Shopping local, especially on Small Business Saturday was one of my favorite things to do with my mom.
I was never a big fan of the wild Black Friday sales, but strolling along the sidewalks of small villages, town centers, and city shopping districts were some of the best Saturdays spent together.
This time of the year is busy – you’re pulled in so many directions – that it can be difficult to stop yourself from quickly impulse buying on a big box store’s website, just to be able to cross something off your to-do list.
But, I want to encourage you with this quote (& this curated guide to 12 local Western New York small businesses) to set aside some time to pour into your local farmers, artisans, and crafters this holiday season.
“Local makers enrich our worlds.
They make them more beautiful, more functional, more resilient and more connected. We need them now more than ever!
Support businesses that are value driven, not profit driven. Value-centered businesses can only exist when they are supported by their community.”
– Sarah Barney, Among the Oaks Farm
There are so many different local small businesses in Western New York and I hope to continue adding to this list as the years progress.
The more we can amplify one another, the easier it will be for value-driven, community-minded customers to find us.
Shop with these WNY small businesses
- Art of Repair Yoga & Massage
- Chicory Kin Floral + Apothecary
- Eden Valley Creamery
- Frase Flowers
- Heirloom Soul Florals
- Liv Joy Artwork
- Lend a Leaf Tea Co.
- Local Roots Farm
- Schul Farmstead
- Senek Botanicals
- Three Little Hens Baking Co.
- Vessel
Art of Repair Yoga & Massage
At Art of Repair, find holistic & adaptive therapeutics to uplift the vitality within each of us. Laura LaStrand helps individuals – at all stages of their health journey – create a constitution of ease and compassion from within.
She facilitates a range of techniques including movement, breath, stretch, meditation and massage. Located in the charming Hiraeth House in Allentown, in the heart of Buffalo.
The framework of her business is based in compassionate, comprehensive, and sustainable care for my community. Read more about the framework of her business and her background on the Art of Repair website.
Services:
- 60 & 90 minute Customized Massage
- 75 minute Massage with Guided Relaxation
- 75 minute Private Therapeutic Yoga
- 90 minute Therapeutic Yoga & Massage Combo
- Specials: Book two services this Holiday Season and Receive $10 off each Session! Follow Up Session must be booked within 4 weeks of the initial service. Mention this special at the time of booking to receive the discount!
- Upcoming Event: Join the Embody the Gut and Pelvic Floor Connection Workshop December 15th at 12:30pm
To stay posted about yoga classes, upcoming events and workshops, “Chronic” a support group coming soon, specials, and general news related to Art of Repair sign up for the newsletter through the website contact form or follow Laura on Instagram at artofrepair.wny
Chicory Kin Floral + Apothecary
Chicory Kin Floral + Apothecary utilizes locally grown and wildcrafted plants and flowers for both floral and apothecary side of business. The heart of both aspects is always connecting back to the earth and all it offers us.
Gifts:
- Whipped Tallow Products
- Postpartum Elixir
- Herbal Body Oils
- Bone Deep Relief Balm
Eden Valley Creamery
Eden Valley Creamery crafts award-winning artisan cheeses using 100% Certified Organic milk from their family farm.
They deliver fresh, flavorful, and wholesome products straight from their pastures to your table, perfect for cheese lovers who value exceptional taste and quality.
This holiday season stock up on all of your favorite Eden Valley cheeses to wow your guests with the freshest local cheese around.
Order your cheese or gift sets on their website and have it shipped!
Give your hard to shop for friends, family, or neighbors the gift of delicious artisan cheese and have it shipped straight to their home.
Gift Sets:
- 12 Days of Cheese
- All American Box
- Date Night Charcuterie Board
- Ultimate EVC Box
- The Buffalo Box
- The Fall Box
- The Signature Box
- The Reverie Box
- The Pickle Box
- Meat and Eat Charcuterie Gift Box
Frase Flowers
Frase Flowers is a local flower farm in Pendleton, NY. Their main mission is to provide pesticide-free florals to the community, working collaboratively and beneficially with the planet.
Outside of growing flowers, Morgan of Frase Flowers, creates one-of-a-kind pressed floral buffalo’s as an homage to their City of Good Neighbors.
Gift:
- Pressed Flower Buffalo– Framed art, crafted from pressed flowers in the shape of a buffalo. Collections are created and released throughout the year.
Heirloom Soul Florals
At Heirloom Soul Florals in Burt, NY, Fran grows the most gorgeous flowers and foliage for weddings, florists, and sells bulk buckets of flowers and greenery for you to DIY your own special events.
Fran’s flowers are organically grown and they work to increase healthy wildlife habitat and biodiversity in their immediate ecosystem.
Buy a Dahlia Tuber Gift Card:
- This spring use the Dahlia Tuber Gift Card to shop the Dahlia Tuber Sale of tubers grown on Heirloom Soul Floral’s local farm
- The Dahlia Tuber Sale goes live on their website in March, so your garden-loving person will have a fun experience to look forward to in the Spring. Dahlia varieties can be previewed on in our online shop now.
