Little pieces of home

Local shopping celebrates the season

NWA Democrat-Gazette/ Lara Jo Hightower B. Styled's owner, Benton Cooprider, shops all over the country for his beautifully curated collection of vintage and antique jewelry.
NWA Democrat-Gazette/ Lara Jo Hightower B. Styled's owner, Benton Cooprider, shops all over the country for his beautifully curated collection of vintage and antique jewelry.

The temptation to escape the crowds, stay warm in chilly weather and remain in your jammies can be seductive. But if you shop by the light of your computer, you're missing out on a lot -- not just unique gifts that come with little pieces of your heart and hometown, but the opportunity to single-handedly boost your local economy.

"It is important to shop local -- particularly during the holidays, because these small and mom-and-pop businesses are the entities that define Fayetteville, whether it be a drug store, a jeweler, a restaurant or salon," says Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce President Steve Clark. "These businesses are why we are funky and proud of that. [They're] the same people who put Fayetteville on the map for the world to discover because of the quality of their services and products. You can say these are the businesses that built Fayetteville from the ground up."

Eat, Drink and Shop

Fayetteville

Start with a hearty breakfast at The Little Bread Company (116 N. Block Ave., Fayetteville)

Grab your coffee at Jammin’ Java (21 W. Mountain St., Fayetteville) or Arsaga’s Church and Center (200 W. Center St., Fayetteville)

Regroup and refuel at Hugo’s (25 N. Block St., Fayetteville), Fresco (112 W. Center St., Fayetteville), Loafin’ Joe’s (201 W. Mountain St.) or Tiny Tim’s (21 W. Mountain St., Fayetteville).

Springdale

Grab a hot cocoa at Trailside Coffee Co. (101 W. Johnson Ave., Springdale)

Take a lunch break at Natural State Sandwiches (107 E. Emma Ave., Springdale), Spring Street Grill (101 Spring St., Springdale) or Mr. Taco Loco (130 W. Emma Ave., Springdale)

Sneak dessert at Shelby Lynn’s Cake Shop (118 W. Emma Ave., Springdale)

Rogers

Warm up with a Chai Tea Latte at Iron Horse Coffee Company (220 S. First St., Rogers)

Power up at Hammontrees (113 W. Walnut St., Rogers) or The Rail A Pizza Company (218 S. First St., Rogers)

Try a bubble tea at the Anime Cafe (111 S. Second St., Rogers)

Satisfy your sweet tooth at Kirby’s Kupcakes (128 S. Second St., Rogers)

Bentonville

Get an espresso to start your engine at Onyx Coffee Lab (100 NW Second St., Bentonville) or get your caffeine through chocolate at Kyya Chocolate (111 S. Main St., Bentonville)

Fill your stomach at the Pressroom (100 NW Second St., Bentonville) or Table Mesa Bistro (108 E. Central Ave., Bentonville)

Top off your day at Crepes Paulette (213 NE A. St., Bentonville)

Additionally, browsing in brick-and-mortar stores is a fantastic way to get gift ideas -- or, if you're having trouble coming up with an idea for someone on your list, take her shopping with you and watch what catches her eye and delights her. With that very thing in mind, I took my mom to the downtown areas of the four I-49 corridor cities in Northwest Arkansas to see what we could find. This is not a comprehensive list of all shopping options downtown -- there are far too many stores out there for that! -- but it might just give you a good idea of where to start.

FAYETTEVILLE

B. Styled

25 N. Block Ave.

Shop owner Benton Cooprider's lovely store is filled with accessories, small gifts and reasonably priced clothing with an artistic flair. But the real treasure is the extensive collection of antique and vintage jewelry -- ranging from the late 1800s through the 1950s -- that is carefully collected and curated by Cooprider himself. Beautifully displayed in several antique shop cases, the collection is pretty enough to be in a museum. (I went back to this store the next day to purchase an embroidered shirt that my mom loved; mission accomplished!)

Block Street Records

17 N. Block Ave.

Walking into Block Street Records is a sensory assault, and I mean that in the best way: The music choice of the day blasts from the well-wired store, while incense takes you back to your college days. Vintage vinyl stretches out as far as the eye can see. You could easily spend hours pawing through the excellently organized records that remind you of your childhood, your parents' childhoods, or your grandparents' childhoods. Mom couldn't leave without buying a classic Beatles album. (There's a Bentonville outpost of the store, as well.)

