Treat your loved ones—or yourself—this holiday season.
GIFT CARDS
Arcola Cafe
3500 Harford Rd
443-991-0041
arcolacafe.com
Arcola Cafe is the living room coffee shop you’ve been looking for. Come for the locally sourced coffee and tasty sandwiches, stay for the warm, welcoming environment they’ve curated. They sell products from local artists and recently started evening bar hours as well.
Cajou Creamery
411 North Howard Street
410-929-2644
cajoucreamery.com
From horchata to kulfi to sweet potato pie flavors, travel around the world with Cajou Creamery’s handcrafted plant-based ice cream. In addition to visiting their storefront on Howard Street, you can also sign up for the Cajou Club membership, which gets you a monthly delivery of a discounted 4-pint pack.
914 West 36th Street
443-438-6597
catalogcoffeebmore.com
This brightly colored coffee shop opened on The Avenue in Hampden earlier this year and immediately became a staple. Their creative breakfast sandwiches and lattes are great, but it’s their weekend-only breakfast burrito that steals the show.
809 Light Street
443-492-9565
getcodettabakeshop.com
It’s true that Codetta Bake Shop makes the best cheesecakes in town. They also make the best tres leches cake, the best cupcakes, and more. Treat yourself to one of their desserts this holiday season.
2412 North Charles Street
410-366-8700
Diaspora Salon specializes in working with curly and coily hair and uses holistic, plant-based products to get your hair looking great and feeling healthy. They offer cut, color and styling services.
520 South Caroline Street
443-853-9317
hopscotchbottleshop.com
For the sober and sober-curious, Hopscotch Bottle Shop is a great place to find spirit-free alternatives for holiday celebrations.
4607 Harford Rd.
443-770-3690
maxsdegrees.com
Find locally sourced herb and salt blends, artisan mustards, simple syrups, bitters, sauces and more at Max’s Degrees new storefront.
1301 North Calvert Street
443-681-9855
mera.kitchen
Support Mera Kitchen Collective this holiday season by purchasing a gift card. They have plenty of vegetarian options and something for everyone at your Thanksgiving table. They’re the best restaurant that feels like home.
30 West North Avenue
443-699-3040
mobtownballroom.com
A daytime cafe that turns into a lively dance floor in the evenings, Mobtown Ballroom and Cafe does it all. They welcome remote workers during their cafe hours, put on swing dancing classes twice a week, and host a variety of other events like VERSION dance party, burlesque and open mic nights.
5416 Belair Rd Ste 1
667-310-9465
For the past two years, husband and wife team Ruth Kidd-Johnson and Chris Kidd-Johnson have run a bustling brick and mortar off of Belair Road. However, this year they branched out to a second location at Johns Hopkins University’s Ralph O’Connor Center. Their motto is simple: be good to yourself.
3432 Belair Road
410-804-5871
sydneysicecreams.com
Sydney Newton started making ice cream during the pandemic as a way to bring joy to her children. Soon, she began sharing that joy with friends and family, then with crowds at farmers markets and weekend pop-up events, and now with a storefront in Belair-Edison.
FOOD
Classic Truffle Box from Jinji Chocolate
Price: $20
3100 Greenmount Avenue, Unit B
443-835-1636
jinjichocolate.com
This box of chocolate truffles is as beautiful as it is delicious. If you find yourself in Waverly, visit their beautiful retail shop for a complete selection, and while you’re there, have some of their drinking chocolate. This is a great gift for a friend or family member who doesn’t (or can’t) eat dairy products.
The Elevated Tea Experience for Two
Price: $108.55
Cuples Tea House
409 North Howard Street
667-930-3930
cuplesteahouse.com
Break out your finest jewelry and winter attire and head to Cuples Tea House’s Elevated Tea Experience, which offers a selection of more than 50 loose leaf teas, fresh pastries, sandwiches, gourmet chocolates, and more.
Ceremony Coffee Roasters Instant Coffee
Price: $16
Various locations
410-626-0011
ceremonycoffee.com
This instant blend of Colombian and Ethiopian coffee is excellent for days when you don’t feel like leaving your house in the dead of winter or for your second cup of midday coffee.
