While shopping for the holidays can sometimes become tedious and just another thing to cross off your to-do list, it doesn’t have to be! Shopping for the people on your list should be something fun and special, and something you look forward to. Taking the time to shop for your employees and clients shows those people in your life just how much you appreciate them and are willing to go that extra step to give them something back.
Usually during the holiday season, you shop at the same old stores again and again. While those stores probably offer great holiday gifts, there are more options out there! When you get tired of shopping at the same shops over and over, why not try shopping locally this season? Shopping locally cannot only be beneficial for small businesses and the economy, but it can also ensure a unique gift for people on your list. “Supporting local businesses is always important,” Jeff White at Colby Ridge Popcorn said. “We try and buy as many things locally as we possibly can. It’s just good for the local economy.” If you need some help getting started on the local scene, here are some great stores to help you start the shopping spree!
J’Amour, a boutique located at 9637 Giles Road, specializes in unique clothing items for anyone that might be on your list. “At our shop, we offer a more intimate shopping experience. There is one-on-one help that you cannot get from a big store,” Jamie Morrison at J’Amour said. “It’s very helpful to get honest opinions and to learn about the latest fashion tips. We are here to help you and make you feel sassy and beautiful.”
J’Amour also has gifts for all ages. “It’s really tough to narrow down favorite gifts in our store. We have so many unique things for all ages, even to the youngest, and I think that is a very important part to our boutique,” Jamie said.
J’Amour boutique also has handbags, jewelry and much more! They also feature popular brands like Miss Me, Affliction, Big Star and Sinful.
If clothing or accessories are not items you need to buy for anyone this year, how about that foodie on your list? Why not give someone the special treat of chocolate goodies, or better yet yummy popcorn.
“Chocolate covered potato chips are to die for,” Jeff White with Colby Ridge said. “They are all individually hand-dipped in some of the finest chocolate around. They are also unique gifts that can set you apart from other people.”
Colby Ridge, located on 5601 s. 49th Street in Lincoln, can give the gift of delicious popcorn to all those popcorn lovers on your list. Colby Ridge has gift box assortments, party bags and 24-pack of microwave popcorn. Colby Ridge can also do customized gifts if you would like to make your gift more personal. “We can customize anything. We don’t just sell 10 items and that’s it,” Jeff said. “We can customize gifts for your business.”
And don’t forget the original popcorn tin! A popcorn tin is great for all popcorn lovers and serves as a keepsake for them to remember forever.
If the foodies on your list are more coffee driven or love the meat and cheese plates, consider going to Bear Creek Coffee located at 14505 F St. in Omaha. Bear Creek Coffee isn’t just a place to grab a quick coffee on your way to work. They offer a wide variety of holiday gifts for every coffee lover on your list!
“At Bear Creek we can provide extra services that the chain store cannot. Instead of sending an employee to the local retail store or having that employee spend hours on the Internet trying to find the right gifts, you can purchase your food gifts from us and we will handle all the details! Our gifts also promote your company and your brand, not ours. When the recipient opens their gift, the first thing they’ll see is your logo. We have free imprinting of your logo and there is no die charge/no set-up charge,” Dawn Tangeman at Bear Creek said.
“Our gifts are fresher and taste better. Our gifts are packed-to-order just before the order is shipped, not made up many months in advance like so many gifts from the mail order and retail giants. We can also arrange for shipment to you or directly to each recipient; we will even enclose your greeting or business card,” Dawn added.
All of Bear Creek Coffee gifts are 100 percent money-back guarantee, so you don’t have to worry about taking any risks when picking out a gift for your employees. You can go a little crazy and not have to worry about them being disappointed or having to eat the whole gift in front of you. Dawn suggested some of her favorite gifts to consider for your employees this holiday season.
“My favorite gifts include the deluxe cheese and sausage sampler: our largest cheese and sausage assortment, packed with heavy-duty bamboo cutting board. We serve up large, half-pound blocks of Private Stock Medium and Mild Cheddar, a wedge of award winning Sartori Reserve Black Pepper Bella Vitano, then we add five ounces each of Beef Summer Sausage, Beef salami, freshly roasted deluxe mixed nuts and BBQ smoked almonds. Finally, we include a handy cheese knife and a box of Bremmer wafers. The bamboo cutting board, fire branded with your logo, will be used for years.