The Mustache Goods and Wears

15 S. Block Ave.

The Mustache had both of us giggling throughout the entire store. She found a journal titled "Don't Give Up On Your Stupid, Stupid Little Dream" particularly hilarious. The selection is wide and varied and includes funny coffee mugs, books and "Mistaken Lyrics Coasters." But don't write off the store as gag gifts only -- they've got a lovely collection of clothing, jewelry and art from local artists like Jason Jones and Woodworx.

City Supply Homestead Provisions and Goods

15 S. Block Ave.

Warm, woodsy and gourmet are the vibes in this cute shop, which has been on the block since April. Sure bets here include Pink House Alchemy concoctions -- handcrafted simple syrups, bitters and shrubs created by founder Emily Lawson right here in Northwest Arkansas -- and adorable signs and prints by Sugarboo Designs. Also notable are some fancy camping gear for the adventurer who has everything except for the perfect cast iron frying pan.

Riffraff

19 S. Block Ave.

Riffraff is a girly daydream of a store -- the entire selection of goods gives off a hip, young vibe. For gift giving, there are some fun T-shirts; a nice selection of stylish sunglasses; trendy jewelry; and cute phone cases.

Fayetteville Visitors Center

21 S. Block Ave.

The Visitors Center has some very cute Fayetteville-specific T-shirts and bumper stickers for that person on your list who can't stop saying, "Don't you just love this town?"

Southern Giving

21 W. Mountain St.

This tiny store is a bit of a secret, tucked around the corner from Tim's Pizza. It features handmade bath goods and baby items that can be personalized with monograms, but the star of the show when I was there were the handmade walnut serving trays handcrafted with wood from the Ozarks. I went back and bought two! They're selling fast, so don't wait.

SPRINGDALE

Cellar Door Antiques

132 W. Emma Ave.

The Cellar Door has been one of my favorite antique stores for a while: Owner Joy Parker is always on the hunt and, as a result, the merchandise on the floor changes frequently. The prices are beyond reasonable, and there's a wide selection of items to choose from. If you have a friend or relative who collects, say, ceramic owls or paintings of cows, Parker's store is a great place to start the search.

Dela DeVille's Vintage

120 W. Emma Ave.

Shop owner Dela Billingsley knows her stuff: She's been a vintage clothing fan her entire life and sold vintage on Etsy and at pop-up shops around the area prior to opening her first brick-and-mortar store. "It's the store I wished I had when I was growing up," she says of her creation. The large, bright space is filled with authentic vintage clothing -- you can find evening wear worthy of Audrey Hepburn here -- as well as the cutest reproduction vintage skirts, sweaters and dresses you've ever seen in sizes from 2 to 2x.

The Avenue NWA

103 W. Emma Ave.

The Avenue is a unique store: All of the items you find here came from companies that ensure their employees are paid a fair wage. The selection includes a lot of international items, like free trade coffee and teas, cool clothing and handmade toys. It's a great place to shop when you're just not sure what to get -- you'll probably find something unique and out-of-the-ordinary here.

Hello Local

101 E. Emma Ave.

This attractive store has a Springdale-centric goal: to celebrate the town's artisans and makers. Hip Springdale-specific T-shirts and local foods, as well as candles and coffees, fill the space. Don't miss Hobby and Hum's line of candles: Each one smells better than the next, and, if you bring the sweet little bowls they're poured in back to the store, you can get refills at a discounted price.

ROGERS

Mollie Love

116 W. Walnut St.

This bright shop is filled with lively colors and a wide variety of items, including clothing and accessories, home decor and the most lovable bunch of stuffed animals on this side of the state line. A cute collection of baseball caps offers great gift options, but my favorite items were the Japanese-made Piperoid paper craft kits that use origami to make the cutest little figurines -- perfect for the crafty kid, ages 10 and up.

The Rusty Chair

109 W. Walnut St.

One of Northwest Arkansas' best antique stores, The Rusty Chair is huge and filled to the ceiling with interesting finds from all eras and at all price points. Owner Julie Loose has a real knack for sussing out seriously interesting finds that you just don't see anywhere else. Bonus: Shop dog Tootie is a sweet puppy who is always up for a pet on the head.

The Dotted Pig and The Dotted Pig, Too

101 W. Walnut St. and 110 W. Walnut St.

Like Mollie Love, The Dotted Pig -- in two separate spots on opposite sides of the street -- has a large variety of items, mostly home decor, with some clothing accessories and jewelry thrown in. There are lots of options for holiday gifting: My favorites were the Karma Living needlepoint pillows and wall art, the inspirational (and beautifully delicate) SHINElife necklaces and the Sidney Hale candles.

