Small Business Saturday is the antidote to the consumer orgy that is Black Friday. This year it falls on Nov. 26, and while the Hudson Valley has no shortage of adorable homeware stores to frequent, some of the items for sale on Main Street aren’t that different than what’s available at Big Box stores anywhere.
There is no such thing as a locally made iPhone (yet). Still, shoppers wishing to support small businesses and buy local are in luck. There are plenty of cute shops on both sides of the Hudson that stock regionally made gifts, from knitwear to hair care to jewelry, art and plenty of CBD.
Whatever you’re seeking to purchase this holiday season, here’s our non-exhaustive list of how to find local — and often sustainable — items in the Hudson Valley on Small Business Saturday 2022.
Small shops
Berte
Berte in Beacon sells some items made in Beacon, including splash cups and pitchers (the cups are $48 each, the pitchers $158) from Bow Glassworks. The colors are exclusive to Berte. “Our Instagram audience comes up with the names of the colors,” said founder Aimée deSimone.
Berte also sells bright spot candle and tumblers (the candles are $68, the hand-blown tumbler is $46) made in collaboration with B – Beacon Mercantile and Bow Glassworks. They’re sold out at the moment but will be restocked.
Berte in Beacon sells locally made items, including splash cups and pitchers in exclusive colors.
Provided by Berte
Beyond items made in Beacon, Berte also sells goods from makers based elsewhere in the Hudson Valley, including Tellefsen Atelier ceramics from Middletown, Apis Apotheca skincare made in Elizaville, MLE accessories made in Saugerties, Wild Bower Studio ceramics from Mountaindale, Greentree Home beeswax candles crafted in Treadwell, and Sarah Mijares ceramics made in Hudson. Shop in person or online.
Ravenwood
Not everything at this beautiful barn in Kerhonkson is locally made or sourced, but a fair amount of it is, and at a wide price range. There’s $24 local maple syrup (Laurel & Ash Farm in Holmes) and $28 sea salt hair spray (from the Hudson Valley brand Captain Blankenship) but also $498 sweaters from local knitwear maker Catherine Carnevale’s brand Eleven Six.
For those with bigger budgets in the market for art, Ravenwood sells wall hangings from Kingston fiber artist Kat Howard and sculptural ceramics by BDB NY, a design studio in Pound Ridge, which reach well into the thousands of dollars. The physical farm shop will be open for a holiday market the first and third weekends of December and you can shop online for Small Business Saturday.
The Eleven Six / Dana McClure collab of the Dana Sweater, sold at Ravenwood.
Provided by Ravenwood
Canvas + Clothier
This new micro department store in Poughkeepsie sells sustainable fashion and homewares exclusively made in America. Long-time locals will be familiar with the Utility Canvas items, formerly available locally at its store in Gardiner (now closed). Co-owner MaryVaughn Williams says one of the shop’s best jewelry lines, Shana Lee, is made right here in Red Hook.
Sunny’s Pop
A well-curated store for sustainably sourced home goods in Narrowsburg, Sunny’s Pop has gotten some national attention as it’s owned by Sunshine Ruffalo, who is married to the actor Mark. It’s also extremely supportive of Hudson Valley makers. There’s even a section of the store’s website devoted to local artists. Shop in person or online to choose from small floral plates by Jessie Lazar ($75), a $550 print by Catskills-based photographer Marisa Scheinfeld, items from the Dear Botanics brand “born at the foot of the Catskill Mountains,” and more.
Newburgh Mercantile
There are a host of Hudson Valley products at the Newburgh Mercantile, and none of them will break the bank. Choose from Popsanity gourmet popcorn ($9), custom Newburgh stamped trays ($12 and up), local Tree Juice syrup ($15 and up), Collar City candles ($9 to $18), Beau Tea Studio teas ($9), and much more. You can’t go wrong.
Inquiring Minds
Head to either location (Saugerties or New Paltz) of this bookstore to pick up something from a Hudson Valley author. Maybe you want local gardening guru Lee Reich’s newest tome, “Fruit: From the USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection” which he calls “a fusion of art, science, and history.”
For kids and teens, pick up one of Jennifer Castle’s latest. If you know a thriller fan, there’s always Larry Beinhart’s most recent book, “The Deal Goes Down.” For more ideas, Inquiring Minds maintains a list of local authors.
Holiday fairs
Basilica Farm & Flea
The open-air holiday market of Hudson Valley makers, farmers and collectors takes place this year on Nov. 26 and 27 in Hudson. Expect a mix of handmade gifts alongside vintage items and goodies from local farmers. There will be more than 80 vendors (Berte will be there). It’s $5 admission (buy tickets online) and an easy way to shop multiple small businesses at once.
Local artisans, vendors and farmers return this weekend to Basilica Hudson’s annual Farm and Flea Market.
Anna Victoria
River Valley Guild
The Guild, a local community for Hudson Valley creatives, hosts several holiday markets over the Thanksgiving weekend, including on Small Business Saturday, as well as two more in December. Choose from an art market with regionally made art, handmade, and small-batch products at Locust Grove in Poughkeepsie on Nov. 25, 26, and 27. Or head to The Parcel Flower Co. in Cold Spring on the 26th. Shop vendors, make a wreath, listen to music, eat some food. No one will fault you for shopping at both.
DCC Foundation Craft Fair
The 50th annual Duchess Community College’s holiday craft fair is back this year after a pandemic break, held in Poughkeepsie on Saturday, Nov. 26 and Sunday, Nov. 27. Expect handcrafted items from more than 100 artists, plus food vendors. Artists have to apply to sell at the fair and while the rules don’t stipulate that you have to live in the Hudson Valley, the DCC takes the handmade part very seriously: “If an artist is found reselling items they may be asked to leave and will not be asked back the following year,” read the rules. General admission is $6. Proceeds go to student scholarships and other educational enhancements.
Food, wine, booze and CBD
BjornQorn
There are so many tasty treats made in the Hudson Valley that it’s difficult to choose one, but this deeply addictive popcorn with a cult following solar popped in Accord is tops. Order their holiday tin online to try multiple flavors at once or purchase by the bag at local stores like High Falls Food Co-op.
Potters Table Bakery
The Catskills-made gluten-free seeded crisps are just the thing to pair with holiday gathering cheese plates. Pick some up at specialty food shops all over the region, including the Accord Market, Black Horse Farms in Athens and Slow Fox Farm in Rhinebeck.
Westwind Orchard
The old vine apple trees at this Accord orchard produce some distinctly flavorful hard ciders. Pick up a bottle (or many) for anyone on your holiday list — including yourself. If you happen to swing by when the restaurant is open, treat yourself with pasta or pizza.
Softer Power Sweets
These chocolate-covered CBD-infused gummies are the latest business venture from Lagusta Yearwood, New Paltz vegan chocolatier (and chef) extraordinaire. Even without a stocking to stuff, these are as good of a Small Business Saturday purchase as you’ll find. Empire State Development recently announced the $500,000, 6,000-square-foot expansion of Lagusta’s Luscious handmade artisanal chocolate manufacturing facility, calling the business “a local New Paltz treasure.”
Hudson Valley CSA
Buying a winter farm share (for meat or produce, or both) means supporting a local farmer and feeding a family member or friend — a win-win. If you aren’t sure which farms offer winter shares, Hudson Valley CSA has a fairly extensive list. A similarly excellent gift for the kind of people who would love a CSA share and don’t have a lot of yard space is a compost curbside collection membership with Community Compost Company in Kerhonkson.
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