
As the calendar winds down on this unprecedented year, the holiday season is more welcome and reassuring than ever. When it comes to gift-giving, is your motto "Shop 'til you drop," or do you like to get in and out as soon as possible? Whatever your shopping style, have fun getting a head start at these exciting specialty shops around Columbus.
737 N. High St., Columbus, OH 43215
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In this digital era, actual writing has become essentially obsolete. Why not start a trend back to a more personal form of communication with gifts from On Paper? The assortment of elegant stationery and greeting cards will brighten the day of both sender and receiver. Supplement your gift with accessories such as pens and pencils, embosser, and stamps. Get ready for 2021 with a calendar, planner, or journal for yourself or a loved one. On Paper also carries a selection of candles, bath and body products, and other items perfect for a day of self-care. Hours are 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon - 5 p.m. Sunday and Monday.
5300 Glick Rd., Dublin, OH 43017
Once you visit the Morgan House, you'll be so enchanted that you may never want to leave. Anchored by a reassembled historic log cabin named after John Hunt Morgan, a famed Civil War veteran, the Morgan House is as much a tourist attraction as a gift shop. The five-acre space is the site of an 18,000-square-foot mini-mall that includes departments for furniture and home decor, gourmet foods, clothing and accessories, and specialty gifts. With a full-service on-site restaurant serving lunch, you don't even have to leave the grounds. Shops are open 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday and noon - 5 p.m. Sunday, while the restaurant is open 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon - 3 p.m. Sunday.
The Shoppes at River Ridge, 4345 W. Dublin Granville Rd., Dublin, OH 43017
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Looking for a one-of-a-kind gift for your BFF? Bliss Life + Style offers a carefully curated variety of home accessories, jewelry, and gifts from local and global artisans. Finding it hard to decide? Opt for one of Bliss Life + Style's signature gift boxes, which come in whimsical themes such as Drinks Are On Us, Foodie Favorites, and Wanderlust. Tell the staff a bit about who the gift is for, and they'll curate a custom box, or you can create your own. Free delivery is available within a 10-mile radius of the shop, or ship anywhere in the greater Columbus area for just a $10 fee. Hours are 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and noon - 4 p.m. Sunday.
150 E. Kossuth St., Columbus, OH 43206
In 1938, Helen Winnemore's began life as the Afternoon Shop in its namesake owner's home. Thirteen years later, Helen moved the business to a storefront on Broad Street, then to its current location in 1966. Today, siblings John and Julie Jenkins carry on Helen's legacy, featuring items of usable and wearable art. The handmade jewelry, textiles, pottery, glass, and metal works are gifts your loved ones will cherish for years to come. As Helen herself once said, "No shop is worth anything unless it is a gracious place." Hours are 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday by appointment only. Visit the website to schedule a time for up to four guests.
631 S. Third St., Columbus, OH 43206
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Everyone has at least one bookworm on their list, many of whom still prefer the feel of a hard-bound volume in their hands to the electronic text of an e-reader. The Book Loft, located in vibrant German Village, houses an incredible 32 rooms in its pre-Civil War building. Fortunately, store maps and friendly, knowledgeable staff are on hand to help you navigate the different areas. Start a child on the road to a lifelong love of reading with a title or two from one of the country's largest selection of children's books. On your way out, grab a pick-me-up cup of joe to go at Staul's Coffee Roasters next door. The Book Loft is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. - 11 p.m.
233 E. Fifth Ave., Columbus, OH 43201
Everything old is new again, and nowhere is that more apparent than at Flower Child. This wonderfully funky shop is like a time tunnel back to the mid-20th century. You'll have as much fun browsing the Gucci and Halston fashions, vintage jewelry, and kitschy home accessories as your friend or family member will have receiving these unique items. The spacious store includes full-size displays of retro living rooms and kitchens that are sure to inspire some creative ideas. You might end up with a few pieces for your own home from their collection of vintage holiday ornaments and decorations. Flower Child is open noon - 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, noon - 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon - 6 p.m. Sunday.
