The countdown to the holidays have officially begun. We thought we’d highlight some of Cincinnati’s locally owned and independent stores from which to purchase some thoughtful gifts this season. Instead of going the big-box route, spending money at local shops not only supports your friends and neighbors who own them, but it also keeps your dollars in the city: For every $100 you spend at a locally owned business, $68 stays in the community versus $43 for a national chain. If you’re looking for something unique, handmade or carefully crafted, these Cincinnati boutiques are a great place to start.

Note: This is not a list of every boutique in Cincinnati — it is just a primer to spark some local-shopping spirit.

 

Gia & the Blooms 114 E. 13th St., Over-the-Rhine; Findlay Market, Over-the-Rhine Contemporary and clean seasonal floral arrangements at an affordable price point. The interior of this little OTR urban jungle houses a larger-than-expected selection of items like greeting cards, candles and locally made ceramics along with lots of houseplants. There are air plants of all shapes and sizes, hanging and trailing options, super-tall cacti, $5-a-pop little plant buddies and more. Burlap-wrapped hand-built bouquets begin at $35, and delivery is free within the Cincinnati metro. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Deerhaus Decor 135 W. Elder St., Over-the-Rhine Located in Findlay Market, Deerhaus provides a brick-and-mortar location for local craftsmen and artisans to display their work, which ranges from soaps and ceramics to jewelry and woodwork. There are also unique maker-made items from across the United States that all share similar characteristics of being accessible and sustainable with a woodsy vintage vibe. Find locally made waxed canvas aprons next to naturally dyed raw silk scarves, salvaged breweriana and hand-sewn stuffed animals. Photo: Adam Doty
The Native One 1421 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine; 326 Scott Blvd., Covington Easy and affordable trend-based women’s fashion with cross-generational appeal. The store is stuffed with everything from rompers and oversized outerwear to affordable statement footwear and lacy underpinnings. You’ll also find accessories, apothecary and home décor. Photo: Emerson Swoger
Lucca 126 W. Elder St., Findlay Market Owner, designer and machinist Lindsey Estes specializes in creating laser-cut wood, natural gifts, supplies and décor. If you can etch it or laser-cut it into wood, paper or leather, she’s probably made it. Find alder wood greeting cards, Art Deco wood-framed mirrors and hanging ornaments to appease everyone from Fiona fans to people who want to put the Roebling Bridge on the tree. Photo: Facebook/LuccaWorkshop
Unheard Of 15 W. Fourth St., Downtown A “street pusher of rare goods” offering T-shirts, hats, hoodies, skate decks and more. If you know a sneaker freak, then you need to know the name and location of this store. Brands include Vans, Nike, Thrasher, Birkenstock, Adidas and more. Photo: Facebook/UnheardofBrand
Continuum 1407 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine This pink and plant-filled women’s clothing store and bazaar features a curated selection of items from independent artists, designers and makers. It’s a high-end concept shop with a playful sense of humor and an eye for contemporary silhouettes, with brands including No. 6, Cold Picnic and Paloma Wool and plenty of other covetable objects: locally made ceramic jewelry, minimalist fragrances, eco-friendly nail polishes, architectural footwear and indie publications. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
HighStreet 1401 Reading Road, Pendleton Local design/lifestyle store and studio HighStreet set up shop at the intersection of Over-the-Rhine, Pendleton and Mount Auburn in 2006. In the past 10-plus years, the design hub has doubled in size, incorporating a furniture store and studio for commercial and residential design projects. While the shop boasts an impressive selection of eclectic interiors, hard-to-find magazines, men’s and women’s apparel and bath and body goods, its charm also comes from the owners’ ability to collect and curate exceptional curiosities. Spending time exploring the nooks and crannies of the shop is extremely rewarding. You may discover a bowl of antique prosthetic teeth, a stuffed jackalope head, vintage locks, 18th-century French mouthwash, an existential coloring book, beetle paperweights and other magical and macabre magnificence. