South End Christmas Shopping in the Queen City
Our love of Charlotte, and all that it is home to, is part of what inspires us to blog. Maybe because we are still new to the city, or because we are inclined to explore, but we are continually finding new, exciting places in the area. We also think it is so important to recognize local folks who are doing great things. Yes, this has generally meant that food is involved, although there are notable exceptions. At some point, we hope to give each of these lovely spots their own dedicated posts. However, with Christmas just around the corner, we wanted to highlight some of our favorite locations for gift buying in South End Charlotte.
Cloister Honey – We are huge fans of this local honey company! The owners, Joanne and Randall are so friendly and passionate about their product. They are still a young brand, and are constantly expanding their line of flavors and sizes. We gave their sampler jars as our wedding favors, and are still hearing praises about the pumpkin spice, arbol pepper, and wildflower flavors. The Bourbon Honey, and Cinnamon Honey will definitely be part of our gifts this year. Their website has a complete list of retail locations, but we usually get ours straight from the source at Atherton Market.
Savory Spice – While we are still refining our international cooking skills, Savory Spice ensures that we can always find everything from the pure vanilla extract to the obscure chiles on our ingredient lists. They work to keep their inventory freshly ground, and we can really tell the difference in flavor compared to the standard grocery store offerings. My favorite part is they sell all of the spices by weight, which allows us to buy only what we need for dinner. We use their curries often, and their “Pyramid Peak Lemon Pepper,” Italian herbs, and Taco Seasoning are in heavy rotation in our weekly menu at home. During the holidays, they also have lots of gift-packages perfect for the kitchen connoisseur on your list. The owners, Amy and Scott, are incredible, and be sure to ask for the “full spiel” when you visit the Atherton location, otherwise you might miss some of the key tastes and samples they have out. They also have a small selection Cloister Honey and another great Charlotte local, Tea Rex.
Charlotte Art League – JZ and I generally visit the Art League on the first Friday of the month for the South End Gallery Crawl. We enjoy seeing new works by local artists, and the rotating exhibitions paired with artists’ working studios make this a great place to visit regularly. The prices are very affordable for a wide range one-of-a-kind pieces! As an added bonus, from December 9th through January, the artists are displaying small pieces, perfecting for holiday gifting.
Paper Skyscraper – While technically in Dilworth, we would not consider a South End holiday shopping guide complete without including this stationary and gift store. JZ and I have spent many an evening perusing their varied and ever-changing selection. It is so easy for us to get lost among the hilarious cards and lovely coffee table books. From funny to heartfelt, there is a little something for everyone in this shop. Paper Skyscraper is the first place I go for anyone difficult to shop for – I either leave with a great gift, or inspired by something I found among the shelves.
While there are many more galleries, antique, and other boutiques and shops in our wonderful South End, these are definitely our go-to places. The best part is that you could easily walk among all of the locations, giving you some time to enjoy the crisp, winter weather as you find the perfect gift for that fickle family member.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!
**These are all of our own opinions; this post is not sponsored by any of the highlighted vendors, but please let them know we love them if you stop by.**