Hon’s Honey Mini Bundle
Price: $22
4710 Pennington Avenue
410-589-6685
honshoney.com
A meaningful gift is perfect for your friends and family. This sampler of handcrafted presents, made by women survivors, includes a bar of soap, honey, and a lip moisturizer. Available online and at various retailers.
Neopol Savory Smokery Breakfast Basket
Price: $90
875 Hollins Street
443-835-3693
neopolsmokeryonline.com
This is a generous gift for your in-laws or host this holiday season. This breakfast basket offers a selection of Neopol’s smoked and savory delectables, including a smoked salmon filet, gravlax, smoked whitefish salad, and smoked salmon spread. You can also purchase gift cards to support this local family-owned business.
Peabody Heights Advent Calendar
Price: $90
401 East 30th Street
410-467-7837
peabodyheightsbrewery.com
This advent calendar features 24 different Peabody Heights beers. It’s an adult spin on the classic advent calendar experience and a perfect gift for friends and family. Available for pickup on November 30.
BOOKS
Behind You Is The Sea: A Novel
Price: $26
Written by Susan Muaddi Darraj, a Palestinian American author who’s lived in the Baltimore area since 2001, this book tells the story of Palestinian immigrants living in Baltimore and their complicated family dynamics. Each chapter gives the reader a glimpse into a different Palestinian American as they grow up, navigate familial and cultural expectations, and decide for themselves how they want to embrace their culture.
The Book of Juju: Africana Spirituality for Healing, Liberation, and Self-Discovery
Price: $19.99
Unleash your inner magic with Juju Bae’s guide to Black spirituality. This book empowers you to connect with your ancestors, build an altar, and weave potent rituals into your life.
The Brother You Choose
Price: $13.56-$40.50
We encourage you to pick up Ta-Nehisi Coates’ compact and incisive 2024 release “The Message.” It offers needed moral clarity as the country moves into a second Trump presidency, and as we grapple with how the art of writing, media, and the narratives they create shape our world.
But before Ta-Nehisi, there was his father, Paul Coates and former Black Panther Eddie Conway. “The Brother You Choose” traces these two men’s friendship and activism. Conway passed away in 2023, at the age of 76. If you weren’t lucky enough to speak to him, you can at least get a taste of his activism, intelligence, and wit in the pages of this book.
Emotion Industry
Price: $17
Tracy Dimond’s debut collection of poetry elegantly leverages pop culture obsession, communication theory, and humor to interrogate the absurdity of controlling feminine rage while living with an undiagnosed chronic illness.
The Fire Inside, Volume III: Collected Stories & Poems from Zora’s Den
Price: $5-$15
Purchase the latest anthology from Zora’s Den, a Baltimore-based writers’ group and community that supports Black women writers. If you are a Black woman writer, you are welcome to join Zora’s Den for its online social engagement and public events.
For more information, call 410-225-3130, or visit zorasden.com.
Scene Seen: Baltimore Band Portraits 2016–2024
Price: $45
This book, which is available for pre-order now, features portraits of musicians across Maryland, with a core focus on the midtown neighborhoods of Baltimore City. It is photographed by Micah E. Wood, designed by Christopher Chester, and features over 200 portraits of 85 Baltimore bands.
Swarm
Price: $65
3827 Falls Road
goodneighborshop.com
Purchase the first publication on the genre-defying practice of artist Terence Nance for a gift that is sure to inspire your own creative practice with its unique design and survey of Nance’s art.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Weekly JuiceBox
Price: $25 a week
JÜGO FRËSCO
123 East Fayette Street
A JÜGO FRËSCO’s subscription box gets you four randomly chosen, 100% organic and cold pressed juices a week. Founded by West Baltimore native and Coppin State University alumnus Dion Saunders, the business has grown from pop-up events to a downtown storefront where they also sell vegan food.
Private Kemetic Yoga class with Michele Blu
Michele Blu Yoga
416 North Howard Street
443-813-5042
micheleblu.yoga
When Michele Blu opened her first yoga studio in Baltimore in 2008, it was the first Black-owned yoga studio in the city. Many years and certifications later, Blu now teaches Kemetic Yoga classes, hoping to share the calmness and sense of peace she found when she first started practicing yoga with other Baltimore residents. Email for price and more information.
