How to have a Richmond-made holiday: A 2015 local gift guide

RICHMOND, Va. – Shoppers who wish to support Richmond businesses will find plenty of holiday options among local shops.

The guide below is organized by category, with location and contact info listed. CBS 6 contacted shops to inquire about their holiday best sellers. Make sure to contact the organization for holiday hours.

In addition to pop-up shops and holiday bazaars noted below, the Viva La Local shopat Regency will be open through Dec. 24. Many items  listed below can be found there.

Is there a location you would like to see listed? Drop the web team an email. Also, make sure to share your holiday favorites in the comments below.

ART AND GOODS

From jewelry to candles to Richmond-themed prints and pillows, buyers will discover a healthy abundance of shops selling wares made by the locals. Items listed as popular this holiday are not the only items sold at the shops!

The Shops at 5807, in the Near West End, said that ceramics by Niki Crosby of “Happy Clay” and “Kelly Girl” are popular gift items, as well as handmade jewelry by “Shabby Chic Beads.”

“Naked” brand soy candles are popular at Twig in Northside, along with ornaments, hand-painted picture frames, and pottery.

Orange, in Carytown, said everything is moving fast, especially Richmond-themed prints and pillows.

South of the river, Nest Antiques Art and Gifts said that candles and soaps are hot sellers, along with other items.

SHOPS CARRYING LOCAL MADE WARES

Addison Handmade and Vintage, 103 S Addison St, Richmond

Art 180 Holiday Market, 114 W. Marshall St., Richmond, 804-233-4180 *seasonal market*

Bizarre Marketat Chop Suey Books (upstairs), 2913 W Cary St, Richmond *seasonal market*

ClawHammer Co., online retail. A wide variety of goods created by master artisans.

Etsy. Don’t want to leave this house? Search *Richmond, Va. in handmade* on Etsy.

Gather, 920 Mount Hermon Road, Midlothian, VA (804) 379-0441

Handmade Holiday by Richmond Craft Mafia, at Hardywood, 2408 Ownby Ln, Richmond *12/5 only

Nest Antiques Art and Gifts, 3404 Semmes Ave, Richmond, (804) 233-0134

Orange, 3007 W Cary St. Richmond, (804) 257-9800

Quirk Gallery, 11 W Broad St, Richmond, (804) 644-5450

Shops at 5807, 5807 Patterson Ave, Richmond,(804) 288-5807

Strawberry Fields, Flowers and Finds, 423 Strawberry Street, (804) 213-0232

The Valentine Museum, 1015 E Clay St., Richmond, (804) 649-0711

Tinker, 2409 Westwood Ave, Richmond, (804) 359-1843

Tweed, 4035 Lauderdale Dr, Richmond,(804) 249-3900

Twig, 6112 Lakeside Ave, Richmond, (804) 393-1601

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts gift shop, two locations, Short Pump Town Center (upper level between Crate & Barrell and Nordstrom) and 200 N. Boulevard, Richmond, (804) 340 -1525.

Viva La Local, 1420 North Parham Road, Richmond, (804) 740-7467 *seasonal Nov. 23-Dec. 24,  open Wed.- Sun. noon- 6 p.m. *

BEER

Richmond doesn’t lack for craft beer.  There are some brews that aren’t necessarily holiday specific, but which will release during the holiday season. These will make fantastic gifts for the beer lover in your life.

Sidenote: A growler is good for a week unopened in the refrigerator, and you have 24 hours to drink it before carbonation begins to disappear. Some beers listed below aren’t available by bottle, but by growler.

You can use the web-based site or cellphone app Trinkin to find out if the beer you seek as a gift is available at a store or the brewery’s tasting room. Or call them.

Hardywood offers a gift pack of their popular Gingerbread Stout. It includes two bottles of Hardywood Gingerbread Stout, two Rastal crystal GBS glasses, GBS Beer Soap by Wandering Cow Farm, a Hardywood sticker and key chain bottle opener and a recipe for a delicious GBS loaf by Bites, Barrels & Brews.

Isley has a Porter pack available while supplies last, for $39, that features its Choosy Mother peanut butter porter, the bourbon barrel version of it, and The Bribe, an Oatmeal Porter.

