This holiday season, the staff and artists of AKR are highlighting some of their favorite small businesses in the AKR Staff/Artist Picks Holiday Gift Guide. We’ve curated a collection of unique, locally-sourced gifts—from ceramics to books to handmade treasures—supporting independent makers and shops. Browse the guide to see if you can find the perfect gift for someone on your list!
$100+
Vinyl Me, Please > Gift Membership
Working with true legends in the vinyl community, we create the highest quality vinyl pressings and packaging they can get their hands on. Each Record of the Month includes unique extras, like liner notes.
Follow @vinylmeplease
Boozetooth > Chainlink Earrings
Handmade stained glass earrings.
Follow @boozetooth
Sourhouse > Goldie by Sourhouse + Cooling Puck
Goldie by Sourhouse™ provides just enough warmth to keep a sourdough starter consistently in the “Goldilocks Zone” of 75-82ºF (~24-28ºC) where it is the most active and healthy, so bakers can bake their best bread all year round without warming up their whole house.
Follow @lifeatsourhouse
Jennifer Neilsen Jewelry > Petite Forged Dangling Beach Pebble Earrings
Delicate Maine basalt beach pebbles dangle from forged sterling silver hooks. Feather-light and lovely! Approximately 1.25” long with mica flecked granite.
Follow @jneilsenjewelry
The Jade Leaf > Small Ash Glazed Bud Vase
This small vase is covered with a wild clay slip and ash glaze and will be a stunning addition to your tea table. Each vase is handmade resulting in a one-of-a-kind piece with natural variations in texture and color.
Follow @thejadeleaf
$100 and under
J. Stark > Woodbine Tote
Perfect everyday tote comes in 21 colors.
Follow @jstark
Losers Weepers > NOSTALGIA95 Hoodie
100% cotton, made in the USA, heavy-weight hoodie. Featuring a Large denim patch center chest, with distressed edges and a full size “Nostalgia95” embroidered graphic. Both sleeves feature “Happy Memories” floppy disks on the sleeves. Hand distressing all over combined with the washed/faded color combines for a solid retro look.
Follow @lose_weep
Fishwife > Fishwife Starter Pack
Introducing The Starter Pack! The mother of all Fishwife products, this mega-pack includes one tin of each of our best-selling tins—that’s a lotta tinned fish! This set includes 7 tins of Fishwife tinned fish (1 tin of each listed): Smoked Atlantic Salmon, Smoked Salmon with Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp, Smoked Rainbow Trout, Albacore Tuna with Spicy Olive Oil, Sardines with Preserved Lemon, Cantabrian Anchovies in EVOO and Slow Smoked Mackerel.
Follow @fishwife
Ann Erickson > ola earring
Hand fabricated sterling silver earrings.
Follow @ann_erickson
Sirius Glassworks > Tumbler
Bold, painterly, hand blown glass in classic forms.
Follow @siriusglassworks
yumedyne > TECHNICOLOR DEMON NO.7
Manually screen printed with magenta and purple glow-in-the-dark ink. Speckle-dyed by hand with turquoise, fuchsia red, and lemon yellow, creating a CMYK effect. Individually sewn custom damask tags with vanilla sky variegated thread.
Follow @yumedyne_art
Merewif > Eliot SIgnet Ring
A classic, hand-carved signet ring.
Follow @merewif_
JFPOLD > Wizard Sweater
Handmade at home with hand printed design and bedazzled all throughout. Unique silver stars all around the edge where both colors meet.
Follow @jfpold
Graza > The “Drizz and Dip” Olive Oil Set
The “Drizz & Dip” Olive Oil Set includes our four-piece melamine “Drizz & Dip” plus two bottles of Drizzle Extra Virgin Olive Oil!
Follow @getgraza
$50 and under
Jones Coffee Roasters > Taster’s Sampler
Eight different coffees packaged in two-ounce bags — each one is perfect for making two pots of drip coffee.
Follow @jonescoffee
East Fork Pottery > The Mug
The only mug you’ll want to use every single day.
Follow @eastforkpottery
Carla Lalli Music > That Sounds So Good – Cookbook
Recipes to match every mood, situation, and vibe from the James Beard Award–winning author of Where Cooking Begins. Order @ Greenlight BookStore
Follow @lallimusic
Follow @greenlightbklyn
Soul Food Candle Co. > Cocoa Butter Bby Candle
Baby hairs laid, hoop earrings on, skin moisturized, and your home smelling divine. Notes of warm spices paired with delicate jasmine and sensual amber are just what you need to remind you, YOU’RE THAT BBY!
Follow @soulfoodcandleco
Heidi Wrangles Cats > T-Shirt
Cat “body language” shirt supporting Heidi Wrangles Cats.
Follow @heidiwranglescats
The Foggy Dog > Squirrel Dog Sweater
Go nuts over this fall sweater featuring a charming pattern of squirrels and acorns.
Follow @thefoggydog
Galine’s Print Shop > Twin Peaks Color Pencil Illustration Prints
Prints of Color Pencil Illustrations inspired by Twin Peaks.
Follow @galine_illustration
$25 and under
Dan Zetwoch Zines > Zines, Comics, Graphic Novels, Posters
St. Louis Cartoonist / Illustrator / Printmaker
Follow @danzettwoch
Paddy Wax > Eco Candle
It’s not easy being green. You’ve got your reusable coffee mug, grocery bags, and you even compost, but still want to do more. We make it easy with this responsible collection. Our Eco candles are poured in recycled vessels to make every corner of your home green. And once you’re done, you can recycle even further by repurposing our vessels for other uses throughout the house!
Follow @paddywaxcandles
Bon Bon Bon > Sugar Chai Honey Crunch Cassette
This sweet honey crunch tape is all chocolate, perfectly spiced and TBH, just so satisfying to bite into. Cassette tapes are 100% edible and ready to be devoured.
Follow @bonbonbonchocolate
Sight See > Coco Nylon Hat
Your new favorite hat featuring the shop mascot Coco.
Follow @sightseeshop
Sol Food > Pique Sauce
Our original recipe celebrates traditional Puerto Rician flavors and our special mix of chiles and seasoning.Perfect for a finishing touch to your favorite meal, spicy beverage, cocktail, or marinade.
Follow @soldfoodca
Tasty Waves Dyes > Ice Dyed Socks
Ice-Dyed comfort athletic socks size 6-12.
Follow @tasty_waves_dyes
Bell Street Burritos > Burritos!
Atlanta’s best burritos! Drop in!
Follow: @bellstreetburritos
Adam JK > Tarot Deck
An inclusive and minimal tarot deck that’s open to interpretation. “OK” illustrations offer a fresh perspective (and no spooky dead guys!) so anyone can find themselves represented within.
Follow @adamjk
The Hot Chocolatier > Dark Chocolate Truffles
Made fresh in small batches, flavor profiles are carefully crafted.
Follow @thehotchocolatier
Tandem Coffee Roasters > Time & Temperature
Colombia / Ethiopia blend roasted in Portland, ME.
Follow @tandemcoffeeroasters
Alibi Bookshop > Gift Card
Bookshop.org digital gift cards are the perfect gift for any avid reader. The card value is added to the recipient’s Bookshop.org account as credit, and never expires.
Follow @alibibookshop