Miss Judi's Boutique

103 W. Walnut St.

Miss Judi's carries one of my favorite products -- perfumes by Tokyo Milk. These unusual fragrances include Gin and Rosewater, Honey and the Moon and Let Them Eat Cake.

Dandy Roll

107 W. Walnut St.

Shop owners Dom and Courtney Smith turned their love of vintage ephemera into a business. Their warm, understated store features a wall that shows off their wide variety of vintage and antique lithographs. The wide variety of subject matter of the store's prints almost guarantees you can find a theme suitable for just about anyone on your list -- and an antique print makes a one-of-a-kind present. The couple also recently started stocking home decor goods and clothing. Courtney, who curates the store's clothing collection, says she looks for classic staples in tasteful, neutral colors that "can transition from the workday to evening or weekend hours." Adorable shop dogs Delia and Dobby are the icing on the shopping experience cake.

Urban Bath and Body

111 W. Walnut St.

Urban Bath and Body's custom-created lotions and scents would make a perfect present for your bath-loving friend or family member.

Fresh Harvest

211 W. Walnut St.

Holy cow -- I've never seen anything like Fresh Harvest! The store offers around 40 premium olive oils -- like lime infused olive oil and blood orange olive oil -- and 45 different balsamic vinegars, including apple balsamic and a white peach balsamic. Your foodie friend or relative would love a holiday gift from here. Co-owner Troy Johnson says he and his business partner Steve Ketchersid find products "at the ends of the earth and bring them here." Free taste testing is available.

Honeycomb Kitchen Shop

213 W. Walton St.

With its location right next door to Fresh Harvest, Honeycomb makes this block of Walnut a must for hobbyist and professional chefs. After you buy your specialty olive oil at Fresh Harvest, move next door to Honeycomb to find the perfect pan in which to use it. You can also find a wall of specialty kitchen gadgets and gorgeous dishes here. A gift certificate for cooking lessons -- which are taught in the back of the store -- would be an ideal choice for someone looking to sharpen their skills in the kitchen.

BENTONVILLE

Remedy Road

112 W. Central Ave.

"Shop With Purpose" is one of this store's tag lines, because everything you find here was made by a company whose mission is to "fight poverty and hunger, create jobs for the disadvantaged and take care of our environment." The store does not sacrifice style to pursue its socially conscious goal: It's filled with chic clothing, accessories and small gift items. My favorite items were iron-on patches that read "Good Vibes" -- exactly what you'll get when you make a purchase at this store.

Rollie Pollie

112 E. Central Ave.

This light-and-bright store has a small but well-curated collection of kids' toys, like the educational line "Yellow Scope" and nursery and kids' room decor.

Three Dog Bakery

113 W. Central Ave.

Three Dog Bakery is a dog's dream: One entire wall is filled with toys of all kinds-- squeaky, plush, stick-like -- and there's a bakery case brimming over with beautifully decorated dog treats. And don't get me started on the pet-sized, festive party hats. It's no wonder that owner Bobby Critselous says that the store is often filled with cute canines, especially on the weekends. The treats, baked in house by co-owner Paula Critselous, are as healthy as they are adorable: They contain no artificial food coloring or granulated sugar, and the icing is colored with healthy ingredients like spinach and beet powder.

Blue Moon

113 N. Main St.

Cute clothes and accessories and Arkansas-specific T-shirts are good gift choices in this store.

Southern Style

116 S. Main St.

This beautifully styled boutique carries toys and classic kids' clothes (don't miss its small but unique selection of shoes), but my favorite thing in the store were quirky, interactive books that I'd never seen anywhere else. Make sure to look up at the gorgeous, four-foot Ferris wheel covered with white twinkly lights hung high above the sales floor. Bonus: If you bring in your child's letter to Santa by Dec. 15, the store promises to mail it in its special postbox and to make sure that your child gets a response!

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NWA Democrat-Gazette/ Lara Hightower Honeycomb Kitchen Shop in Rogers stocks beautiful dishes, perfect for showing off your cooking skills.

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NWA Democrat-Gazette/ Lara Jo Hightower The deli case in Three Dog Bakery in Rogers is a sight to behold -- pastries, cupcakes and biscuits that look good enough for humans to eat but are meant for pups. All of the bakery products are made in-house using natural ingredients.

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NWA Democrat-Gazette/ Lara Hightower Dela DeVille's is a new store in downtown Springdale that carries authentic and reproduction vintage clothing for women in sizes 2 to 2x.

NAN Our Town on 12/13/2018

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