Iowa gift guide: Local goods to give this holiday season

From artists to bakers and even Taylor Swift fans, Iowa’s entrepreneurs are worth investing in, and they’ve got the best gifts this holiday season.

Every year, big-box stores rake in millions of dollars throughout the holiday season, often leaving small businesses behind. However, as the ones spending that money, we have the power to change this and, instead, put our funds directly in the pockets of our fellow Iowans. After all, our state is full of talented crafters and entrepreneurs who span countless industries. In one city, someone curates baby clothes in a super-stylish boutique, while someone in another uses their passion for sustainable and clean products to develop candles that are not only better for you and your home but also smell divine.

Have we hooked you yet? We hope so because we’ve gathered some of the best products from small businesses in Iowa to help you shop smarter—and more local—this holiday season. 

1. For the college sports fan

College sports are one of the great university equalizers—nearly every school has a mascot and various teams, and students nationwide find themselves enamored with how their school’s teams match up against those of the school’s competitors. With that comes showing support for your school with cool merchandise. If you’re an Iowa State University (ISU) fan and live near Ames, you’re in luck, as the printing shop PhotoSynthesis offers an array of ISU merch that’s perfect for any fan of Cy the Cardinal.

Don’t just take our word for it: You can get everything from metal art of ISU’s campus to a pop art-inspired mug featuring the school’s logo and on-theme pot holders. That’s only scratching the surface, though. PhotoSynthesis offers nearly countless ISU-themed options for the college sports fans in your life.  

Address: 317 Main St, Ames, IA 50010

Photo courtesy of PhotoSynthesis.

2. For your favorite little one

If you or a loved one have a baby, you need to check out Jena Bug Baby Boutique this holiday season. Not only will you find some seriously sweet Christmas-themed clothing for the little one in your life, but you’ll also uncover some exemplary fashion, proving that babies can be just as stylish as their parents.

For example, the Pink Checker Bell Bottom Denim pants from this Carroll-based boutique are cute as a button. You and your older kids can even get cute ‘fits here, too. Despite “baby” being in the boutique’s name, this store offers adult and tween items, like the purply, tie-dye “Mama Life” T-shirt. This can be a true one-stop shop for your baby and yourself (because who says you can’t get yourself a holiday gift or two?).

Address: 515 N Adams St STE 201, Carroll, IA 51401

3. For the ornament-obsessed

Everyone knows someone who loves Christmas ornaments, and some even make a tradition of collecting ornaments over the years, with each dazzling piece of art holding a special memory or connection. If you need to cross someone like this off of your to-buy-for list, check out Feigenspan Studios in Kalona.

On the company’s Shop Iowa page, you can find a number of snowflake ornaments in different shapes, allowing you to select one—or a few—that perfectly matches your recipient’s taste and personality. These white snowflake ornaments are great on their own, but you could also turn them into custom artwork to make them even more personal. Give them a coat of paint in your person’s favorite color, or even cover them in stickers. Anything goes! (And rest assured that Feigenspan Studios has other offerings, too, including jewelry boxes and even egg holders.) 

Address: 2103 540th St. SW, Kalona, IA 52247

4. For the candle-crazed

Burning candles and melting wax can instantly set the mood in a room, and luckily for you, you can get high-quality, clean, and locally made candles and wax melts from No Coast Candle Co. in Shenandoah. Now, the company doesn’t have a storefront (yet), but you can purchase its products online or at one of the many pop-up events it’s known to do. You can even feel good about No Coast Candle’s products because they’re made exclusively with 100% soy wax and fragrance oils—plus a 100% cotton wick—meaning there are no unnecessary or potentially toxic ingredients hidden inside (which some mainstream companies can’t say).

Now for the fun stuff: the scents. In addition to seasonal scents, you can find delicious-smelling options like Banana Nut Bread, Fruit Loops, Lavender Chamomile, Sparkling Sangria, and so much more here. Oh, and the candles are reasonably priced, coming in at $22 for a 16-oz. unit, while the wax melts are just $5.

5. For the iced coffee fanatic 

If you’re an iced coffee lover, you may actually want this item for yourself—and we wouldn’t blame you.

