Gulfport and St. Pete gifts to buy this holiday season includes small batch kombucha and raw vegan desserts at Beech Kombucha. Photo by Elana Boses
When you holiday shop locally it’s like giving two gifts, one to the recipient and one to your community. Experts calculate that when you buy from local businesses, instead of large corporations, as much as 70 cents of every dollar spent stays in the community, building wealth which increases the standard of living. Shopping locally shows pride for your city, and also supports future growth.
Sometimes we give the gift of luxury, purchasing something for someone that they would never buy themselves, while other times we give an item that serves necessities and functionality.
Gulfport and St. Pete Gifts to Buy This Holiday Season
The featured gifts represent additional layers to the concept of local. These gift ideas are locally sold, locally made, locally sourced and/or sustainable by being recyclable, upcycled, or handmade.
Gulfport Beach Bazaar’s Smelly Jar ($7)
Beach Bazaar employee, Mike Hooper, holds one of the “smelly jar” sustainable scent diffusers. Photo by Elana Boses
The Smelly Jar is locally made by Beach Bazaar’s Mike Hooper. It is a small glass container filled with essential and fragrance oils saturating the bamboo lid, which diffuses the scent through the string. There are fun scents such as “hippie chick,” a blend of nag champa and frankincense, or “monkey fart,” which is based on a tropical diet.
“They last a really long time; I’ve had mine for a month and a half!” said Hooper.
Gulfport Beach Bazaar, 3115 Beach Blvd. S., Gulfport. Mon., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Tues., 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Weds., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thurs., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sun., 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 727-381-8548, gulfportbeachbazaar.com.
Be sure to also check out our live webcam facing downtown Gulfport from Gulfport Beach Bazaar.
Bodhi Basics Handcrafted Soap ($12.50)
Made in St. Petersburg, Bodhi Basics has all natural organic ingredients. Photo by Elana Boses
Everyone knows that by the sixth night of Hanukkah, someone gets toiletries!
Sail Market has small batch, made-in-Tampa-Bay, organic plant-based body products by Bodhi Basics. The handcrafted soap supports and cultivates “a sacred relationship between the body and nature,” with scents like Tobias’ Orange Grove or Duncan Grapefruit. They sell for $12.50 each, but will be “buy one, get one free” on the day after Thanksgiving. The popular Muddy Walrus Pottery is also available, with mugs donning “Gulfport” or “Pass-a-Grille” for $32.
Sail Market Boutique & Gallery, 5325 Gulfport Blvd. S., Gulfport. Closed Sunday and Monday. Tues.-Fri., 12-5 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m.-3 p.m. 727-946-6168, sailmarket.net.
Vintage Barware and Glassware ($12-$100)
Unique vintage glassware at As It Was Vintage. Photo by Elana Boses
As It Was Vintage is a little cottage of vintage decor, housewares, clothing, and jewelry. Entering the store is a nostalgic journey through times past. A sign in the store reads, “Save the Planet, buy Vintage.”
The cottage has an original kitchen filled with mid-century modern glass sets and china of all types. The “Bar Room” has shelves of beautiful vintage glass, providing a functional gift for those who enjoy a swanky bourbon snifter or an elegant set of martini glasses.
As It Was Vintage, 5314 Gulfport Blvd. S., Gulfport. Tues.-Sun., 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun., 12-5 p.m. 727-321-3820, asitwasvintage.com.
Jewelry Made by Tampa Bay Artisans ($25-$175)
Ashley Wix and MJ Hodges show off their handmade jewelry in Zaiya Aritzen Market on Gulfport’s Beach Boulevard. Photo by Elana Boses
Zaiya Artizen Market features more than 30 Tampa Bay artisans making clothing, accessories, crafts, cards, and jewelry. Customers often find two of the artisans in the store, MJ Hodges and Ashley Wix. Hodges, the store owner, is the creator of the jewelry brand, Azul & Eve, named after her children. Store employee Wix is also a metalsmith offering handmade rings, bracelets and earrings.
Zaiya Artizen Market, 3119 Beach Blvd. S., Gulfport. Sun.-Mon., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Tues., 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Weds.-Sat., 10 a.m.-8 p.m. 678-665-4988, zaiyaartizenmarket.com.