Drop-in CrossFit class
Price: $20
ZEHBRAS Fitness Club
3302 Greenmount Avenue
410-449-0212
Dr. Jeanelle Spencer discovered CrossFit training in 2015, and it changed her life. With ZEHBRAS, which opened in April and is the first Black-owned fitness center in Baltimore, she wants to share CrossFit with everyone — especially women, Black people and LGBTQ+ people.
PLACES TO DONATE
Our Time Kitchen
117 West 24th Street
443-602-7925
Our Time Kitchen’s business model allows marginalized entrepreneurs to get a leg up on entering the food industry by renting out their commercial kitchen space by the hour so they can more easily transition from home cooking to being fully permitted. They offer mentorship opportunities, educational workshops, a marketplace, a food truck and back courtyard and more to support small businesses.
The Urban Oasis
2131 North Dukeland Street
Arica Gonzalez transformed abandoned lots in her neighborhood into a garden and community event space now known as The Urban Oasis. Her vision for the project includes growing a free library, adding a greenhouse and restaurant, and putting on even more programming for residents and young people in particular.
CLOTHING AND RETAIL
Fleur Vessel
Price: $49.99
the dede. Shop
305 North Howard Street
240-650-0126
Handcrafted in Mexico, this vase will add a touch of elegance to any living space. the dede. shop, which opened downtown earlier this year, focuses on thoughtfully curated, high quality decor that’s accessible to everyone.
A money tree plant from Stem & Vine
Price: $80
800 North Charles Street (temporary location)
Stem & Vine owner Quincy Goldsmith doesn’t just want to sell you a plant. He wants to show you that caring for your little green baby is actually caring for yourself. The shop puts on yoga events, networking happy hours and workshops teaching the history and science behind plants from different regions.
1719 Aliceanna Street
It’s just as fun to talk sports with Arvay Adams, owner of 1719 Aliceanna, as it is to browse the collection of vintage sports merchandise he puts on the shelves. Stop in for a wide selection of unique and affordable t-shirts, jackets, hats and more.
Haus of J. Bell Body Butter
Price: $6.50-$13
Chilly weather can be hard on your skin. Help your friends and loved ones stay moisturized and flourishing with handcrafted body butters from Haus of J. Bell. Choose their chamomile and vanilla butter, or go for their 34 + 35 butter which has scents of citrus, cedarwood, and a touch of patchouli.
Le Labo Hinoki Shower Gel
Price: $55
good neighbor
3827 Falls Road
lelabofragrances.com
It’s the holidays, so splurge a little on this luxurious shower gel. “The Hinoki scent is inspired by the Buddhist temples of Mount Koya in Japan which all carry the mystical, profusely warm and mesmerizing scent of the hinoki trees from the surrounding forest,” the company says about this scent. They also offer an online refill program. Pick it up at good neighbor in Hampden or online.
3120 Greenmount Avenue
nulanguagecaps.bigcartel.com/products
Spray-painted details, bright colors, and graphic prints adorn pieces like Black puffer coats, 2000’s style jerseys, Dickies work shirts and trucker hats at NuLanguage.
Zoe’s Just Dezzerts Sweatshirt
Price: $50
828 South Charles Street and 807 North Calvert Street
443-961-7241
zoesdezzerts.com
Zoe’s provides opportunities for people on the autism spectrum to thrive, grow, and contribute while bringing happiness and community through delicious desserts. Support their mission and new location with this sweatshirt.
Hand-painted bread & oil ceramic plate by Frantoio Muraglia
Price: $45
644 South Exeter Street
mountroyalstudios.com
Visit Mount Royal Studios’ new brick-and-mortar location for in-person shopping and browse through their blend of antique, vintage, and modern goods. Buy this hand-painted ceramic plate to elevate your dining experience this holiday season.
Original Screen Print by Andrew Shenker
Price: $150
421 North Howard Street
info@currentspace.com
currentspace.com
Give the gift of an original work of art (maybe for someone you’re absolutely trying to impress with your great taste). This screen print by Andrew Shenker would be a beautiful addition to anyone’s collection. Visit Current Space’s website to see more of his work!
228 Grant Street Candle Co. Reed Diffuser
Price: $30
This Reed Diffuser from locally-owned 228 Grant Street Candle Co. can add warmth and ambiance to any space. As we enter seasonal depression season, it’s a great way to increase the coziness of your home or workspace.