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Queen City Alchemy 1808 Race St., Over-the-Rhine Emily Little first launched her line of soaps and body products as “Little Organics,” with a focus on herbal medicine, informed and filtered through her Appalachian heritage. Now, a decade old, Little Organics is Queen City Alchemy, a high-end locally made holistic skincare line featuring soaps, serums, balms, deodorants and other botanicals crafted using non-toxic, compassionate and therapeutic ingredients. There are no dyes, no fillers, no parabens and no sulfates. The line is certified cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny and part of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics from the Breast Cancer Prevention Partners. Find 40-some-odd products in the community-focused storefront near Findlay Market, which also carries a curated collection of pieces from other local makers. Photo: Facebook/QueenCityAlchemy
Hail Dark Aesthetics 720 Main St., Covington At this oddities and record shop in MainStrasse, the storefront is stuffed with taxidermy, tarot cards, religious ephemera, Black Metal-style jewelry, branded Ouija boards and a bunch of dead snakes. For good or bad, there aren’t too many other stores where you can buy a pig fetus, tarot cards and the Twin Peaks soundtrack on vinyl in the same transaction. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Coda Co. 400 Fairfield Ave., Bellevue A hip and crafty shop that features maker-made products from upcycled and natural materials, like macrame wall hangings, coffee-bag pillows and bourbon barrel pub tables. Photo: facebook.com/codacompany
Handzy Shop + Studio 17 W. Pike St., Covington Think bright colors, cute sayings and shopping ops for your BFFs. “Handzy Shop + Studio is a boutique with the cutest collection of clothes, accessories, stationery, gifts and more,” says owner Suzy Stachan. “We are all about offering upbeat products that foster friendships and make people happy. In the studio, we design our signature line of stationery, which you can also find in the shop.” Photo: Facebook/HandzyShopStudio
Gumdrop 15 W. Pike St., Covington This bright and colorful kids shop from the minds behind Handzy has all sorts of goodies. From school supplies and sleepwear to the best new toys and most adorable clothes and accessories for toddlers and newborns, there is cuteness tucked in every corner. Photo: Facebook/GumdropTots
BlaCk OWned 822 Elm St., Downtown This contemporary clothing shop does a ton of their own branded and original streetwear and apparel. “It’s the cool spot. It’s a meeting ground for our customers,” says owner Merk Ervin. “We sell men, women and kids, anything from onesies to leather biker jackets. We sell socks, hats, dresses — a little bit of everything.” Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Sloane Boutique 1216 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine Founded in 2011 as one of Vine Street’s original revamped OTR anchors, this women’s clothing store offers items for the style-blogger set and more. In their own words, they “mix edgy styles with touches of modern-femininity, always with a foundation of quality and the idea that unique pieces can make getting dressed fun and personal.” Photo: Facebook/SloaneBoutiqueOTR
The Chocolate Bee 4037 Hamilton Ave., Northside As the collective home of Chocolats Latour and Bee Haven, this shared Northside storefront features artisan edibles. Chocolats Latour, from pastry chef and chocolatier Shalini Latour, sells fair-trade, gourmet chocolates made with local ingredients. Find everything from herb-infused chocolate bars to hand-painted truffles and holiday-themed creation. Bee Haven is a honey-lovers’ dream, offering products like beeswax candles, lip balms and raw, unpasteurized honey made with the help of the owners’ own beehives. Photo: Facebook/TheChocolateBee
TMBTITWI 6 W. 12th St., Over-the-Rhine Helmed by a world-traveling art specialist, the clothing, homegoods and accessories at The Most Beautiful Thing in the World Is are fully eclectic. As the name suggests, the shop features German knitwear, Italian leather boots, French apothecary items and a gallerist’s nirvana of other modern and sculptural women’s wear. Photo: Adam Doty
