Welcome to #RetailFridays | Top Gifts from Local Shop Owners
At our most recent #VCLiftTheRock | What’s Trending in Retail, we heard from four amazing local small business owners about what’s in their store that should be on your Holiday gift radar this year!
(If you missed the live event and want to watch, click here! Pro tip: Skip to 53:40 for the gift recommendations!)
Abbi’s Teas & Things
Abbi’s is a family operated boutique tea shop in the Hillcrest Historic District here in Little Rock. The mom, daughter, and sister team curated a shop offering unique teas and a collection of adorable gifts and treats to browse. Their selection of teaware, jewelry, and more are unique and ever-changing; you never know what you’ll find! Abbi’s also sells their own loose leaf tea blends along with traditional tea favorites.
What should be on your list:
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All of Abbi’s 40+ blends of tea come in 2 oz packages and are perfect stocking stuffers.
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Keep your eye out for Holiday Spirit and Twinkle Tea, which will be available on Black Friday.
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Abbi has for sale $25 pre-made, pre-wrapped gift bags that come with a bag of tea, a tea ball, a teapot cookie, and a single sample. Great for gifts to grab and go!
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VC Staff favorites:
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This delicious Masala Chai
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Any of the beloved Roobois blends
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This genuinely magical Magic Tea Maker
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What you need to know to shop:
The store’s interior is closed to the general public due to Covid. Abbi’s listed these hours for pick-up & phone support.
Sunday-Monday: Closed
Tuesday-Saturday: 10:00am-3:00pm
WEEKLY TEA STAND ON WEDNESDAYs
*weather permitting – check Facebook!
Location:
2622 Kavanaugh Blvd.
Little Rock, Arkansas 72205
501.246.5077
Promo code:
Free shipping through Sunday, Nov. 22 with LiftTheRock at checkout!
Wordsworth Books
Wordsworth Books & Co. is Little Rock’s largest and oldest independent bookstore. They offer a wide selection of new titles and specialize in local interest books. The helpful staff is available seven days a week to assist you and make your shopping experience an enjoyable one.
What should be on your list:
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Ask about signed copies! This year they have Speaking for Myself by Sarah Huckabee Sanders, some books from the She Persisted series by Chelsea Clinton
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Tim Erns incredible book of photography, Arkansas Greatest Hits: 45 Years Of Wilderness Photography.
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The Vapors: A Southern Family, the New York Mob, and the Rise and Fall of Hot Springs, America’s Forgotten Capital of Vice — need we say more?
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Barack Obama’s new book, A Promised Land
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VC Staff favorites:
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These incredible literary scented candles
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Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s My Own Words
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What you need to know to shop:
The store is open for in-store shopping from 10am-6pm, Monday-Saturday and noon-5pm Sunday.
The mask mandate requires masks for entrance.
Wordsworth is still offering curbside pick-up and home delivery for those who prefer these options. Give them a call at 501-663-9198 or shop online!
Location:
5920 R Street
Little Rock, Arkansas 72207
501-663-9198
Domestic Domestic
Domestic Domestic is a collaboration of sorts — selling a hodgepodge of American made goods built to last. They are, as they say, the matchmakers connecting conscientious consumers with ethical companies.
What should be on your list:
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This HeatBank 9s rechargeable hand warmer. Stocking stuffer of the year!
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It’s not a party until you have this Party Barge Beverage Tub
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Santa with Face Mask Ornament (SOLD OUT)
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VC Staff favorites:
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The coolest SCRIMSHAW KNIFE KIT | BARLOW
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The wine cooler of the future: The Vinglacé bottle insulator
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What you need to know to shop:
The store is open for in-store shopping 10am-7pm Monday-Friday, 10-5 on Saturday and 11-4 on Sunday.
Per city mandate, masks are required for entrance.
Location:
5501 Kavanaugh Blvd., Suite C
Little Rock, Arkansas 72207
(501) 661-1776
Esse Purse Museum
ESSE is a woman-owned small business, and The Store at ESSE is a supporter of artisans from all over the world – a small business supporting other small businesses. At ESSE, they believe in quality craftsmanship, ethically sourced products, and items that support, not suppress, the people who make them justify a higher cost. The museum’s permanent exhibit, “What’s Inside: A Century of Women and Handbags 1900-1999,” grew out of a traveling exhibit selected from Davis’ extensive collection. Curated by Curatrix Group and managed by Smith Kramer Fine Arts Services, “The Purse and the Person: A Century of Women’s Purses” traveled the country from 2006 to 2011. In 2013, this exhibit and greater collection found a permanent home in Little Rock.
ESSE also features temporary exhibits, typically on a quarterly basis.
What should be on your list:
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This Fibres of Life Bag: Felt Tote with removable art panels
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I will immediately trust ANYONE that owns a Bewaltz Bag: Avocado
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Go classic with a Rustico Bag: Hideout Tote
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VC Staff favorites:
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The jazziest, funkiest Alexandra Tsoukala Bag: Is This a Bag?
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These fancy Druzy Dangles handmade by Esse Director Ally Weaver
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What you need to know to shop:
ALL employees and guests must wear a CDC approved face covering while in the store and/or museum. *Esse has a limited supply of masks they will gladly give to guests without a face covering, while supplies last.
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We have sanitizing stations placed throughout the building. When you first enter the store, we ask that you please use the provided sanitizer or thoroughly wash your hands before touching any merchandise. We also have a limited supply of latex-free gloves available.
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We ask that you practice social distancing and remain 6ft away from other guests and employees at all times.
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In order to make social distancing easier, we ask that our guests travel “one-way” through the museum.
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We are limiting the number of guests allowed in the museum and/or store to 10 people at any given time.
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Private appointments are available, but they must be scheduled in advance. Contact us for more information or to schedule.
Hours are Tue – Sun: 11:00AM – 4:00PM
Location:
1510 Main Street
Little Rock, Arkansas 72202
(501) 916-9022