WINTER RELEASES

Ardent Ales:  Dark Rye Imperial Stout and Coffee Stout are now out and Earl Grey Brown Ale, Northern English Brown ale with hints of bergamot, will release around Jan.4, 2016. All available on draft and in bottle.

Blue Bee Cider: Hewe’s Crab will release on Dec. 12.  It’s the  first-ever single varietal cider made with 100% Hewes Crab cider apples. It’s from the first crop of their young trees and it may be another few years before they can repeat a harvest of this size.

Center of the Universe: Travesty, a milk stout, releases on Dec. 5 and will be available at the brewery on draft and in 22 oz.  bottles. Orange is the New Stout releases on Dec. 12 and will have the same distribution.

Hardywood Brewery: Bourbon Barrel Gingerbread Stout Dec. 5 and Christmas Morning, which adds flavor to the GBS with roasted Brazilian and Sumatran coffee beans from Blackhand Coffee Co., will release on Dec. 12. Kentucky Christmas Morning, which incorporates all of the above for a Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Milk Stout with Coffee & Spices, will release on Dec. 19. Releases will be available by growler and 750 ML bottles.

Isley Brewing Company:  Going Mintal  — a minty milk chocolate stout — made in collaboration with Ladies of Lager is out now. Stay Mallow Brown Ale release on Dec. 15 and will be available on draft.

Legend Brewing:   Winter White and Chocolate Porter are now out and available on draft and in bottle.

Lickinghole Creek:  Vanilla Black Bear Porter is now out on draft only. Citra Fresh IPA releases Dec. 12, Goochland Quad and Coconut Quad release Dec. 19.

Midnight Brewery:  Christmas at Midnight released in draft on Nov. 21, but bottles are for sale at the tasting room starting Dec. 12.  On Dec. 4  the Majority Rules coffee milk stout, chosen by fans, will release.

Rusty Beaver:  Merry Krampus,  a Christmas Porter with smoky malt from Copper Fox, spiced with freshly shaved ginger, ceylon cinnamon, Jamaican freshly ground nutmeg, allspice and whole clove.  Available in the tasting room in bottles and on draft for growler fills and pints.

Strangeways Brewing:  Tirami’zu Brew Rum Barrel Aged Porter out now; Ape of Armageddon (Stout brewed in Woodford Reserve barrels) and Tequila Barrel Aged Imperial Stout release Dec. 5, Beyond the Ouija Tripel (Oak Brett), Virginia Stingo Red Wine Barrel, Aged Strong Ale, The Snake & The Snowman bottle release on Dec. 19. These will be on draft and in 750 ML bottles.

Triple Crossing Brewing Company: Black Dolphin Imperial is on draft and sold by bottle, but not for much longer. Double Falcon Smash — bust, malty, alcoholic and with an intense hop profile — will release on Dec. 19. Available on draft and in 22 oz. bottle, exclusively in the tasting room.

BREWERY CONTACT INFO

• Ardent Craft Ales, 3200 West Leigh Street, Richmond, (804) 359-1605
• Blue Bee Cider, 212 W. 6th Street, Richmond, (804) 231-0280
• Center of the Universe 11293 Air Park Road, Ashland, (804) 368-0299
• Garden Grove Brewing Company, 3445 W Cary Street, Richmond, (804) 918-6158
• Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, 2408 Ownby Lane, Richmond, (804) 420-2420
• Isley Brewing Company, 1715 Summit Avenue, Richmond, (804) 716-2132
• Legend Brewing Company, 321 W. Seventh Street, Richmond, (804) 232-3446
• Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery, 4100 Knolls Point Drive, Goochland, (804) 314-438
• Midnight Brewery, 2410-B Granite Ridge Road, Rockville, 804-719-9150
• Rusty Beaver, 18043 Jefferson Davis Hwy, Ruther Glen, (855) 478-7892
• Strangeways Brewing, 2277A Dabney Road, Richmond, (804) 303-4336
• Triple Crossing Brewing Company, 113 S Foushee Street, Richmond, (804) 308-0475

BOOKS

From cookbooks to nonfiction and mysteries to botanical books, as well as kids and young adult fiction, there are a number of authors from the Richmond area.