32 oz Kombucha Glass Growler ($20; with one free fill-up, $12 future fill-ups)
Aj Marino and Michelle Ott offer small batch kombucha and raw vegan desserts at Beech Kombucha in St. Pete. Photo by Elana Boses
AJ Marino is the owner of St. Pete’s first and only Kombucha tasting room. Marino said Kombucha balances gut health and supports a laundry list of health benefits for modern ailments.
Give your friends and family the gift of good gut health when you buy a 32-ounce growler that comes with one fill-up. The growler can be filled each week at the Tuesday market for $12. The “Boochery,” as Marino calls it, also offers vegan and raw desserts by Simply Naked. Gluten-free, dairy-free, raw, and vegan 9-inch pumpkin pies and cheesecakes are available for the holidays.
Beech Kombucha, 3100 Freemont Terrace S., St. Petersburg. Fri.-Sat., 12-7 p.m.; Sun., 12-6 p.m. 727-344-9693, beechbucha.com.
Spiro’s Greek Marinade & Salad Dressing ($5.99)
Spiro’s Greek Marinade and Dressing is just $5.99. If you bring the bottle back, refills are $4.99. Photo by Elana Boses
Spiro’s Deli and Produce has been a staple of South Pasadena for decades. The beloved house-made marinade and salad dressing sells in a glass bottle for $5.99, but can get refilled for $4.99.
“All of the Spiro’s dishes that you’ve loved for 40 years are made with this marinade and dressing,” said the store’s matriarch, Judy Karakoudas.
Spiro’s Restaurant, Deli & Produce, 6801 Gulfport Blvd. S., #1, South Pasadena. Mon.-Sat., 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. 727-384-0750, spirospasadena.com.
Fresh Roasted Whole Coffee Beans 1 lb. ($23)
Joanna Hansen offers freshly roasted single source coffee beans at SumitrA Espresso Lounge. Photo by Elana Boses
“We sell a lot of coffee for the holidays,” said Joanna Hansen, barista at SumitrA Espresso Lounge. “We roast our single source coffee beans every 3-5 days, you won’t find fresher coffee beans anywhere.”
SumitrA Espresso Lounge, 2838 Beach Blvd. S., Gulfport. Sun.-Weds., 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; Thurs., 8 a.m.-4 p.m.; Fri.-Sat. 8 a.m.-9 p.m. 813-220-4533.
Styles Ever After Swiftie Dress ($247)
BoTiki employee, Madi O’Connor, displays the Swiftie dress by Style Ever After. Photo by Elana Boses
BoTiki, a chic beach boutique carries repurposed fabrics by Floridian Kim Styles. These one-of-a-kind garments pay tribute to musical and pop icons like the Beatles, Rolling Stones, and Taylor Swift.
BoTiki, 3015 Beach Blvd. S., Gulfport. Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m.-8 p.m. 727-498-8757, botiki.com.
Alligator Drink Set ($79)
John Shevlin of Stella’s Sundries holds a luxury drink set. Photo by Elana Boses
Stella’s Sundries has luxury items that everyone loves, but may not buy for themselves, making it a great option for entertainment gifts. Tasty gourmet charcuterie board accoutrements like specialty pickles, olives, jams, and sauces line the shelves.
Store employee John Shevlin shows off one of the more impressive gifts for those who enjoy a nightcap. The alligator drink set has a handsome wooden box with a stamp that reads, “meaningfully made” and includes an etched slate drink coaster, a whisky tumbler, whisky stones, and a napkin.
Stella’s Sundries, 2908 A, Beach Blvd. S., Gulfport. Mon., 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Tues., 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; Weds.-Fri., 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sat., 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sun., 9 a.m.-3 p.m. 727-303-0976.
These Gulfport and St.Pete gifts are not your only option. Gifts of experience can create lasting memories and/or connections. For example, a gift certificate for kayaking Clam Bayou from Kayak Nature Adventures will give the opportunity to enjoy nature and the calming connection that seeing dolphins in the bay can bring.
Happy holiday shopping!