Spotted Goose 3048 Madison Road, Oakley This ultra-adorable kid’s clothing store helps your little ones unleash their inner stylists by mixing and matching printed onesies with hipster hoodies, quirky graphic T-shirts and plenty of colorful tutus. There’s stuff for babies, toddlers and girls and boys (up to size 16 and 12, respectively) — and a play area to keep them all occupied while you shop. Photo: Facebook/TheSpottedGoose
Ossie 3433 Edwards Road, Hyde Park This Hyde Park boutique curates its collection with designer Ossie Clark in mind — hence the name — and features “some of the most elusive and interesting designers, both established and emerging, from around the world.” Photo: Facebook/OssieHP
Nest 3439 Michigan Ave., Hyde Park Open since 1999, Nest is a self-described “eclectic and inspirational giftshop” with items for the home, hostesses and yourself, like shiny picture frames, novelty kitchen and bar accessories, monogrammed selections, stone coasters and pretty bath and body sets. Photo: Facebook/NestGiftsCincinnati
Poeme 3446 Michigan Ave., Hyde Park Personal stationery, unique gifts, custom invitation design services, clever sundries and more. Their selection of whimsically patterned personal planners, calendars and organizers is great for any Type A personality and there’s a large selection of droll and amusing office accessories for secret Santa giftables. Photo: Facebook/PoemeStationery
Rivertown Inkery 3096 Madison Road, Oakley This former online-only retailer has a new storefront right in the heart of Oakley carrying super-soft nostalgia-inducing apparel with a Cincinnati lean. Get a 1970s-styled retro “Queen City” ringer T-shirt, a straight-from-Saved-By-The-Bell neon “Cincinnati” sweatshirt or even a flying Fiona onesie with everyone’s favorite hippo on the front instead of our city’s usual flying pig. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Rose & Remington Multiple locations including 35 E. Main St., Lebanon; 7562 Bales St., Liberty Township; 3764 Paxton Ave., Hyde Park; 454 Ohio Pike, Beechmont; 7725 Mall Road, Florence Since opening its initial Lebanon location in November 2013, contemporary-casual boho-chic boutique Rose & Remington has opened 12 other locations. With more than 400 labels of women’s clothing, shoes, jewelry and accessories, mother-and-daughter co-owners Dee Alexander and Kristin Ponchot constantly keep things fresh with new arrivals. Photo: Emerson Swoger
Artichoke OTR 1824 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine Brad and Karen Hughes opened their Artichoke storefront down the street from Findlay Market in order to offer marketgoers a convenient destination for cookware. From basics to unique pieces not available anywhere else, you’ll find the tools you need to throw down in the kitchen like you’re an Iron Chef; think colorful ceramic tagines, SMEG brand appliances and beautiful bundt pans. And if you’re looking to enhance your skills, take a class in artichoke’s demonstration kitchen — just make sure you don’t step on lazy shop greyhound Gus. Photo: Brittany Thornton
The Little Mahatma 1205 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine Colorful global goodies line the shelves of this OTR storefront, which offers exotic jewelry, folk art and artifacts from the world’s traditional cultures. A perfect place to shop for avid travelers, art teachers and budding Buddhists, you’ll find Turkish textiles, Japanese maneki neko cats, large and jingly jewelry, evil eyes, hamsas and neon religious figurines. Photo: Facebook/TheLittleMahatma
Little Gray House 6030 Ridge Ave., Pleasant Ridge Located in a little gray shotgun-style shingled house right off Pleasant Ridge’s main drag, the aptly named Little Gray House plays into the current farmhouse/general store trend with vintage-inspired crafty signs, scented candles, birch, burlap and shabby chic women’s apparel. Photo: Facebook/LittleGrayHouse1
Lane & Kate 1417 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine This Vine Street storefront offers a streamlined selection of high-quality, independently made jewelry using sustainably and ethically sourced stones. The pieces veer toward delicate, lovely and minimal with a nod toward the natural world as seen in a golden wildflower signet ring or floral-shaped diamond stone setting. Photo: Facebook/LaneandKate
