One of the greatest ways you can embrace the season of giving is to give back to our community by shopping local. Downtown stores are diverse, unique, and full of potential for great gifts. We've picked out some of our favourite stores to help you make the most of your shopping experience.
Gallery Shop at The MacLaren Art Centre
It only makes sense that one of the best places to find unique, handmade gifts would be at an Art Centre. The Gallery Shop is a special place in the MacLaren Art Centre that features the creative work of emerging and established artisans from Barrie and the surrounding area. Here you can find a diverse range of home textiles, hand-thrown ceramics, beautiful Canadian-made jewellery and more.
Inhabit Interiors & Design
This store makes interior design dreams come to life. As a company that also offers full interior design services, Inhabit knows all about the details you need to make your home beautiful. Their boutique carries modern furnishing, home accents, and unique items to stylize any home or cottage. Be sure to stop in to see what other kinds of bonuses they have in store like jewellery, candles and body care.
J'adore Fine Cheese and Chocolate
It's safe to say there's a heck of a lot of cheese and chocolate lovers out there. What better place to shop for those people than a store dedicated to just those two things? It's almost impossible to go wrong here. Be warned, if you're a cheese and chocolate lover, there's a good chance you'll end up leaving with something for yourself too. J'adore also offers gift baskets if you can't narrow down your decisions. You can choose what goes in your basket, or they can help you choose.
Flying Monkeys Craft Brewery
Beer lovers will always appreciate free brews. Flying Monkeys has a wide selection of craft beers you can buy right at their brewery. Play it safe and get your recipient something you know they'll love, or expand their horizons and buy them something new to try. Flying Monkeys is also a great place to pick up stocking stuffers, like bottle openers, coasters and tees.
Everleigh Garden
This boutique is meant specifically for gift shopping. It's full of all sorts of treasures. You'll likely end up stumbling across some great ideas for gifts that you hadn't thought of. Some things you can expect to find at Everleigh include mugs, candles, jewellery, kitchenware, kid's clothes, cute socks, home decor and more.
Bravo Fine Lingerie
Ladies and Gentlemen...this one is for that special woman in your life. Bravo Fine Lingerie carries beautiful pieces of lingerie, sleepwear, clothing, and accessories. They are not only known for their high quality and visually appealing products but also for their customer service. Bravo prides itself on giving every customer a positive experience in the hopes of building a long-lasting relationship.
Homestead Artisan Bakery and Cafe
Homestead is a 3 for 1 deal. You can stop in to warm up with a hot beverage, browse through their retail section, and pick up some sweets for your holiday party while you're there. Homestead features local products like homemade maple syrup, homemade eggnog, fresh coffee grinds, beeswax wraps and more.
Our Home
Our House is another boutique full of all sorts of wonderful goodies. As described on their website, Our House is "just like a family home". The owners travel together to gift shows to select unique items, personal accessories and home accessories for the kitchen, home and garden. In other words, they do the hard part for you. Some products you can find here include home decor, jewellery, bath and body products, china and crystal, gourmet foods, candles, festive decorations and more.
Olive Oil Co.
This place makes shopping easy for any "foodie" friends or family members. Olive Oil Co. specializes in oils and balsamic, but they've got so much more in store. Help your food lovers fulfill all their flavour needs with any of the following gifts: tapenades, stuffed olives, recipe books, bbq sauces, aiolis & pestos, maple syrup, honey, jellies & jams, and chocolates. You can choose single items for simplicity or create your own gift basket full of all sorts of delicious goodies.
BJ Records & Nostalgia
Posted by BJ's Records and Nostalgia on Monday, May 15, 2017
In the days of digital download, places like BJ Records are becoming more of a hidden gem. This record/CD shop is a great place to hunt for gifts for music lovers. They've got one of the largest in-house selections of CDs, and LPs in Ontario, as well as collectibles, posters and many one of a kind items.
The Osgoode Company
This shop is a special, newer addition to the downtown strip. Osgoode is all about promoting easy-livin' and shopping local. They've got a great selection of hats, apparel, and accessories, all locally sourced. Their brand has been quickly spreading across Barrie as a symbol of pride for our city. It's worth a visit.