Based out of Cedar Falls, Grizzly Rose Co. hand-makes beautiful clothing items to help everyone feel comfortable in their own skin. The company’s website notes that its two founders have firsthand experience with clothes not fitting well, which led them to find a solution not only for themselves but also for others. That leads us to the perfectly cutesy Iced Coffee Social Club Crewneck. Its design is perfectly balanced, with the pops of color tying the whole palette together. What’s more, this crewneck goes up to a 3X-Large in size, though Medium and 3X-Large are sold out at the time of writing.

Ultimately, who wouldn’t want to support a woman-owned business and look fabulous while doing it?

6. For the Swiftie 

Grizzly Rose Co. isn’t “out of the woods”—er, off of our list—just yet. The online clothing store has an entire Taylor Swift-themed section on its website, making it a one-stop shop for anyone who wants to shop local this year and has a Swiftie to buy for.

There are several items in the section, but our favorite is the Get Away Car Comfort Colors Graphic Tee. This green-and-pink shirt evokes classic Palm Springs vibes and iconography—that is, except the hotel sign reads “nothing good happens in a get-away car,” referencing 2017 track “Getaway Car.” This is an especially great gift for anyone you know who’s anxiously awaiting Swift’s re-recording of this track’s album, “Reputation.” Gift them this, and they’ll be all set to listen in style when the re-recorded version releases. 

7. For the caffeine cravers

We’ve established the best iced coffee-themed clothing item, but some folks on your list will surely appreciate some actual coffee and tea. Enter BLK & Bold, Des Moines’ premier coffee and tea supplier. At BLK & Bold, you can get every type of coffee product you can dream of—whole beans, ground coffee, pods for a Keurig, and bottled cold brew—as well as green, black, and herbal teas. The products here are high in quality, and supporting a Black-owned business can make all the difference this holiday season.

But what should you grab? Well, the Matcha Green Tea Powder is always a solid choice, especially if you know someone who regularly orders match lattes at Starbucks. Or, you could help someone find their next favorite cup o’ joe after gifting them a set of Rise & GRND Medium Roast K-Cups. BLK & Bold even sells decaf blends for those who enjoy coffee but don’t need the energy boost or can’t consume caffeine.

Address:  5016 Park Ave, Des Moines, IA 50321

8. For the home chefs

If you get confused about what to get someone who loves to cook and host people because it seems like they have everything they could possibly need in the kitchen, look no further than AKAR in Iowa City. This small business is full of architectural and home design novelties—aka everything you need to pull off a grand surprise for your loved one. Just don’t blame us if you end up spending hours on the company’s website or in its brick-and-mortar store.

For kitchenware, check out the Iowa State Casserole dish for a unique cooking and serving vessel, or take a gander at the Iittala, Taika: Serving Bowl, which is pricey but stunning. Finally, for something that’s more space-age appropriate, consider the Alessi Sugar Bowl with Spoon. Again, this leans toward the expensive side of the kitchenware spectrum, but it’s a gorgeous work of art. 

Address: 257 Iowa Avenue, Iowa City, IA 52240

9. For the one who keeps things spicy

Giving someone a new experience is one of the best ways to approach holiday gift-giving, and this year, it’s easier than ever to do this while shopping locally. Case in point: HoQ Restaurant in Des Moines is selling bottles of its famous hot sauce for only $5.99 a pop on Shop Iowa. (Alternatively, if you’re a real spice-head, you can grab a case of 12 bottles for about $48 on the restaurant’s website.) T

his hot sauce is a celebration of Iowa; it’s made with all local ingredients, as the restaurant sources from Iowa farms, and fully prepared at the restaurant. You’re not getting mass-produced hot sauce when you purchase a bottle of this one—you’re getting a homemade condiment that can truly elevate any dish it’s added to. Use this as a spicy stocking stuffer, or include it in a gift basket with other smaller gifts. In any case, it’s bound to be a hit. 

Address: 303 E 5th St, Des Moines, IA 50309

10. For the bookworm

Books have been a hot topic of conversation in recent years, with, for example, certain books becoming banned in some schools. This year, why not do double duty and buy the folks in your life some poignant books while supporting an independent bookstore?

