio Grande St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903.
Novis Mortem Collective
Novis Mortem Collective is another great gift and art shop that recently opened downtown. It’s a little like a more goth/industrial Eclectic Co but has more of an art gallery feel. There was a copper snake rib bone pendant that really spoke to my dead thing loving heart (they are real bones coated in copper through a process called electroforming). I picked up a very cool electroformed mink jaw pendant on a leather cord and it’s become my favorite piece of jewelry.
There were lots of interesting pieces in the shop and I’m looking forward to exploring more and taking a few home with me. The shop is perfect for shopping for those folks in your life who appreciate endings just as much as beginnings.
Novis Mortem Collective is located at 22 E Bijou St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903.
Yobel Market
Yobel Market is a delightful shop that strives to source things that are ethically made and fair trade certified. The shop carries a wide variety of clothing and accessories for all genders. As a gift, my husband recently purchased a gorgeous leather handbag for me and it’s my new daily bag (and by daily, I mean weekly because I barely leave my home). It’s very well made and has a luxury feel without a ginormous price tag (although not necessarily a small one either but affordable enough when I consider how long something of this quality will last).
The selection of handbags and hats is what really gets me excited (who doesn’t love a good hat?). I love knowing that the items are of high quality and fairly sourced. It’s important to me to make that a priority especially when it comes to giving gifts. It sort of reminds me of a woodsy Anthropologie. Perfect for that guy or girl who looks like they go hiking but doesn’t actually spend that much time outside (I’m kidding, Yobel Market lovers who hike please don’t come after me, ok).
Yobel Market is located at 11 E Bijou St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903
In conclusion…
That’s where you’ll catch me shopping this holiday season (on the off-peak hours, in the middle of the week because IT’S STILL A PANDEMIC PEOPLE). I know that means I’ll need to plan early since most of my gifts go in the mail back to the east coast but I’m determined to get that done on time this year. I already got this list together so that’s got to mean something, right? Right.