223 E. Kossuth St., Columbus, OH 43206
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The Red Stable has a history as colorful as its eye-catching exterior. Built in 1872, the building has served as a horse livery, wagon repair shop, ice storage facility, and auto garage over the years. In the late 1950s, when a group formed to save the German Village neighborhood from demolition, local artist Phil Keintz transformed the Red Stable into a custom art studio and gift shop featuring the works of his fellow artists. Phil's tradition continues today, as more than 100 local artists showcase their work inside the historic building. The Red Stable is open noon - 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, noon - 6 p.m. Friday, noon - 7 p.m. Saturday, and noon - 5 p.m. Sunday.
30 N. State St., Westerville, OH 43081
Do you enjoy visiting summer art fairs, with the thrill of finding incredible items you wouldn't see anywhere else? Ohio Art Market provides that opportunity year-round. Talented artists from Westerville and all around the state display their works in fine art, sculpture, ceramics, jewelry, and a variety of media. Since everything is original, each visit to Ohio Art Market provides a different experience. Share your state pride with a gift that literally and figuratively says, "Ohio." Hours are 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon - 5 p.m. Sunday.
Columbus is home to several small businesses offering an incredible range of products. What's the most unusual gift you've ever given or received?

Here at Cutler Real Estate, we love food in every form! More specifically, we love the diverse groceries and authentic items found in the unique purveyor shops that stock everything from meat and cheese to exotic spices and sauces. With a calendar full of meals to fill, we want our shopping list to be as tasty as possible.
If you're looking to introduce new cultures and cuisines into your diet, you've come to the right place. On this list, you'll find twelve of the finest specialty and gourmet food shops around Northeast Ohio that deliver the world's flavor right into your shopping cart.
An homage to fromage, Fromage du Monde welcomes Canton residents into a world of cheese. This artisan cheese house is ready to serve you selections of the finest cheeses sourced from regions around the globe. Sample a few favorites with their cheese flight, pair the best cheeses and meats on their charcuterie board, or order up a cheese panini and cup of homemade soup for lunch. Interested in becoming a cheese connoisseur? They'll gladly teach you how to "speak cheese."
While we love a good cappuccino, we also love to curl up with a book and a nice cup of tea on a cold, wintery Ohio day. What better place to stock up on everything tea than the Ohio Tea Company? Opened in November 2015 by Terry Gabet, Ohio Tea Company is your source for loose-leaf teas ranging from favorites like Earl Grey and English Breakfast varieties, to herbal blends like Berry Blues and Lemon Ginger. Don't forget to stock up on tea filters and an infuser to start enjoying tea on a grand scale.
The right oils can lend remarkable flavor to any dish. At The Olive Tap in Medina, you have the opportunity to taste the difference and experience the quality that has earned the freshest olive oils and balsamic vinegars industry acclaim. They carry a selection of gourmet specialty foods like pastas, tapenades, olives, sauces, salsas, and jams to help you curate a meal precisely to your desired taste. Hoping to test out a few new recipes? The folks at The Olive Tap will be happy to suggest tasty dinners you can prepare with their oils.
3441 Tuttle Road Ste 103, Shaker Heights
Spice up your pantry while supporting your local Northeast Ohio nonprofits by shopping at Spice For Life. Spices, herbs, salts, peppercorns, chili peppers, and seasoning blends are all on deck at this stall within the Van Aken District Market Hall. While their products will make your plate a tastier place, their kindness makes our world a better place too. All of their profits are donated to various nonprofit organizations throughout the area that support human trafficking victims and prevent future instances of this prevalent problem in Ohio.
You don't need to travel across the Atlantic Ocean for the best European foods — simply head to the west side of I-71 in Brunswick and stop at European Specialty Food Market. Check off your entire grocery list as you shop their imports of meat, fish, cheese, pastries, sweets, and alcoholic beverages. Get a jar of borsch, just like grandma used to make. Cook up a fresh smoked sausage from Hungary, kielbasa from Poland, or weisswurst from Germany. Wash it all down with French wine or a Belgian beer, and you'll be overjoyed that you can eat so well without a passport.
