Gifts for the foodie
We’re rounding up some of our favorite Northland businesses for our 2023 gift guide to make it as easy as possible to shop local this holiday season. If you’ve got a foodie in your life, we love the delectables at these shops, and hey, you can pick up something for yourself too and just say it was part of the grocery budget! Consumables are always a great gift option for folks you may not know well, like a coworker, or someone hard to buy for.
There are plenty of farms to shop in the Northland with amazing locally-grown meat, such as Barham Family Farms, Green Grass Cattle Company or Paradise Locker Meats.
A bottle of liquor will keep you warm during the winter, and we love the apple brandy from Of the Earth Farm Distillery or whiskey from Restless Spirits.
You can rarely go wrong with a bottle of wine — grab one from Ladoga Ridge in Smithville, Riverwood or Pirtle in Weston or Jowler Creek in Platte City.
If beer is a better fit for those on your Christmas list, we love the local brews from Cinder Block Brewery and The Big Rip, both in NKC.
To give another meaning to getting sauced during the holidays, you can take home beloved bottles of sauces from Longboards Wraps & Bowls.
For those with a sweet tooth, stop by Sugar Whipped Bakery for their beautiful cocoa bombs or grab a plate of assorted Italian cookies for the office at Scola’s.
Gifts for the Fashionista
If you’ve got some extra stylish in your life, the Northland has no shortage of trendy boutiques. While it can be hard to buy clothing for someone else, buying accessories, especially jewelry, is always a safe bet. And luckily, most of these places also have plenty of Chiefs gear for the avid fan in your life. Most of the historic downtown areas of Northland towns have a clothing boutique or two, but of course, these are some of our favorites!
Three Birdies Boutique in Kearney is a cute shop with inclusive sizing up to 3XL — plus, they have beloved Judy Blue jeans!
Catfish and Tater has fun, affordable fashion and new a location in historic downtown Liberty.
Style by Ry is an adorable clothing boutique in downtown Excelsior Springs, and they offer private styling sessions, too.
Jill Marie Boutique at Zona Rosa is the perfect spot for athletic wear, and they also have a cute selection of baby and toddler clothes.
Pink Dinosaur is known for its ethically sourced t-shirts, and we especially love them for extra fun game day gear.
Shop Len is a new clothing spot at Zona Rosa and the sister store of the modern boutique Lucca Collection in the River Market.
Gifts for the Home
There’s nothing better than getting your home perfectly decorated and cozy for the holiday season, and these locally-owned boutiques will definitely inspire you the second you walk through their doors. You can’t go wrong with a candle for anyone on your list, or maybe you’re looking for something extra special for someone with excellent taste that you’d love to impress.
Solana Boutique in Excelsior Springs has affordable, whimsical, and quirky home decor. You can even stay in their upstairs vacation rental or rent out their event space.
Restoration Emporium just opened a store in the Northland! Find their homeware at Zona Rosa, whether you’re looking for something farmhouse or modern.
Green Lifestyle Boutique in Liberty is a great spot for sustainable goods for the home for that crunchy person on your list.
Else-Wares in Weston is a gorgeous shop filled with eclectic antique finds and you can even buy spirits there to add to your friend’s unique bar collection!
The Farm House Collection in Parkville is your best bet for amazing candles, and they recently added a candle bar, The Farmacy, which would be a great experience gift!
Find gifts for the home at Lemonality in Liberty, but they also have beautiful cards and paper goods as well.
Gifts for the Hard-To-Shop For
There’s always someone on your list who’s hard to shop for. Maybe it’s someone you think already has it all. Maybe it’s someone who has really specific taste. Either way, it can be stressful! If you’re shopping for someone like this, we hope these local businesses can make it easier.
In addition to Made in KC’s Briarcliff location, they now have one at Barrywoods! We especially love these tree ornaments made from old Plaza lights.
If you’re looking for something extra sentimental, Art & Frame Warehouse can either frame a special photo or artwork you have, or you can shop for pieces at their store.
Plants make great gifts — they’re trendy, they fit with any decor style and they brighten any home. Find a plant a new home at rOOTS KC at Zona.
Whether you’ve got kids or adults on your list, we love the classes, workshops and private events at Orange Easel’s two locations.
3DHQ is a 3D printing service at the Plaza, and they can make super unique pieces for anyone on your list! We love their photo-to-figurine service.
Of course, there’s always a gift card! You can never go wrong with a gift card to a local restaurant — and at the top of our list is usually the chef-driven Acre in Parkville.