City of Gods Relentless Short Sleeve Set
Price: $100
1118 Hollins Street
cityofgodsonline.com
Support SoWeBo cultural hub City of Gods and look good doing it with this matching shorts and t-shirt set. They also offer a variety of hoodies, hats, and jackets.
Bundles from Dope Beauty Bar
Price: Three 24-inch Blonde Bundles for $350
1459 Light Street
443-798-2911
dopebeautycollection.myshopify.com
New Year, new you? Upgrade your look at Dope Beauty Bar with this blonde bundle deal.
Zodiac Candle
Price: $27
3600 Clipper Mill Road
443-672-5130
ksmcandleco.net
This collection, offered by KSM Candle Co., includes a special scent for each zodiac sign. The candles are 13 ounces and have a burn time of over 50 hours. Your Leo friend will love it.
2025 Year Task Planner
Price: $40
702 Saint Paul Street
443-835-1402
paperherald.com
Support this local Black-woman-owned stationary shop by purchasing this planner. It comes in two colors: Chambray Blue and Lavender Gray. It’s never too late to get it together.
106 West 25th Street
noexcusez.com
Baltimore Rapper YG Teck has been having quite a year. Starting with linking up with the legendary DJ Drama on his Gangsta Grillz “4th Quarter” mixtape in January and most recently opening Culture Bar & Grill in November.
But his clothing brand “No Excusez” has been styling many of Baltimore’s urban fashion connoisseurs for quite some time. Give your flyest loved one a very Baltimore gift like a sweatsuit, short set, t-shirt or hat they won’t find anywhere else except at the brick-and-mortar store located in Baltimore’s “Black Wall Street” over East.
24 East 25th Street
skrued.com
It’s not easy to design a quality tracksuit. The material, fit, and aesthetics all need to come together in a way that hits just-so. The brand team at Skrued seems to never miss.
2 Bond Street
Westminster, MD 21157
Ayoboutique.com
When Durrell Paige moved his clothing store from East Baltimore’s neglected Old Town Mall to Westminster, he was immediately faced with racism and harassment. But Ayo Boutique continues to stand as both a location of style and inspiration as he keeps the inventory full of local and indie brands, motivating his followers on Instagram by giving them lessons he learns along the way. Snatch up wears for the whole family and you could even get some free items with your purchases.
EXPERIENCES
Metro Gallery All Access Pass
Price: $230
1700 North Charles Street
metrobmore.com
Buy this golden ticket all-access pass for your friend who loves music. This VIP pass includes all access to all Metro Gallery events all year — AND it comes with a t-shirt. Available on their website on Black Friday.
847 North Howard Street
410-225-3130
eubieblake.org
It’s never too late to pick up a new hobby. The Eubie Blake Cultural Center offers private lessons for various instruments, including guitar, trumpet, and piano. Call 410-225-3130 or email info@eubieblake.org for more information.
Private bookings at Shake & Bake Family Fun Center
Price: Starts at $50
1601 Pennsylvania Avenue
410-545-1978
bcrp.baltimorecity.gov/shake-bake-family-fun-center
eventbooking@baltimorecity.gov
Make it a group gift at this legendary Baltimore venue. You can rent out VIP areas there starting at $120 an hour. Splurge with their bowling alley buy-out. It’s $1,000 for four hours.
African dance class
Price: Starts at $120
847 North Howard Street
443-250-1985
keurkhaleyidance@gmail.com
Hard times require furious dancing. Move your body at Keur Khaleyi African Dance Company. They also offer weekly drum and dance classes.
Christmas trees
With marijuana being legalized here in Maryland, support your local budtenders at ReLeaf Shop (releaf-shop.com) and Nirvana (nirvanacenter.com/maryland/downtown-baltimore), and buy something for yourself to get through another holiday season.
A session at The Craft Castle
Price: $30
831 West 36th Street
667-290-4912
thecraftcastle.art
Put down your cell phone, grab a friend, and reserve your artist’s desk stocked with supplies for two hours of open-ended projects from your imagination.
Personal Best Ceramics Hand Building Workshop
Price: $65
personalbestceramics.com
hello@personalbestceramics.com.
If you’re looking for something creative and unique, how about this ceramic planter from Personal Best Ceramics? You can also try making pottery of your own in a hand-building workshop.