Whether you’re looking to do some last minute shopping, or you want to just shop local here in NYC, there are lots of great places to do it! I mean come on…can we believe it’s already mid December?
As the holidays get closer, many local boutiques and stores have extended hours and rushed shipping options to help you check everyone off your list, plus you’ll be able to support the amazing businesses that make the city what it is. Here are just a few of our favorite local spots to help you finish off your shopping list this year!
1. NiLu’s Gift Boutique,, Harlem
This lovely lifestyle shop in Harlem features a variety of curated, homemade goods from local (and majority Black) makers, inspired by the owners’ global travels. Holiday hours are from 11 – 8 pm daily, and also if you order online by 2 pm ET, it will be on a UPS truck that day.
Where: 191 Malcolm X Blvd
2. The Brass Owl , Astoria
Visit this adorable boutique in Astoria, Queens — they have extended hours all week from 10 a.m.-9 p.m., and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Christmas Eve — or, if you’re fast, you can still do online shipping. The deadline for local NYC orders is December 22 to arrive on time for Christmas! Find clothes, accessories, and unique gifts, many from local Queens artisans!
Where: 36-19 Ditmars Blvd, Queens
3. Yoseka Stationery, Greenpoint
This stationery shop, that recently relocated from Sunnyside to Greenpoint, Brooklyn, holds amazing stationary, notebooks, stickers, stamps, and probably the biggest assortment of pens you have seen! From adorable office accessories to practical planners, you’re bound to find something unique for everyone on your list.
Visit the store anytime 1 pm – 7 pm Wednesday – Sunday, or browse their website here.
Where: 63 West St, Brooklyn, NY
4. Lockwood, Multiple Locations
This home goods store in NYC has locations in Astoria & Jackson Heights, Queens, plus Greenpoint, Brooklyn! You’ll find everything from cozy scarves, a covetable collection of puzzles and candles, apothecary products, cookbooks, and special NYC-proud items. Check their website for exact hours at each location.
Where: 77-13 37th Ave (Jackson Heights), 32-15 33rd St (Astoria), 98 Greenpoint Ave (Greenpoint)
5. Fishs Eddy, Flatiron
Stop by Fishs Eddy for the best dishware gifts…and if you think that sounds boring, it’s definitely NOT. Get bowls, mugs and plates with beautiful graphics — from NYC scenes to quirky prints to hilarious one-liners. Open: Monday – Saturday 10 am – 6 pm, Sunday 11 am – 6 pm
Where: 889 Broadway at 19th St
6. Greenlight Bookstore, Fort Greene & Prospect Lefferts Gardens
Support your local independent bookstore for gifts! Greenlight is a Brooklyn favorite, with locations in Fort Greene and Prospect Lefferts Gardens, but of course there are plenty of options all over the city. See their website for hours.
Where: 686 Fulton Street (Fort Greene) & 632 Flatbush Avenue (Prospect Lefferts Gardens)
7. Sullivan Street Tea & Spice Co., Greenwich Village
Choose from hundreds of organic teas, herbs, spices & more from this Greenwich Village spot, plus handmade gift sets that are made with sustainable materials. Order online and then pick up everything curbside. Open daily 11 am – 7 pm
Where: 208 Sullivan St
8. New York Transit Museum, Brooklyn
Give the gift of the MTA this year with one of the cute goodies from the New York Transit Museum! From model subway cars to holiday decor, you can give a nostalgic piece gift that pays homage to NYC’s iconic transit system. Check out the store in person in Brooklyn or shop the goods online!
Where: 99 Schermerhorn St, Brooklyn
9. Exit9 Gift Emporium, East Village & Brooklyn
This Mom and Pop shop prides itself on shelving quirky gadgets, knickknacks, stationery, NYC-focused novelties, and so much more. Whether you’re shopping for last minute items or looking for something you will not find anywhere else in the city, Exit9 probably has it. Our favorite items are the curated gift boxes that are packages full of different presents based on interest (ex: New York Booze Box and Spicy Box).
Where:
51 Avenue A (Manhattan)
127 Smith St (Brooklyn)
10. Artists & Fleas, Williamsburg & Chelsea
These two marketplaces are as local as it gets! Shop directly with the small business owners themselves as you walk around the different vendors in search of your holiday gifts. You’ll find everything here too. Vintage clothing, jewlery, records, art, you name it. Artists & Fleas is one of the best places to sniff out independent retailers and find one-of-a-kind goods. The Chelsea Market location is open daily and the Williamsburg location is open Saturdays and Sundays.
Where:
70 N 7th St (Williamsburg)
88 10th Avenue @ W 15th Street (Chelsea Market)
11. November 19, Lower East Side
This beautiful craft home and lifestyle goods store curates items from all over the world in their LES shop. From Japanese clocks to hand painted jars, you’ll find just about anything you want for your home. Prices are pretty affordable and their inventory is constantly rotating to ensure freshness.
Where: 37 Orchard Street
12. Friends, Bushwick
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This cute urban shop in Bushwick sells gently used & vintage women’s clothing, shoes & accessories, unique gifts, and a whole lot more! Their gifts are always lighthearted and fun, and come from all over the world (including brands like Brooklyn Candle Studio, Anecdote Candles, Field Trip, and Only Hearts here in NYC). It’s impossible not to walk out of here with something special.
Where: 56 Bogart St, Brooklyn
13. NYC’s Holiday Markets, Multiple Locations
We know how many holiday markets there are in NYC, and they are without a doubt one of the best places to find unique gifts from local businesses. Our favorites are the Bryant Park Winter Village Market and the Columbus Circle Market, but there are so many across all of the boroughs. You’ll find everything from ornaments to hand painted portraits.
Where: See them all here
14. Dona, Online
Dona is a Brooklyn-based and female-founded tea brand that focuses on sustainably sourced ingredients and products. What could better than gifting a warm hearty brand of tea for the colder weather? We think nothing! Plus, what we love about this brand is that with every purchase, a donation is made to Chhaya Development Corporation, an organization that works to build housing stability, and economic well-being of South Asian and Indo-Caribbean communities in New York City.
Where: Dona’s website
15. Zabar’s, Upper West Side
This gourmet emporium specializing in smoked fish, caviar, cheese, kitchen goods, and coffee. This family business, whose storefront now stretches out almost a whole block in the UWS, famously sells their gift boxes and gift packages during the holiday season, which are a smorgasbord of treats, foods, and accessories.
Where: 2245 Broadway