Contact one of the places below and ask about local authors.  Multiple locations said that the “804fork Volume Two: Back for Seconds” cookbook is a hot item,  and another seller recommended Howard Owen’s latest mystery that is set in Shockoe Bottom. Fountain Books said popular items this year include Black Wing pencils, “Andy and Don: The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American,” and the kid’s series “Summer of the Woods,”  a four-part, ongoing series by Steven Smith, akin to the Hardy Boys

bbgb Tales for Kids 3003 West Cary Street Richmond, (804) 353 5675

Bell Book & Candle, 106 1/2 S Railroad Ave Ashland, (804) 798-9047

Black Swan Books, 2601 West Main Street, Richmond,  (804) 353-9476 *collectibles of Richmond and Virginia writers*

Book People, 536 Granite Avenue, Richmond, (804) 288-4346

Chop Suey Books,  2913 West Cary Street Richmond,  (804) 422-8066 *Don’t miss the Holiday Brew Ho – Ho on Dec. 13, featuring more than 30 local authors*

Fountain Bookstore, 1312 E Cary St. Richmond,  (804) 788-1594

BOOZE

Celebrate a spirited holiday with these local offerings, available at the Virginia ABC stores. Check store availability here.

Cirrus Vodka is an award-winning vodka made on Ownby Lane. The potato-based vodka is a rarity in the U.S. — most vodkas are made from grains.

James River Distillery for the gin lover in your life. Offerings include Commonwealth, Continental and UA Navy Strength gin. Made on Hardy Street.

Reservoir Distillery offers wheat and rye whiskey, and corn bourbon. Made in Scott’s Addition.

Belle Isle Craft Spiritsproduces honey habanero and premium moonshine for cocktails. Made in Manchester.

CHOCOLATE AND CONFECTIONS 

Richmond is sweeter than you may know. Visit websites or call to confirm shop hours. Many products are available at local shops.

At Chocolate Cravings, popular holiday items include peppermint bark, dark peppermint, hot cocoa cones and white Columbian chocolate. Gearharts offers gift assortments, a popular hot chocolate mix and malt whiskey truffles to go with the Reservoir whiskey you bought. Pecan Jack’s are made in Stony Point, and offer a variety of delightful confections, with plenty of gift options available.

SHOPS

Chocolates by Kelly600 N. 29th Street Richmond, (804) 225-8882
Also on Forest Hill Avenue

Chocolate Cravings 6929 Lakeside Avenue, The Hub Shopping Center, Richmond804-363-6873.

de Rochonnet delights13228 Midlothian Turnpike (804) 794-1551

For the Love of Chocolate 2820 West Cary Street Suite A (804) 359-5645. Get your traditional items as well as artisanal treats.

Gearharts 306 B. Libbie Ave Richmond, (804) 282-1822

Pecan Jacks 9200 Stony Point Parkway, Richmond

Willie Byrd chocolate sauce, online and in stores

CLOTHING

Richmond’s fashion designers offer plenty of clever options to keep your loved ones well-dressed.

Peter Blair has hundreds of handmade and hand-designed ties and bow-ties. They also offer local-centric key FOBS that could make fun stocking stuffers, as well as Virginia-themed belts with flair such as the state, cardinal, tobacco leaf, Capital, and peanut.

RVA Threads sells a variety of t-shirt designs and said that the most popular selling items are the skyline RVA shirt and the RVA hooded sweatshirt, with built-in beer holder for tailgating.

Ledbury’s gift guide includes stocking stuffers, ties, scarves, hats, and their internationally renown shirts.

And don’t forget to throw in some shades in for stocking stuffers. Nectar has plenty of trendy shades, and SunFlipz offers a series of wood frame glasses named after Richmond hills.

SHOPS

Ledbury 117 S 14th St Richmond, (804) 285-6768

Nectar Sunglasses, online retail.

Peter Blair, 5800 Grove Ave, Richmond,

Richmond Thread Lab, handmade neckties focusing on natural fibers and texture-rich materials.

Rosewood Clothing 16 West Broad St, Richmond.

