‘Tis the season for gift giving! We asked a few in-the-know locals about their favorite local places to shop for holiday gifts. From hostess gifts to spouses, children to co-workers, we’ve got the scoop on all the hot places around the county that will make you everyone’s favorite Secret Santa.
“One of my favorite corporate gifts to give is a Moscow mule gift box: one bottle of Top Hat Vodka (bottled and distilled by Hope Springs Distillery in Lilburn), two cooper mugs and one bottle of ginger beer, all in a box made by Peachtree Packaging in Lawrenceville.”
- Nick Masino, President and CEO – Gwinnett Chamber
“When I’m shopping for my kids, I head straight to Hello Rainbow in Duluth. Hello Rainbow has the BEST mix of books, learning toys and just-for-fun toys in Gwinnett! The book selection is incredible – they have so many titles about non-traditional subject matter, such as books about Bob Dylan, Stephen Hawking and Hidden Figures, which tells the story of four black women who helped put the first man on the moon. They even sell little tadpole bio systems, so that over time your little science lovers can see a tadpole turn into a frog!”
- Victoria Hawkins, Marketing Communications Director – Explore Gwinnett
“I love to give little evergreen trees or rosemary bushes – either wrapped in burlap or in a rustic container – as hostess gifts. My favorite local nursery is Outdoor Environments in Braselton, owned by the family of my Leadership Gwinnett co-worker, Brooke Waters!”
- Lisa Zaken, Executive Director – Leadership Gwinnett
“Being the typical terrible male gift giver, I rely on the artists at the Suwanee Arts Center. My wife is an art lover and volunteers at the center; she not only appreciates artsy gifts, but her friends help guide me! The Suwanee Art Center in Town Center has handmade jewelry, pottery, one-of-a-kind artwork and Suwanee swag. You can even purchase art classes!”
- Jimmy Burnette, Mayor – City of Suwanee
“I love the gifts that are city-specific from Carolee’s Boutique in Historic Norcross. The Historic Norcross photo frames, wooden signs and zip-code pillows are my go-to gifts for neighbors, holidays hosts and friends who are new to our area. They offer custom personalization for other cities as well! I’m also a huge fan of The Ivy Tea House – they make beautiful desserts, loose leaf tea and have online gift cards, which make great gifts for everyone from my daughters to my grandmothers!”
- Callie Murray, Marketing Consultant – groundsweller
“I have used Carved Solutions in Norcross a TON for client gifts, and people absolutely rave about them. If it will hold still long enough, they’ll personalize it. From barware to cutting boards, soaps and candles to pet themed (they have a box of luxury soaps that say ‘Crazy Cat Lady’!), I find something for every hard-to-buy-for person on my list.”
- Jody Campbell, Attorney at Law – Blum & Campbell, LLC