I despise shopping for the most part, but these sweet spots in central Arkansas make it much easier to shop local.
Here are my favorites for this year:
This is the coolest store on Kavanaugh with a mix of local artist’s work as well as fun things they’ve found in market. Great clothes, gifts, cards, cool jewelery, and more! Great t-shirts by my friend Erin of shop E.L.L. can be bought here! (hint-hint)
We’ve lost pretty much all of our local toy stores in Little Rock except for this store. It’s a great little toy store in the Pleasant Ridge Town Center. Very helpful employees will wrap your gifts or make a gift registry for you. My boys love that there are so many toys on display that you can test out before you buy!
Arkansas’ first legal distillery since prohibition is new (opened in 2010) but has already won national and worldwide acclaim with it’s delightful spirits. Almost every aspect and ingredient is made in Arkansas, from barrels to grains. (I’ll be posting more about them soon!)
Some great picks:
The super cool American Whiskey Aging Kit comes complete with a tiny barrel (handmade in Arkansas) to age your whiskey to your taste.
The Moonshine Sampler Pack is a fun gift with Grape, Peach, Blackberry Cobbler and Apple Pie versions of Arkansas Lightning. (My hubby loved the Apple Pie on the rocks!)
You can buy at better liquor stores in Arkansas or at the RockTown Distillery itself, which is located close to Heifer Project headquarters downtown. (Fun tour if you have the time!)
Run by the Friends of the Central Arkansas Library system (and in the
Rivermarket district) this store not only sells gently used library and
donated books, but also some quite unique gifts for readers and
thinkers. Also some fantastic art galleries (with some art for sale.) Get a
cup of coffee at the counter inside and browse!
Another gem in the Rivermarket district- you might not have realized
that this is a free art gallery with most of the work being for sale (by
Arkansas artists!) Jewelry, hand turned woodwork, books,
hand knitted scarves, pottery- they’ve got it!
Looking for handmade gifts from Arkansas or unique historical toys and gifts? This is
the place! You don’t have to pay admission to the museum to go inside
the store, but you might want to!
No matter what your political affiliation, the Clinton museum store has
something for you! Books, handmade jewelery, recycled presents,
and more. Not actually inside the museum, but in the Rivermarket
district. (More great museum gift shops in the area include- Museum of
Discovery, MacArthur Military Musuem gift shop, Old Statehouse Museum
gift shop, and the Arkansas Arts Center gift shop.)
The Heifer project is not only a cool place to visit, but houses a
wonderful gift shop. They have lovely gifts and neat things from around the world. While
you are there tour the center and think about getting a gift that keeps
on giving- animal donations for people in need around the world. Great
organization. Our family registers online now and gives animals
instead of gifts to ourselves.
Another sweet friend opened this store a couple of years ago on Kavanugh and it’s become “the place” for fashionistas. I love how they group clothing by colors and ideas so even the fashion challenged like me can look good! It’s also not expensive (which as a mom of a teenage daughter I LOVE!) This week they are offering 40% off STOREWIDE at several of their stores so make sure to stock up on gifts! (Did I mention she has a Little Rock, Conway, and Fayetteville store now?)
Once on Kavanaugh, this amazing antique store is now located on South Main Street in the SOMA district of Little Rock. I love browsing (and buying) in this chic, but affordable store! My son has a great antique school map on his wall that we bought there for $20! While you’re there make sure to check out…
Also in SOMA, this quaint little store has great local gifts, all eco-friendly! Also the home of Loblolly Creamery (get some and tour the Bernice Gardens nearby!)
Support your local businesses! Where are some of your favorite places to shop locally?
Chef Brian telling us about some of the goodies from their catering menu.
We sampled:
Buffalo sausage bites from Ratchford Farms in Marshall, AR (well, I didn’t try them as I don’t eat red meat, but they looked good)
Wonderful Coconut Shrimp with Cranberry dipping sauce. (Argenta Market has very fresh seafood flown in weekly from the Gulf- see their website for what’s in this week!)
Lovely fruit and cheese tray with Honeysuckle Lane Arkansas cheeses from Daley Dairy in Rosebud, AR.
White Chocolate and Cranberry cheese ball with cookies from a mix by Resident Chef in Maumelle, AR. *I normally don’t like sweet dips but this was so yummy. Like a cheesecake on a cracker!
