You Can Buy Something for Everyone on Your List From a Philly Business. Here's How.

art in the age philly
Billy Cress
Billy Cress

As an avid Avoider of Large Crowds and Therefore Black Friday, chances are you’ve found yourself with a big ol' shopping list to tackle during the holiday season. Instead of defaulting to the usual chain stores, why not use your shopping list as an excuse to explore all the shops and goods unique to Philadelphia? There are dozens and dozens of ways to buy local, whether you’re in the market for beer and wine, clothes, beauty products, or that random perfect gift for someone with indiscernible taste. Take a look at how you can buy local for everyone on your holiday list.

The Diehard Eagles Fan

Chances are they aren’t feeling great this time of year, and you can also expect they already own all the by-the-book Eagles apparel. Help them spiffy up and rock their relentless Eagles pride in style with this Eagles tee with a Philly skyline overlay from Philadelphia Independents. Phillies fans can also get in on the look with a Phanatic version here.

philly homebrew club
Courtesy of Philly Homebrew Club

The Beer Snob

They’re deeply loyal to updating their untappd account and religiously pour over the beer menu at Garage. For these beer aficionados, a Philly Homebrew Club Membership will put their dedication to the test. The $50 annual membership includes club-only bulk buy purchases, discounts on home brewing items, and entry into a like-minded beer geek culture. Oh, and a T-shirt!

la colombe coffee
La Colombe Coffee Roasters

The Coffee Addict

You can never go wrong with a gift card from La Colombe, but if you want to impress your caffeinated friend with your roasting knowledge, opt for some of the coffee shop’s other gifts, like a monthly subscription to hand-picked coffee blends chosen by the roasters themselves. You can gift as little as three months ($54) or an entire year’s worth ($216) of high-quality coffee bean delivery. For a cheaper alternative, La Colombe also sells $10 prints depicting the origins of your friend’s favorite blends.

The Animal Lover

Check out Frisky in Philly for tons of resources on adopting and caring for pets in Philly, plus plenty of last-minute gifts. We're particularly drawn to the Rocky-inspired mugs and tote bags.

duross & langel
Duross & Langel

The Twee Friend

For your compatriot who can be impossibly sweet and sentimental, handmade, artisanal soap should do the trick this holiday. Duross & Langel in Midtown Village have an array of unique soap sets at every price range, from the $22 trio box to the $85 holiday gift basket.

sweet luka mo philly
Sweet luka mo

The Young Philadelphian

Whether you have kids of your own or find yourself having to scrounge up a present for your friend’s kid, local Philly shops have plenty of alternative options to keep the youngins from looking lame. Shop Sweet Luka Mo for sustainable and city-inspired clothes, like this local peach tank.

art in the age
Billy Cress

The Aspiring Mixologist

Turns out Philly is big on artisanal cocktail mixers sold almost exclusively in the city. Occasionette and Art in the Age are two spot-on options. At Occasionette, you can score bittermilk mixers in six flavors (including Toms Collins with Elderflower and hops and charred grapefruit tonic with sea salt), and Art in the Age has an entire collection of seasonal spirit infusions.

The Local Music Fan

They go to shows every week and own a record player or two, complete with a growing record collection. For the music fan, an XPN Membership has benefits for the recipient and the station. Discounts on tickets and merch, as well as at restaurants and record stores throughout the city (to help with that burgeoning collection) go for as little as $6 a month. You can also get an upgraded membership ranging from $12-$125, with more perks along the way.

chaddsford winery
Chaddsford Winery

The Wine-o

What better way to pay homage to Philly’s local wines and satisfy the primal desires of your wine-sniffing friend than with a gift basket from Chaddsford Winery? The Holiday Gift Box, at $33.99, comes with two bottles and matching cups.

The Marathon Runner

This is your friend who is already counting down to the Broad Street run and fills their off weekends with random 5Ks (mostly to train for marathon weekend). Philadelphia Runner is that athlete’s paradise, and while you can’t go wrong with a simple gift card, it could do you well to stop in and score your friend a new running shirt or foam roller.

The Philly Expat

So you have that friend that finally decided to pack up and move to New York or D.C. or even to Colorado or something. They might deny it, but there’s no doubt they’re homesick for some Philly-isms, which is where the Philly Love Box comes in. Not only do packages include Tastykakes and peanut chews, but may also include songs from Philly musicians, merch from local artists, Philly-made soaps, books, and other items.

di bruno bros.
Di Bruno Bros.

The Foodie

Chances are they love to go out to eat at least once a week and are constantly in the know about the latest restaurant openings (and they obviously loooove to read Thrillist). In that case, the foodie is well aware that Di Bruno Bros. is the only stop that matters in Philly for gourmet cheese, meats, and specialty food. Gifts range from the $7.99 crostini sampler set to cheese and meat gift baskets starting around $40.

The Heavily Philly Accented Friend

Last but not least, we must remember our friend or two (or all of them) who are born-and-raised Philadelphians that can’t shake the city’s accent or made up words no matter how far away they roam. For them, these coasters from Philadelphia Independents -- spelling out “Yous” or “Jawn,” according to your preference -- are the perfect reminder of home.

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Marielle is a writer from Philadelphia. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @MarielleMondon.