Knickers of Hyde Park 2726 Erie Ave., Hyde Park For two decades, this lingerie boutique offers a perfect mix of practical and pretty all while honoring its mission to make women feel confident and beautiful. Find daily-wear high-end brands like Betsey Johnson, Hanky Panky, Jonquil and Cosabella alongside some more risqué Knickers “after dark” bedroom play items like teddies, thigh highs and sensual accessories. Get fitted for a bra by one of their highly-trained staffers or browse a summer selection of bra-sized swimwear. Also offers a nice selection of plus-size products so every woman can feel sexy. Photo: Brittany Thornton
Idlewild Woman 1230 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine This hip and cozy family-run business is a clothing and lifestyle destination that embraces the beauty and creativity of the modern woman. The ladies behind the shop include owners Julie Clark, a ceramicist; Jessica Murray, a graphic and handbag designer; and Tessa Clark, a DAAP graduate and fashion designer who competed on Project Runway. And with a pedigree like that, they deliver on well-made and well-curated apparel, accessories, alpaca throws and coveted high-end denim. Photo: Facebook/IdlewildWoman
Indigenous Craft Gallery 1609 Madison Road, East Walnut Hills This handmade craft gallery is a showroom for goods from more than 150 artists across the United States, with a focus on local and regional makers. Though the name suggests a sort of folksy lean, the work is well-made, sophisticated and contemporary arts-and-crafts, not kitsch. The 2,000-square-foot gallery features a selection of rustic and whimsical pottery, blown art glass, functional wood kitchen items, creative fiber art, handmade jewelry and garden décor. Just in, a collection of ready-to-frame art prints by Mark McDevitt and Rob Lee. Photo: Facebook/IndigenousGallery
Fabulous Frames & Art 8002 Hosbrook Road, Kenwood; 1741 E. Kemper Road, Tri-County; 10817 Montgomery Road, Montgomery; 17 W. Fourth St., Downtown Open since 1969, this custom framer does, yes, custom framing but they are also the spot to find Cincinnati wildlife Modernist Charley Harper’s art, accessories, apparel, dishes, mugs, calendars, books and even skateboard decks. It’s a super stop for any and all Harper super fans. Photo: Facebook/FabFrames
Fern 6040 Hamilton Ave., North College Hill Located in a converted College Hill gas station, Fern offers minimal, modern and nature-inspired items — and lots and lots of plants. Find a carefully edited selection of unique hand-thrown pottery, art, weavings and more, along with a curated assortment of beautiful, thriving greenery. Buy and learn how to care for all sorts of millennial-friendly houseplants, from a “Chinese Money” pilea peperomioides plant to a kokedama (aka string-wrapped moss ball) and fiddle-leaf figs. Recurring classes cover artful pursuits ranging from floral arranging to calligraphy and watercolors. Photo: Facebook / Fern Studio Cincinnati
Lentz & Company 339 Ludlow Ave., Clifton The collection at vintage retailer Lentz & Company wouldn’t be out of place on the set of The Brady Bunch. Their assortment of funky and colorful homegoods, furniture, local art and handmade gifts is a groovy treasure hunter’s paradise. In addition to 1960s-’70s flair, find Atomic Age cocktail shakers, fondue sets, Playboy memorabilia and other retro baubles. Photo: Hailey Bollinger
Rookwood Pottery 1920 Race St., Over-the-Rhine; 7875 Montgomery Road, Kenwood; 7135 Foundry Row, Liberty Township Rookwood Pottery was the country’s first female-owned and operated large manufacturer. “Pioneering artist Maria Longworth-Nichols founded the studio in the Queen City over 130 years ago, building the business and laying the foundation for what Rookwood is today: a world-renowned artisanal ceramics company, operating in the heart of the Ohio River Valley,” says Sarah Ditlinger, Rookwood’s former marketing director. “From its 88,000-square-foot production facility, Rookwood builds upon its rich heritage, creating American-made, artisan-quality ceramic pottery and tile.” Photo: facebook.com/rookwoodco