CINCINNATI — The holiday season is busy, which means it may be easy to fall behind on buying gifts for your loved ones. Whether you've been procrastinating or life has gotten ahead of you, the Tri-State has plenty of local businesses that are perfect places to purchase presents.
Here are the Top 9 businesses to shop at in the Tri-State for your last-minute holiday needs:
For the kids
It's a indisputable fact of life that kids love toys. King Arthur's Court in Oakley is the perfect place to get any kids something magical — and they have free gift wrapping! King Arthur's has something for every kid, whether that be Lego sets, classic toys, dolls, board games, stuffed animals and much, much more. Outside of being perfect for holiday gifts, King Arthur's also has a birthday castle experience and party room available for rent.
For the plant lover
While it may be winter and outdoor plants are friends with the cold, there's still the opportunity to liven up your home with some houseplants. Frond, a Westwood plant shop, is the perfect place to boy a plant or two or even some plant-care supplies. The curated shop opened in 2022 and offers a broad range of plants for those just getting into the plant life or those with a greenest of thumbs. Other than plants, the shop also sells hand-poured concrete pots that can't be found anywhere else. The shop has more than sixty different styles in a variety of colors.
For those away from home
You can take the person out of Cincinnati, but you can never take the Cincinnati out of a person. Luckily, Cincy Favorites offers a little taste of home for those that don't live in the Queen City or can't make it home for the holidays. The online shop sells everything from Montgomery Inn BBQ sauce to cans of Skyline chili and Graeter's ice cream pints. The website also ships nationwide so those even thousands of miles away can feel like they're home.
For the makeup and skincare enthusiast
Putting more time into self-care is something everyone could probably do. Launch Party in Over-the-Rhine curates it's products, selling indie and ethical skincare and makeup brands. The shop, which is owned by Brit Cochran, also makes an effort to actively source products from businesses led by women of color and LGBTQ founders. Customers can expect to find everything from a gorgeous eye shadow palette to sugar scrubs and full skincare sets.
For the music lover
This holiday season is the perfect time to purchase a gift from Torn Light Records before the record shop moves to Chicago in 2024. Located in Clifton, the shop, which first opened its doors in 2014, is officially closing down Jan. 13. Torn Light carries both new and used LPs, CDs, cassettes and more from every genre under the sun. Outside of music, the store also carries cult films and books.
For the sports fan
Black Owned Outerwear is a great shop to buy all your Cincinnati sports apparel needs this holiday season. The shop is located in downtown Cincinnati, but also sells merchandise on its website. The brand struck a major deal this fall to carry an exclusive University of Cincinnati line, and they also carry options for FC Cincinnati. In the past, they've collaborated with the Bengals on a line too.
For the amateur cook
Whether you know someone who loves to whip up innovative recipes or someone that wants to be more confident in the kitchen, gifting a cooking class is a perfect gift for the amateur chefs in your life. Tablespoon Cooking Co., which is located by Findlay Market, hosts cooking classes for cooks of every skill level. The company also holds private events for larger groups, as well. You can either purchase tickets directly for future classes or buy a gift card so they can choose their own class. Outside of classes, Tablespoon Cooking Co. also has a curated selection of cooking ingredients and tools.
For the arts and crafts lover
Featuring more than 80 artists and vendors, Art on Vine is the perfect flea market to get some handmade gifts for the holidays. Set to run noon to 6 p.m. on Dec. 17 at Rhinegeist Brewery, the market will a variety of fine arts and handcrafted goods, including everything from jewelry to home decor.
For the book worm
Curating books of all genres and types, Household Books is a used bookstore and literary venue. The bookstore began as a pop-up before settling along Gilbert Avenue in Walnut Hills. The independent bookstore is "a space for everyone, built for engagement, with the goal of enriching our city by spreading the joy of the culture of the book. Outside of selling books, the shop also sells vinyl records and vintage clothing, and it hosts live events for the community. People can also donate books to Household's collection whenever the shop is opened.