Heinen's Grocery Store is a Cleveland institution. Since the 1920s, this butcher shop turned grocery store has been the one-stop-shop for everything you need to fill your refrigerator and pantry. Among their inventory of fresh, frozen, and packaged foods, Heinen's also carries local favorites from the state in nearly every department. Experience Ohio the way it was meant to be tasted by loading your shopping cart up with produce, cheeses, meats, and pastries from local farms, butcheries, and bakeries.
A hidden gem that you must unwrap, Mel's Sweet Shop lets you indulge your confectionary cravings. Once known as Penny's Sweet Supplies, Mel's is a cake decorating and baking supply store full of delicious goodies. They'll make sure you're stocked with the molds, frosting, fondant, and candy you need to make any sweet treat. Keep an eye on their calendar, too — they host candy making and cake decorating classes throughout the year. Just do us a favor and save a bite for us.
25650 Aurora Road, Bedford Heights
Say hola to the vibrant tastes of Latin America at Las Americas Latin Market & Restaurant. This specialty grocery store is full of flavor and ready to give your meals a little Latin flair. If you're new to Latin foods, you're in luck! Las Americas is also a restaurant. They serve up delicious Mexican and Peruvian cuisine so you can sample, savor, and plan your next meal.
Authentic South Asian groceries and cuisine are available at Sunny's Asian Food. This family-owned establishment lures you in with their sweet complimentary chai and aromas that tempt you to venture over to their kitchen in the back of the store. Serving up homemade Indian foods all week, we dare you to taste an item off of their menu and try to leave empty-handed. Once you sample their authentic offerings on the all-you-can-eat buffet, you'll fill your hands with as many groceries as you can carry so you can make these South Asian staples at home.
Cheese and mustard — you need both in your refrigerator, and Old Brooklyn Cheese Company has them ready for you. Not only do they carry local, domestic, and imported cheeses, but they also produce their own raw milk cheeses using milk from Hartzler Family Dairy in Wooster. The Old Brooklyn Cheese Company cheeses are only rivaled by their handmade mustards — or as they like to call them, Cleveland Caviar. Grab both, get home, and savor the flavor of Cleveland's finest cheese and mustard pairings.
8064 Columbia Road, Olmsted Falls
We don't have just one reason why we love Grand Pacific Popcorn Company — we have nearly 40! #1: Cheddar Pretzel Ale. #2: Bulldog Blend. #3: Red Cinnamon. Better yet, why don't you pay a visit to their shop in the Grand Pacific Junction and sample their savory, sweet, and seasonal flavors. While you're there, pick up some old-fashioned candy and soda to keep your sweet tooth satisfied all year long.
14492 Pearl Road, Strongsville
Jerky, smokies, sauces, and snacks — the best of the best are available at Jerky -n- Spice. They've got palate-pleasing variations of beef jerky, turkey jerky, exotic game smokies, seasonings, salsas, condiments, and sauces that cater to every taste imaginable. Where else in Ohio can you taste kangaroo, ostrich, alligator, buffalo, and antelope in the same shop? If you'd like to make your own sausage or jerky at home, they'll provide you with a kit and give you a few tips.
Where's your go-to destination for specialty and gourmet foods around Northeast Ohio? Let us know in the comments!
Here at Cutler Real Estate, we are very passionate about supporting the work of talented artists and makers, whether that's through visiting a neighborhood flea market or shopping at a local small business. And with the holidays coming up, we can't wait to scour the city for locally made gifts to give our loved ones!
This year, support both local businesses and local makers in one fell swoop at these
With the ease of online shopping, it may be tempting to throw your entire holiday shopping list into your Amazon shopping cart and call it a night. But what if we told you that Cleveland is home to a bunch of amazing boutiques and shops where you could find unique, handmade gifts — without leaving the comfort of your hometown? By #ShoppingLocal, you can support makers and small businesses from our own backyard, all while purchasing original items that you can't find in a big department store. On this list, you'll find trendy boutiques, pet shops, candle companies and more — so that you can find the perfect gifts for your friends and family members. Feel good about your holiday shopping knowing that you've supported a small business this season!