There’s an old adage about gifting that long predates Amazon and free shipping and Instagram targeting: It’s the thought that counts. The notion conjures up images of painstakingly hand-made gifts imbued with profound personalization. It’s a nice idea for loved ones, but highly impractical at the scale the holiday season usually requires.
A happy medium exists, one that’s low on effort, high on joy and imbued with meaning whilst requiring no physical craftiness. I’m talking about shopping locally—intentionally skipping the mass retailers and looking instead to the bounty of gift options around the East Bay.
Two local women perfected this when, in September, they launched Town Love. The brainchild of public relations professional Kim Bardakian and graphic designer Nicole Vasgerdsian, Town Love is a gift box featuring locally curated goods that celebrate the makers and founders of Oakland. After wrapping up holiday pre-orders last month, they sold more than 500 boxes to individuals and businesses all-in on their mission to shift the narrative around Oakland back to its creative, diverse and vibrant roots.
“Now more than ever we need to uplift and elevate our small businesses,” says Bardakian. “We know times are tough, and we thought this was a good way to package up some fun products of the hard-working founders in the town.”
While there are only a few Town Love boxes left, the duo offered their curation expertise to share more ideas for Oakland goods that make for amazing gifts.
Local Gifts for Foodies
The Town Love box features a great lineup of food and drinks from some of Oakland’s most notable names, including treats from That’s My Jam, The Granola Guru, Peter’s Kettle Corn and the Oakland Fortune Factory. Those are ideal places to start when thinking about seasonal gifts, but The Town’s rich culinary scene offers even more.
For kitchen connoisseurs, premium ingredients are the way to go. Bardakian loves jarred goods from Oaktown Spice Shop and Kuali salsas, two local companies making a national stir. Vasgerdsian recommends Off That Fire to take the spice up a notch.
To please a crowd or sweet treat fiends, think: dessert. The baking scene is heavy with options, like cookies from Yahshi Bakes, family-recipe-inspired pound cake from Pound Bizness and Argentinean conitos and alfajores from Wooden Table. Chocolate and caffeine lovers can have it all in the innovative espresso, coffee and tea-infused bars from Coba.
Of course, foodies get thirsty too. The Town Love Box includes samples from Red Bay Coffee and Teas with Meaning. For beer lovers, Temescal Brewing offers an ever-changing lineup. For the healthy friend, Mothership Ferments sells a colorful collection of kombucha.
Another pick for foodies? The new cookbook from Oakland Chef Tu David Phu and Bay Area cultural critic Soleil Ho, The Memory of Taste: Vietnamese American Recipes from Phú Quoc, Oakland, and the Spaces Between. Bonus points for buying from Pegasus Books.
Stylish Picks Around The Town
Who doesn’t love something green or wonderfully scented? Candles and fragrances from Fonzie’s Artisanal Goods and Olfactorie Candles pack a big punch in small, beautiful packages. (Olfactorie even carries a special candle that captures the scent of the city.) To give someone the gift of a little pampering with all-natural body butters, try oils and salves from The Herbal Alchemist. And for the gift that keeps on growing, shop the lush leaves at Blk Girls Greenhouse or the dramatic blooms of Crimson Horticultural Rarities.
For those who prioritize stand-out style, Oakland is home to designers galore. Fashionistas will appreciate a statement piece (or gift card) from Ali Golden, Lesley Evers or Taylor Jay. For a truly one-of-a-kind gift, select or commission something chain-stitched by Mira Flores. And if someone loves The Town as much as Bardakian and Vasgerdsian, Oaklandish is a must-stop shop for Oakland-repping tees, sweats, accessories and more.
For size-free gifting, turn to an array of jewelry shops. Both Candid Art and Philippa Roberts offer classic and creative options to suit any taste. Go even more elevated with gems from Dorian Webb.
Oakland Experiences They Won’t Forget
Some of the most thoughtful gifts can’t be wrapped, or at least not completely. The Town Love Box includes discounted tickets to an Oakland Roots game as well as the OMCA.
Those ideas are ready to steal for guaranteed memory-making. But Bardakian and Vasgerdsian also have nearly endless recommendations in the arena of “Give the gift of fun stuff to do together around Oakland.”
Indulge a fan with tickets to a show at the Fox Theater or Paramount Theatre. Get crafty with classes at The Crucible or Kollektiv Clay Studio. Give the gift of a new skill or hobby with lessons or a membership at the Bay Area Curling Club in East Oakland. A hot towel treatment at People’s Barber or a spa treatment at Kume Spa will offer a much-needed holiday stress reprieve.
Basically, turn someone’s favorite activity—or an activity that could become a favorite—into a gift. Low key ways include bringing the picnic for a hike in The Hills or treating someone to bites at a favorite farmers’ market. (If it’s the one near Lake Merritt, Vasgerdsian recommends a local gondola ride.)
Neighborhood Spots to Shop
These Oakland-made recommendations are ready to order for anyone who wants to get through their to-gift list, stat. Plenty of Oakland shops also focus on locally made goods and goodies to peruse at one’s leisure. That includes Uptown Market (1955 Broadway), a collaboration between Block, Inc. and the Black Cultural Zone featuring a rotating lineup of “the best of Oakland.” There’s also the aptly named Bay-Made (3295 Lakeshore Ave.), which carries gifts and art from makers around the Bay Area.
Yet a local gift can also just be something that comes from a local shop, which The Town has in infinite supply. Bardakian has been shopping at Pelago (6128 La Salle Ave.) in Montclair for years, and the shop is the exclusive retailer for the Town Love box. Bonus: They’ll wrap things for free.
For stylish stores that offer gifts for adults, kids and pets alike all in one place, try Veranda (308 12th St.), Mischief (3908 MacArthur Blvd.) and Nathan & Co (5636 College Ave. and 4025 Piedmont Ave.). For more elevated offerings, hit up Maison d’Etre (5640 College Ave.). Bardakian also loves to check out the Rockridge Market Hall (5655 College Ave.).
The holiday season shopping countdown begins now—but with these recommendations from Town Love, it doesn’t have to be a frenzy.
