40 Cincinnati Boutiques for Shopping Local This Holiday Season

Hierophany & Hedge

19 West Pike St., Covington
Hierophany & Hedge is Covington’s new magic shop. Walk inside and it seems you’ve tripped over time itself only to have undone the past 150 years of fashion and technology, replacing it with immaculate antique woodwork, jars of curious powders, gemlike stones glittering in the warm sunlight, a wall of handcrafted wands made from woods sourced across the world... Is this really in Kentucky, or are we in 19th-century London?
Photo: Hailey Bollinger

Wolfpack

1813 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine
This cozy store’s mission is grounded in selling clothing, homegoods and gifts that are sustainability minded. As stated on their website, that means items that are ethically sourced and made by people who are being paid a living wage in a safe environment.
Photo: Provided by Wolfpack

Handzy Shop + Studio

17 W. Pike St., Covington; 324 W. Fourth St., Downtown
Think bright colors, cute sayings and shopping ops for your BFFs. Handzy carries clothing, accessories, stationery, gifts and other cute items to outfit you and your home.
Photo: facebook/handzyshopstudio

Gumdrop

15 W. Pike St., Covington; 326 W. Fourth St., Downtown
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.com/gumdroptots

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

Fleurish Grounds

5907 Bramble Ave., Madisonville
Fleurish Grounds started as a garage pop-up but now sells plants, pots and homegoods out of a Madisonville storefront. With an aesthetic dubbed “modern coastal Midcentury," plants can be bought in pots made by local artists as well as artists across the U.S. The shop also carries a special coffee blend, apothecary items and vintage clothing.
Photo: Provided by Fleurish Grounds

Paper Wings

1207 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine
Mike and Carolyn Deininger, the owners of MiCA 12/v, opened a storefront just a few doors down on Vine Street. This shop features original and unique artwork by indie creators, from quirky greeting cards and fresh, new stationery to local art on paper, candles, notebooks and fountain pens.
Photo: Holden Mathis

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.
Photo: Brittany Thornton

BlaCk OWned Outerwear

822 Elm St., Downtown
Owned by Means Cameron, BlaCk OWned Outerwear offers tracksuits, jackets, shirts, hats and more for men, women and children at its downtown retail shop. Its mission statement is “to promote Black ownership while challenging societal inequities through fashion and storytelling.”
Photo: facebook.com/imblackowned

Coda Co.

400 Fairfield Ave., Bellevue
This hip and crafty shop features maker-made products from upcycled and natural materials, like macrame wall hangings, coffee-bag pillows and bourbon barrel pub tables. Owned by husband-and-wife duo Kelti and Tanner Ziese, she is the softer side of the business, hand weaving macramé wall hangings out of cotton rope, while he works to create a variety of wood furniture and accessories. Kelti also curates a comfy selection of boho-chic clothing items for going out, or staying in.
Photo: facebook.com/codacompany

Continuum

1407 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine
This women’s clothing store and bazaar features a curated selection of items from independent artists, designers and makers. Owned by Ericka Leighton-Spradlin, the high-end concept shop has 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: facebook.com/continuumbazaar

Downbound Books

4139 Apple St., Northside
With a focus on intentional curation and comprehensive subheads, Downbound Books' inventory “forces people to see stuff they might not have been looking for.” Downbound also offers crafts, stationery and novelty items from local purveyors.
Photo: facebook.com/downboundbooks

High St.

1401 Reading Road, Pendleton
Local design/lifestyle store and studio High St. set up shop at the intersection of Over-the-Rhine, Pendleton and Mount Auburn in 2006. The design hub and storefront boasts an impressive selection 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, plush and eclectic pillows, 18th-century French mouthwash, an existential coloring book, plants and other magical and macabre magnificence.
Photo: facebook.com/shophighst

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 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.
Photo: facebook/indigenousgallery

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

Originalitees

2809 Woodburn Ave., East Walnut Hills
Originalitees is a locally owned and operated clothing line that specializes in state, city and neighborhood pride apparel. With quality, comfort, affordability and style at front of mind, owner Khisha Asubuhi sells only products that she would wear herself, including funky Ohio socks and Cincinnati streets tanks.
Photo: facebook.com/originalitees

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. Today, Queen City Alchemy features high-end, locally made holistic skincare including 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.
Photo: facebook/queencityalchemy

Sage & Scout

402 Fairfield Ave., Bellevue
Named after owners Tanner and Kelti Ziese’s fur kids (aka their dogs), the shop offers products for human babies and toddlers. And as a sister shop to Coda Co., it has the same bohemian lean with a focus on ethical and natural goods — beechwood teething toys, wool mobiles and BPA-free silicone bibs. The Zieses want to foster a sense of adventure and love of the outdoors for generations to come.
Photo: facebook.com/sageandscout

The Native One

1400 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine; 326 Scott Blvd., Covington
Anna Steffen founded The Native One as a pop-up in 2017 when she was just 20 years old. The brick and mortar (and online) shops offer easy and affordable trend-based women’s fashion with cross-generational appeal. The stores are 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: facebook.com/shopthenativeone

Cincy Shirts

1301 Main St., Over-the-Rhine; 2709 Observatory Ave., Hyde Park
Cincy Shirts is a “vintage” T-shirt brand helmed by a local stand-up comedian that mines both the past and present to create apparel showcasing Cincinnati’s unique institutions and idiosyncratic culture.
Photo: Adam Doty