Liv Joy Artwork
Olivia Haas of Liv Joy Artwork, loves to create art and home decor that brings beauty, peace and joy into people’s homes.
Gifts:
- Hand painted Christmas ornaments
- Prints, both digital & physical
- Cement trays and other designs for a trendy aesthetic look
- Custom signs replicating a loved ones handwriting
Lend a Leaf Tea Co.
Lend a Leaf Tea Co. specializes in locally crafted, artisan loose leaf teas and locally roasted coffee.
Owner Jess is passionate about offering ethically sourced tea and coffee. This means all of their teas directly support fair wages and labor practices for tea farmers and their communities in developing counties around the world!
Shop their Holiday Tea Sale:
- 20% OFF Artisan Loose Leaf Tea Tins (available for local pickup & online via Etsy, November 21 – December 6)
- $10 OFF 5 Star Giftsets (available for Local pickup & online via Etsy, November 21 – December 6)
- Buy 3 Tea Tins get 1 free! (at the Lewiston Artisan Farmers Market on December 7 and December 21)
- $4 OFF Handrafted Chai Concentrate (available only for local pickup and at the Lewiston Artisan Farmers Market on December 7 and December 21)
To place an order for local pickup in Niagara Falls outside of market hours simply send a message via their Facebook or Instagram @lendaleaf.
Local Roots Farm
Local Roots Farm, owned & operated by husband and wife team of Jerry and Kristi, grows organic produce in Burt, NY.
In between hours in the field harvesting veggies, Kristi harvests flowers to make into salves, balms, and oils with her farm grown herbs and flowers.
Using local 100% pure beeswax sourced from Hahn’s Honeybee Haven, she infuses organic coconut oil and shea butter with herbs to bring relief and making medicine for your body.
Shop with Local Roots:
- Lockport Community Market on December 7 and December 21
- Kenan Center’s Holiday Market from 10am-4pm on December 14
Schul Farmstead
Schul Farmstead, is a woman-owned, one-acre farm growing vegetables, herb, and flowers without the use of pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides.
Their holiday gifts are hand crafted by Aurora with love and intention, using herbs and flowers grown on the farm, locally sourcing fruit for their jams, and using certified organic products.
Most of their packaging can be recycled or returned to them for reuse. Items like their herbal bath salts, evergreen wreaths, and dried flowers can be returned to the farm after use to be composted.
Gifts:
- Artisan Jams & Jellies, including gift boxes
- Culinary Herbal Celtic Sea Salt
- Culinary Herbal Organic Cane Sugar
- Dried Flower Bouquets & Wreaths
- Evergreen Wreaths & Bouquets
- Herbal Bath Salts
- Herbal Broth Mix
- Organic Sourdough Granola
Shop these holiday gifts, along with your fresh veggies for the week at Schul Farmstead’s stand at the Lewiston Artisan Farmers Market, Saturday November 30, Saturday December 7, and Saturday December 21 from 9am-1pm at 505 Cayuga Street.
Senek Botanicals
Jessica of Senek Botanicals nurtures herbs from seed into a mature, bountiful beauty, knowing all along that they will one day nurture & support her (and you!) the same she did for them.
Senek Botanicals is here to share the wisdom of the plants so that you can see what they’re truly capable of.
Gifts:
- Elderberry Elixir
- Cold & Flu Tincture
- Fire Tonic
- Flower Essences
Most of the items in Senek Botanicals’ Etsy shop will be 20% off from 11/23-11/25. There may be another surprise sale during early December. You can stay updated on this surprise sale plus any other new products via her Instagram or facebook.
Three Little Hens Baking Co.
Three Little Hens Baking Co., run by Rachel, is a micro bakery specializing in scones, cookies, muffins, and breads using many local fruits and ingredients such as local honey, maple syrup and eggs. Every item is baked from scratch with love!
For the holidays Three Little Hens Baking Co. is offering $100 gift certificates for just $85.
Gift certificates can be purchased by emailing Rachel (rjolbert26@gmail.com)
or purchased at the Lewiston Artisan Farmers Market Saturday November 30, Saturday December 7, or Saturday December 21. The market is held from 9am-1pm at 505 Cayuga Street in the village of Lewiston.
Vessel
At Vessel, Jenn & Mike create handmade and unique “brewelry” and home decor, inspired by the craft beverage industry!
Their handcrafted earrings and bracelets are lovingly made from beer and wine labels, what they proudly call “brewelry.”
But that’s not all — they also offer unique craft beverage inspired home decor, including signs, games, sconces, party accessories, and so much more.
Explore their creative collection and celebrate your love for craft beverages in style!
You can find them at craft beverage events, or discover our creations in select breweries and wineries throughout WNY and southern Canada.
Shop with Vessel:
- December 7 at Briars Brother Brewing
- December 9 at Resurgence Brewing Company
- Snag their merchandise at Schulze Vineyards & Winery, Rusty Nickel Brewing Co., Keuka Brewing Co., and Silversmith Brewing Co. whenever you stop in for a beverage
Schul Farmstead 