By Natasha Ashenhurst
On Saturday, November 24th you may find me and a few friends starting the day at the Bread Peddler. We’ll order cappuccinos and a freshly baked pastry, or maybe we’ll try the eggs Benedict featuring Hollandaise sauce made entirely from scratch. While we eat we’ll plot out the rest of the day that will include shopping and dining in downtown Olympia.
We are joining what has become an annual tradition in cities across the United States known as Small Business Saturday. It began in 2010 to help small independently-owned businesses get more exposure during one of the biggest shopping weekends of the year.
Just as the movement to eat locally produced, seasonal food has helped us discover just how tasty fresh vegetables are, the shop local movement has us pleasantly surprised as well. We’ve discovered the pleasure of talking to shop owners about where their products are sourced, why the quality of their goods are often superior to those mass produced, and we’ll get great shopping tips as well.
Stop by g.miller menswear on Capitol Way and talk to owner, Greg Miller. He’ll help you find the perfect gift for the hard-to-shop-for man. “Start by looking for something that is soft, colorful, and moderately priced,” he said. Right now they carry corduroy shirts that fit that description. Miller also suggests the addition of a stylish new dress shirt to a man’s wardrobe, an easy way to update the look of a suit or more casual outfit. Kids can buy Dad a great tie, or shop for g. miller’s best-selling stocking stuffer for the past twenty years: socks.
Cross the street and stop in at Compass Rose. Alana Carr, the store manager, is full of wonderful gift suggestions. She is thrilled with a new collection of holiday kitchenware from France. She is also delighted with a new line of jewelry made by Seattle artist Jamie Joseph. She’ll take the time to tell you where each product was sourced. If her store doesn’t carry an item that you are looking for, you can be sure she’ll know another store within walking distance that will. “Olympia has such an eclectic mix of shops,” she said.
Leave your purchases at the front counter for free gift wrapping and head on down to Red Door on Washington Street. It is a home decor store shop owned by a mother and daughter team. Right across the street you’ll find Wind Up Here, newly remodeled in March, and full of colorful toys and games. The staff is knowledgeable about what kids of different ages love and will take the time to help you find the perfect gift for the children in your life, and they will gift wrap them for you as well.
It is nearing lunchtime, but hang in there as you walk over to Olympia Olive Oil on 4th. It is a beautiful shop filled with the freshest and best quality extra-virgin olive oil, as well as aged and flavored balsamic vinegars. They carry gift boxes and baskets that are reasonably priced and are perfect for the foodie in your life. Ask to taste an oil and shop co-owner Fred Berschauer will be glad to help you out. You will be amazed by the variety of flavors.
Right next door you can relax for a while as you enjoy wine tasting (from 11am – 7pm) at Classic Winemakers. They sell gift baskets and may suggest that gift certificates are a great option for the friend that is especially particular. Another great place to buy wine and learn a lot in the process is The Wine Loft, owned by husband and wife team Jim and Mary Jones.
Tamara Schaffert, a fan and my fellow shopper says, “A visit to the Wine Loft is always fun. The owners, Jim and May, willingly share their knowledge and suggest new wines to try. My favorite way to experience new wines is to have them pull together a variety based on my preferences, budget or interest at the time. It’s a great way to do a custom wine tasting with friends and family during the holidays.”
Time for lunch, and so we head back over to Capitol Way for a cup of soup at aqua via. A glass of wine and a cheese plate might be tasty too. Make sure that you reserve a table if your party is four or more. If you’re really hungry and are craving pizza or subs, try La Gatina Pizzeria or Meconi’s Italian Subs.
After lunch be sure to check out Dree’s to browse home furnishing and talk with owner Ruthann Goularte about gift ideas. She loves to talk to her customers and help them find exactly what they want.
Let’s change the pace a bit in the afternoon and try a few vintage shops for variety. Check out Psychic Sister, Finders Keepers, and Rusty Rooster. Olympia has some great bookstores as well. Get lost in the stacks at Browser’s Books, Last Word Books, or Orca Books.
If it was just me I would stop here and head home to curl up with a good book and a glass of wine, but I will be with friends who can’t walk by Yolli Shoes and its sister store, Hot Toddy, without stopping in.
We’ll be tired by now, so we will catch the Dash, Intercity Transit’s free shuttle service, back to the Farmer’s Market. A few of us will stop in at Vivala and do a little shopping for ourselves, then we’ll end the day at Mercato.
Finally, don’t forget to stop by Sweet Charley B’s Cupcakery or Bon Jour Cupcakes at some point in the day and buy some treats for the sweeties that you left at home. They’ll be so grateful that when Small Business Saturday rolls around next year they’ll shoo you out the door.