The grand snowflake tower is also great and perfect for a large office or family. This giant-sized tower is packed with 10 different delights: premium chocolates, fresh-roasted nuts and an array of gourmet snacks. We tie these festive snowflake boxes together with an elegant white satin ribbon foil-stamped with your logo.
And finally, another great option is the home-style cookie and brownie basket. Our thick and chewy home-style cookies and brownies are reminiscent of those from your grandmother’s kitchen. Made from scratch, they’ll bring a smile to the face of every lucky recipient! Best of all, they are all individually wrapped to lock in that fresh-from-the-oven goodness. They are packed in our wooden-handled basket and tied with a sheer burgundy ribbon with your logo or message,” Dawn said.
Bear Creek Coffee will also start carrying Business Food Gifts form Maple Ridge Farms starting Fall/Holiday 2012. “Food gifts are easy, “no brainer” gift. You don’t need to worry about the recipients size and gender like you do with wearables,” Dawn said. “Plus, a food gift is appropriate for everyone in an organization from the newest trainee to all the way up to president. Very few gifts are that easy and universal!”
Food gifts are also easy to share throughout the entire office. “Food gifts are fun and generate a lot of excitement. If you’ve ever been in an office that received a gift basket or gourmet tower you’ll remember everyone rushing to open every package in anticipation of enjoying the delicious contents,” Dawn said.
Something completely non-food related to consider this holiday season is Ehly’s Interior located at 2312 Bob Boozer Drive in Omaha.
Ehly’s is a family-owned local business. “Locally owned businesses are the ones that help the local economy the most. We put payroll and tax dollars to work as well as spending money locally to help the economy,” Tom Ehly said.
Shopping locally, especially at Ehly’s Interior, lets you have attentive service when you are shopping. “Most of the box stores can’t give you the service you would like,” Tom said. “If something breaks or needs service or you need a part, the local guys are the ones you call. We can afford to be more creative with our pricing and service since we normally have lower overhead.”
They have a wide range of gift options for anyone that may be on your list. “Holiday gifts could include a gift certificate for a consultation or custom window treatment or new carpet for a bedroom. When you deal with a smaller local firm, you are treated as if you are their only customer and your calls are returned within 24 hours instead of days,” Tom said.
Another gift that might be a bit ‘outside the box’ is a remote car starter. “Out of all the accessories we install, remote starters are the overwhelming gift of choice for our customers,” says Rick Quistad with Jones Automotive. “Everyone would like to have a cooled off vehicle in the summer or a warmed up one in the winter.” Car accessories like these are not just for those on your list who are big car fanatics, either. Anyone who drives in the extremes of Nebraska’s weather will appreciate vehicle accessories that make their lives more comfortable and convenient!
Need more convincing that shopping locally is the way to go? Consider the following:
–When you shop local, you are supporting your friends and neighbors. Do you ever wonder where your money is going when you shop on the internet or at big box stores that are corporate-owned? I can’t tell you who it goes to, but I can tell you who it DOESN’T go to—your friends and neighbors who are small business owners right here in your own community. You’re going to be spending the money anyway this holiday season, so why shouldn’t it go to benefit those who are living in your own neighborhood?
–When you visit a local store, you are often working with the owner. We all know that owners of businesses have more of a vested interest in its success than someone who is just an employee. When you shop at a locally owned store, you’re often getting help directly from the owner. That just makes them more likely to be helpful, informative and to give you the top-notch customer service you deserve. After all, they know that the lifeblood of their business is by giving the service that keeps their customers coming back again and again!
–When you buy local, you are more likely to get unique items. If you shop on the internet or at chain stores, you’ll probably find that the items are readily available to shoppers all over the nation. It’s difficult to really find a unique gift this way. Locally owned stores generally carry items that are not found at every other store in town and can sometimes even special order items that you are interested in.
–Local stores are more likely to be good community partners. Local business owners know the importance of supporting our community because they themselves are residents of this community. This generally makes them more likely to support local non-profit organizations and participate in fund-raisers and other events that help out and make this a better place to live.
This holiday season Instead of hitting up all the usual department stores you shop at, why not do something different by shopping at a local store? “It is important to buy local because several studies have shown that when you buy from an independent locally owned business rather than a nationally owned business, significantly more of your money is used to make purchases from other local businesses; continuing to strengthen the economic base of the community,” Dawn with Bear Creek concluded.
By shopping locally your employees will receive gifts that are truly unique and something they have never had before, which will make them appreciate your gift this year more than ever.