The most reliable place to find unique gifts from small makers is an independent shop that's built around them: an all-local shop, a handmade marketplace, or a boutique that goes looking for emerging designers. These shops do the hunting for you, so in one stop you can browse dozens or hundreds of makers you'd never find on your own. Open Shelf, a directory of independent shops that publicly accept new brands and makers, lists 434 shops, with guides for 20 US cities. Below are some of the most maker-focused.
I run a shop that stocks small makers, so I'll tell you what I look for, and how to spot a shop that does the same.
What makes a maker-focused shop different?
Most shops carry some small brands. A maker-focused shop is built around them. You'll usually see one of three things on its website:
- A local-only rule. Everything comes from the city, state or region. 87 of the shops Open Shelf lists say they take work only from local or regional makers.
- A handmade promise. The shop sells only work the maker made or designed themselves.
- A count of makers. When a shop says it carries 200 or 300 makers, you know it's a showcase for small brands, not a store full of one distributor's catalog.
Every shop below is described by what its own website says, summarized in its Open Shelf listing.
Where can I find shops that sell only local makers?
These are the shops to visit if you want a gift that says where it came from:
- Made in Washington (Pike Place Market and Bellevue Square, Seattle area). A Washington-only gift retailer of smoked salmon, gourmet foods, art glass, home goods and gift boxes.
- MadeHere (Pearl District, Portland). A shop for nearly 200 makers from the greater Portland area.
- Philadelphia Independents (Old City, Philadelphia). Only handmade goods by independent Philadelphia-area artists.
- Shop Made in DC (several DC locations). Everything comes from a DC-based business and is designed in the District.
- I Heart Denver Store (Downtown Denver). A gift shop and artist incubator, open since 2011, carrying products from 200+ Colorado artists, designers and creative businesses.
- The Creatives Collective (Downtown Ferndale, Detroit area). A women-owned artisan market of 40+ Michigan artists and makers.
Browse more local shops in the Seattle, Portland, Philadelphia, DC, Denver and Detroit guides.
Where can I find handmade gifts?
Handmade marketplaces are where I'd send anyone who wants a one-of-a-kind gift:
- Clover + Maven (East Austin). An always-local, always-handmade shop in the Springdale General complex, showcasing 100+ women and LGBTQIA+ artisans.
- Bay-Made (Grand Lake, Oakland). Run since 2017 by two Lake Merritt makers, it calls itself a "permanent local art and crafts fair" for Bay Area artists and makers.
- SOW (Lincoln Park, Chicago). Local artisans' handmade goods, art, jewelry, textiles, souvenirs and gifts.
- Wolfbait & B-Girls (Logan Square, Chicago). "Chicago's Handmade Marketplace," for Chicagoland makers' own work.
- Vervor Shop (Ocean Beach, San Diego). Locally made work by 330+ artists, from wall art and ceramics to jewelry, clothing, toys and furniture. Nothing mass-produced.
More in the Austin, Bay Area, Chicago and San Diego guides.
Where can I find shops with hundreds of makers under one roof?
If you have a long list and one afternoon, go big:
- POST (Jefferson Chalmers, Detroit). A former US Post Office turned production studio and shop carrying 300+ independent makers.
- Trove on Tremont (South End, Boston). A women-owned boutique of artisan goods from 75+ local artists.
- HomeGrown Decatur (Downtown Decatur, Atlanta area). Since 2010 it has given emerging local and regional makers an affordable brick-and-mortar home, and it now carries 100+ creators.
See more in the Boston and Atlanta guides.
Where can I find emerging designers and brands?
Not every great small brand is local. Some shops make a point of carrying designers early in their careers:
- Free Agency (Lower East Side, New York). A store for emerging independent designers, carrying apparel and accessories.
- BEAM (Williamsburg, Brooklyn). Home and lifestyle goods that mix iconic brands with emerging artists and designers, in a waterfront store.
- Milk Handmade (Andersonville, Chicago). Only sustainably and ethically made clothing, jewelry, apothecary and home goods, with local designers prioritized.
More in the NYC guide.
What if I'm shopping for a specific kind of gift?
Some maker shops specialize, which helps when you know what you're after:
- Ceramics: Radius Art Studio on SE Belmont in Portland is a ceramics studio's shop selling only local handmade goods from Oregon makers, with a monthly featured artist.
- Prints and paper: Signal-Return in Detroit is a nonprofit letterpress studio and print shop that teaches and sells letterpress and printed work.
- Jewelry, home, kids and more: browse your city guide and look at the categories on each listing.
How can I tell a gift is really from a small maker?
From my side of the counter, the honest way is to ask. In a maker-focused shop, staff can usually tell you who made something and where. A few other signs:
- The shop says so. Local-only and handmade-only rules are usually right on the shop's website.
- Small runs. One-of-a-kind or small-batch pieces often come in a few colors or sizes, not dozens.
- A name on the tag. Many makers put their name or studio on the label or a card.
When you buy that way, you're doing more than finding a good gift. You're telling the shop to keep making room for that maker.
FAQ
What's the best place to find unique gifts from small makers?
An independent shop built around them: an all-local shop, a handmade marketplace, or a boutique that carries emerging designers. Start with your city on the cities page.
How do I find local makers in my city?
Open Shelf has guides for 20 cities, and 87 listed shops say they take work only from local or regional makers. Look for "local" or "made in" in a shop's description.
Are all of these shops in person?
These all have storefronts, and many also have their own websites. Each listing links to the shop's site, where you can check hours and locations before you go.
Are gifts from small makers more expensive?
It depends on the shop and the maker. Open Shelf doesn't list prices, so browse in person or on the shop's own site.