Spinach Parmesean dip also by Resident Chef. Everyone loved this but I thought it had a tad too much onion for me. My hubby would love it.
Croque Monsieur- a lovely Monte Cristo-esque sandwich made on jalapeno cornbread by Arkansas Fresh bakery, with Petit Jean ham, Argenta Market’s smoked turkey (my kids ADORE this,) and chipotle mayonnaise. It’s dipped in an egg wash and panko breadcrumbs and oven-fried. (Again, I didn’t try this but it had rave reviews by fellow bloggers!)
Need fruit or cheese trays in a hurry? I’ve gotten entire fresh smoked salmons for parties that are DELICIOUS. Just give them a few days notice as they smoke meat once a week I believe.
Entire holiday meals are even available!
Small Turkey Dinner (serves 10-12) – $89.99
Large Turkey Dinner (serves 20-24) – $149.99
Small Ham Dinner (serves 10-12) – $99.99
Large Ham Dinner (serves 20-24) – $169.99
Dinners include meat, gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans, dressing, cranberry sauce and rolls.
Pie is also available (a necessity.)
Call 501-379-9980 to order!
(Ordering information can also be found online.)
For Christmas dinner the deadline is December 14th and pick up by December 24th at noon.
My family adores Argenta Market. It’s on the way to school so if we have time we stop for snacks or last minute dinner ideas. One of those local places where people remember you and
make you feel at home. My kids beg for their smoked turkey.
It’s also a great place for lunch! During the season it’s across from the North Little Rock Farmer’s market (all organic and local!)
Our favorite cashier!
We were given wonderful gift baskets to sample. The baskets are made in Little Rock and contain all Arkansas made products. Beautiful and already wrapped! They have two options available and both are limited so call and reserve yours today! (I’m going to!)
Christmas always stresses me out.
Seems like our society has become so materialistic with people rushing to max out credit cards at the malls. I can’t abide shopping on a normal day, let alone the holidays!
So, if you live in central AR (or are visiting) and want to avoid crowds and the usual holiday hoo-hah, I’ve made a list of 10 local places with neat (some homemade) gifts that you might enjoy.
This is an awesome store! Top floor is really cool clothing (albeit a bit pricey, but check out the sale rack by the front door for great bargains) Middle floor has the coolest gifts and jewelry (most of it is handmade and local.) In the basement you’ll find a cute little toy store called “Cheeky Marshmallow” which has some of the most unique candy and toys you’ll find in LR.
Cool toy store with lots of unique gifts. Out of the way of the mall crowds too! Next door is another great bookstore with cool gifts (Wordsworth books.)
This weekend ride the trolley for FREE to these places:
Run by the friends of the Central AR library system (and in the Rivermarket district) this store not only sells gently used library and donated books, but also some quite unique gifts for readers and thinkers. Also some fantastic art galleries (with some for sale.) Get a cup of coffee or a cookie at the cute counter inside.
Another gem in the Rivermarket district- you might not have realized that this is a free art gallery with much of the work being for sale (by Arkansas artists!) Stempunk Jewelry, hand turned woodwork, books, hand knitted scarves, pottery- they’ve got it!
Looking for handmade gifts or unique historical toys and gifts? This is the place! You don’t have to pay admission to the museum to go inside the store.
No matter what your political affiliation, the Clinton museum store has something for you! Tom’s Shoes, handmade jewelery, recycled presents, and more. Not actually inside the museum, but in the Rivermarket district. (More great museum gift shops in the area include- Museum of Discovery, MacArthur Military Musuem gift shop, Old Statehouse Museum gift shop, and the Arkansas Arts Center gift shop.)
The Heifer project is not only a cool place to visit, but houses a wonderful gift shop. I got a fantastic book on beekeeping (for myself) and they have lovely gifts and neat things from around the world. While you are there tour the center and think about getting a gift that keeps on giving- animal donations for people in need around the world. Great organization. Our family registers online now and gives animals instead of gifts to ourselves.
I adore this store and secretly wish they would come decorate my house. A non-profit, fair trade store with items from around the world. What more could you wish for! ALSO- ALL holiday items are 25% off on the 19th!
Across the river in North Little Rock (but also on the trolley line…)
Not just for the avid beader, Argenta Bead company also showcases work by local beaders and jewelry makers. You can special order almost anything you want made.
