My Shop Small Holiday Guide

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This year, my mission was to do most of my holiday shopping through small businesses – and I have largely been able to stick to that mission.

Here are a few of my favorite local small businesses that can cover almost anyone on your list.

 

Josh holding his list at Funky Planet Toys, An Overview Shot of I Had That - And digging for treasure at The MiniFig Shop
Left to Right: Josh displaying his holiday wish list built at Funky Planet Toys. An overview shot of the I Had That store. Josh digging for pieces at a bulk table at The Minifig Shop.

 

The Kid

Funky Planet Toys & Gifts

10 E. Broadway, Alton, IL 62002

Funky Planet Toys granted my wish by opening up a toy shop in Alton! They have a great selection of science and engineering toys, trucks made of recycled plastic, unique games, glow-in-the-dark puzzles, and craft supplies. For the holidays, you can bring kids in to create their own wish lists for Santa. They do something similar for birthdays.

 

 

The Kid at Heart

I Had That

116 E. Main St., Belleville, IL 62220

Do you sometimes find yourself thinking you wish you still had a certain toy from your childhood or is it just me missing my favorite Care Bear? Check out I Had That! They offer a wide variety of toys, collectibles, and memorabilia from our pop-culture past and present.

 

 

The Kid and Their Kid-at-Heart Parent

The Minifig Shop

200 S. Kirkwood Rd., Suite 104, Kirkwood, MO 63122

You can never go wrong with LEGO. We visit The Minifig Shop every time we are in Kirkwood. They have boxed sets, pre-built items, minifigs, and bulk options. The staff is great – they even helped my aunt construct the perfect doctor minifig family for my cousin.

 

A collection of books, cards and a t-shirt from The Novel Neighbor, Andy shopping at Riverbend Records and all of the spatulas at Chef's Shoppe
Left to Right: Just a collection of my things from The Novel Neighbor. I wear the shirt all the time. My husband, Andy, shopping at Riverbend Records on Father’s Day. A wall of spatulas at Chef’s Shoppe.

 

The Bookworm

The Novel Neighbor

7905 Big Bend Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63119

This bookstore became my most-shopped locale during the pandemic. I could call or message them and order all the books I needed, since the library was closed. They have so much more than books. There are games, puzzles, jewelry, reading accessories, and Ted Lasso merch.

 

 

The Music Lover

Riverbend Records

2720 Grovelin St., Godfrey, IL 62035

A new addition to the shopping options in the Riverbend, this record shop gives you all the vintage feels. They obviously offer a wide variety of new and used vinyl options – but there is a wall of cassettes and CDs as well. All the albums are labeled, so you know what to expect when you play them.

 

 

The Foodie

Chef’s Shoppe

2320 Troy Rd., Edwardsville, IL 62025

Can you ever have enough spatulas, pancake flippers, or whisks? Not only can you stock up on kitchen essentials for your favorite home chef here, but they have popcorn and fudge to add to your cart.

 

A bar of soap from SammySoap, a collection of winter candles and wax melts from Terra and a tote from i.e.
Left to Right: This is my favorite SammySoap, but it’s definitely hard to pick just one. Dianna Allen kindly provided me with a picture of some of her new winter scents from TERRA. My bag from i.e. is my most used bag now that I don’t have to lug diapers and can fit so much stuff.

 

The Beauty Guru

SammySoap

123 W. Argonne Dr., Kirkwood, MO 63122

I like to introduce clean beauty options to friends and family, and SammySoap is my new favorite find. They make their soaps on site. Depending on the day, you can take a tour to go behind the scenes. When you walk into the store, the aroma surrounds you like a warm hug.

 

 

The Candle Lover

TERRA

I love a good candle or wax melt – the scents can take you on a journey – that is the inspiration behind this candle brand. Based here in St. Louis, Dianna Allen uses her travels and a keen sense of seasonal changes in the environment to bring the outdoors inside. Did I mention you can pick these up locally?

 

 

The Lady Who Never Has Enough Bags

i.e

Bags from i.e. fit the niche of being friendly to the environment and are incredibly functional. They’re made from paper pulp and have a classic, stylish look. I ordered my first bag in March and have received countless compliments. It’s wearing nicely, and the more I use it, the softer it gets.

 

 

‘Small’ Websites

If I am looking for something special and can’t find it  find locally, like socks with Josh’s face on them, Etsy is my go-to. I have a handful of shops I return to again and again.

 

 

A long-time favorite for fun and unique gifts is Uncommon Goods. When the catalog arrives in the mail, it is the first thing I read. With such a diverse array of handmade products from around the world, the possibilities are endless.

 

Don’t forget to check out your local Crafted in “insert city name” groups on Facebook. Local crafters and mommas with side hustles selling their wares to area buyers.

 

Happy shopping!

 

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Marlena Renner
Marlena is mom to 6-year-old Joshua and has been married to her husband, Andy, for 10 years. They reside in Alton, Illinois where he is the head athletic trainer for Alton High School. Her parents both grew up in Kirkwood, and even though she spent most of her childhood in Montgomery City, MO, she had a feeling she would end up in St. Louis someday. She worked in minor league baseball after college, eventually landing for a season with the River City Rascals. She worked for the St. Louis Blues, Stifel Theatre, and Enterprise Center for 13 years before the pandemic stopped so many things. Today she is the email specialist for Caleres, which means shoes … all the shoes.