RVA Creates, an online guide to ALL merchandise with the RVA logo. Includes items like pins, glasses, stickers, shirts, blankets, wine glasses, travel mugs and golf towels — most anything you need.

RVA Threads, sold online, and featuring Richmond-themed t-shirts. Free shipping on orders right now.

Shockoe Atelier 13A South 15th Street Richmond, (804) 269-0851

Sunflipz, online retail.

COFFEE

There are plenty of places to pick up local beans and delights instead of a generic gift card to Starbucks. Blanchard’s offers a Holiday blend of Ethiopian and Sumatran beans, in addition to their numerous varieties and gift boxes. Rostov’s has a holiday Spice Butter Rum, in addition to the Richmond Blend of tea; a black tea with cinnamon oil.  They also provide gift baskets for the tea or coffee lover.

Both places offer brewing equipment as well.

The Shockoe Swirl is a popular, Cinnamon Hazelnut blend available at Shockoe Espresso and Bakery.  Black Hand offers a Museum District blend with class. If you have a coffee lover in your life, one of these places will have what you need, guaranteed.

SHOPS

Lab by Alchemy, 814 W Broad St, Richmond (804) 608-9873

Blanchard’s Coffee Roasting Co. 1903 Westwood Avenue, Richmond (804) 516-5213. Available in multiple stores around Richmond-metro.

Black Hand Coffee Co 3101 Patterson Ave, Richmond (804) 855-0800

Captain Buzzy’s Beanery 2623 East Broad St Richmond (804) 377-6655

Lamplighter Roasting Co.

• 116 South Addison Street Richmond, VA 23220 (804) 728-2292
• 26 N Morris St Richmond, VA 23220 (x Main St) (804) 728-2292
• 719 Summit Ave Richmond, VA 23230 (x Norfolk St)

Rostov’s1618 W Main St, Richmond, (804) 355-1955

Shockoe Espresso and Roastery 104 Shockoe Slip, Richmond (804) 648-3734

MUSIC

If Richmond had a soundtrack, it would be quite diverse. Many musicians known around the world  call the River City home. Check with the local record shops to get the latest and best tunes.  Some record shops sell more than vinyl.

SHOPS

Deep Groove,317 N. Robinson St Richmond,  (804) 278-9112

Plan 9 Music, 3012 W Cary St, Richmond, (804) 353-9996

Steady Sounds Record Store, 322 W. Broad St Richmond,  (804) 308-2692

Turnstyle,  102 West Broad St Richmond,  (804) 643-8876

Vinyl Conflict Record Store, 324 South Pine St Richmond,  (804) 344-8095

SOAP AND BEAUTY

Plenty of talented soap makers will keep the stink away. Cricket Cove Soap Co. offers plenty of stocking stuffer and gift set ideas. Naokeidoe Creations offers body, hair and home products that are sold at Kroger and Whole Foods.

House of Lukaya has a variety of holistic lotions and potions for body care. And don’t miss out on the  Richmond landmark series available from the Richmond Soap Studio.

Richmond Soap Studio online sales and various local shops.

Row House Soaps 121 East Main Street, Richmond, (602) 717-7739. One of the few soap makers with a storefront.

House of Lukaya online sales, in-town deliveries, and various local shops.

Cove Soap Co. online sales and available at various local shops, (804) 442-6832

Naokeidoe Creations online and available at Kroger and Whole Foods.

The Freckled Farm Soap Company online and available at various local shops, (804) 629-7051

Serene Suds, LLC online and available at various local shops.

WINE

The Virginia Wine Board Marketing Office reports that Virginia has at least 230 wineries. While the bulk of those are in Northern and Western Virginia counties, there are several near Richmond. Their products can be found at many retailers.

• Cooper Vineyards 13372 Shannon Hill Road Louisa (540) 894-5253
• Green Springs 1890 Poindexter Road Louisa (540) 967-WINE
• Grayhaven 4675 East Gray Fox Circle, Gum Spring (804) 556-3917
• James River Cellars 11008 Washington Highway, Glen Allen (804) 550-7516
• New Kent Vineyards 8400 Old Church Road, New Kent (804) 932-8240