Enter Beaverdale Books, which sells all of the mainstream books you’d expect to find in a bookstore of its caliber. However, this bookstore becomes even more special when you learn that it also uplifts Iowa authors, including by selling books from not only traditionally published authors but also self-published authors. If you’re not in the publishing sphere, you might not know that self-publishing is much harder than it sounds, as all marketing and selling efforts fall onto you. But when a bookstore like Beaverdale Books agrees to sell your book, it’s a very big deal. And now you can help support local authors and bring new writers’ voices to your loved ones. Oh, and don’t forget to check out the Pride section of Beaverdale Books’ website for some excellent queer literature.

Address: 2629 Beaver Ave # S1, Des Moines, IA 50310

11. For those with a sweet tooth

Iowa’s home to a huge swath of folks descended from Dutch and German immigrants, and you can get “a taste of Holland” at Pella’s Jaarsmsa Bakery, as its tagline states.

Jaarsma Bakery is classically Dutch, featuring iconic menu items like Dutch Apple Bread, Almond Butter Cake, and Dutch Letters. Everything here is handmade, and it’s something unique to classic American sweets. This makes it the perfect holiday gift—and the key reason why we chose this bakery for our list over the myriad other sweets spots in the state.

While ordering à la carte is always acceptable, we recommend picking up Jaarsma’s Pastry Assortment, which comes with six pastries (two Almond Crispies, two Apple Rings, and two Puff Pillows). This is the perfect sampler for someone who’s never tasted the magic of Jaarsma Bakery before, and it’s also a perfect introduction to all of the culinary delights that Holland has to offer.

12. For that special someone

Whether you want to give your mom a nice piece of jewelry as a thank-you for everything she’s done for you or you want to treat your partner to a special piece, you can’t go wrong with Artisan Jewelry by Erica Gooding, an Iowa native working out of her own local studio. Her pieces aren’t one-dimensional, either. Some have entrancing textures, while others are mixed-metal, creating a duo-tone experience like no other.

For a family member, we recommend the Copper Teardrop Hoop Earrings with Coral. These hoops are classic with a twist—everything a good piece of modern jewelry should be. For a partner, we recommend the 14K Gold and Herkimer Necklace—another classic type of jewelry that’s been given a breath of fresh air—and the Sterling Silver Moonstone and Lapis Bracelet. After all, lapis lazuli has long been thought to symbolize strength and truth—great things to prioritize in a relationship.

13. For the chocoholic

There’s never a bad time for chocolate, and there’s never a bad time to give someone a beautiful chocolate arrangement. This is where West Des Moines’ Chocolate Storybook comes in handy. This confectionery produces many different types of chocolates, from truffles to turtles and even chocolate-covered bacon.

While many options would make perfect gifts for the chocolate lover in your life, we’d recommend getting them a sampler box to let them taste as many treats as possible. For example, the Gold Tidings Chocolate Assortment contains 32 chocolates and 15 truffles, making it heaven in a box. Meanwhile, the aptly named Perfect Gift Set has even more variety, boasting truffles, caramels, and more.

Overall, these sets are great for anyone in your life—friends, family, coworkers, and anyone in between. Just don’t forget to get yourself a Triple Chocolate Caramel Apple (after all, shopping is exhausting).

Address: 1000 Grand Ave, West Des Moines, IA 50265

Photo courtesy of Chocolate Storybook.

14. For your artist (or art admirer)

For our final entry, we’re talking about art, and if we’re being honest, this is only last in the list because it actually pulls double duty.

Walk with us: Board & Brush is a local sip-and-paint franchise in Iowa, and it’s the perfect gift this holiday season because you can either gift the sip-and-paint experience to a loved one or give them a premade gift, as Board & Brush sells a variety of already painted decor items. We’re partial to the experience, as you’ll not only get decor but also memories you’re unlikely to forget anytime soon, but the premade items are absolutely stunning, too. For example, Board & Brush’s benches come in a variety of styles—as do its doormats and cornhole boards. Oh, and did we mention that you can buy kits to do the sip-and-paint experience at home?

Really, you can’t go wrong with Board & Brush.

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.