December is here, and that means holiday shopping. The benefits of local shopping are almost innumerable, but I'll take a minute to name a few. Why not shop in small unique settings throughout the county that will provide you with a memorable and enjoyable experience, excellent customer service, and quality you can trust because your friends, neighbors, and community are part of the process? There is so much to be gained for everyone by shopping locally. From a community standpoint, shopping local keeps wealth in the community, directly invests into the local economy, creates local jobs, increases prosperity in the community, builds trust and positivity in the community, increases competition and innovation in the community which in turn increases choice and variety, demonstrates community pride, and produces increased knowledge, networking, and connectivity in the community. From a personal standpoint, shopping locally provides the customer with the ability to develop relationships with the business and its employees, personalized treatment, knowledge of the people behind the product or service, and better customer service. That’s good stuff.
Additionally, our county businesses and organizations have good stuff for us, especially good experiences as gifts. Here are just a few of our ideas along that line: art lessons or a beautiful work of art from Walk In Art Center, Mud & Maker or Tamaqua Arts Center, tickets to a variety of productions at The Majestic Theater, The Stitch, The Kelsey Theater, Gabriel Chamber Ensemble, or Schuylkill Chorale Society; an awesome adventure at The Art of Escape; Off-roading passes for Famous Reading Outdoors or Rausch Creek for the adventurer in your life; a gift certificate for axe-throwing at The Chopping Block; mani, pedi, facial, or cut and color from The BeeHive; a Pristine Green Cleaning Service residential gift certificate (Yes, please!); a family membership to Hawk Mountain or the Schuylkill County Historical Society are all awesome gifts that give all year.
Our local holiday shopping scene offers relaxing, festive, enjoyable experiences at cool places like Lessie’s Garden and Gift Shop, Hometown Farmers Market, Hydrangea Cottage Tea and Gifts, Murphy Jewelers, Peace Frog, The Farm Store, Drasdis & Son, and Schaeffer's Harley Davidson and Motorsports, just to name a few. Our community’s holiday shopping is centered on celebrating the season in small, unique settings throughout the county that will provide you with a memorable and enjoyable experience while supporting and investing in your local economy.
Maybe you’re seeking handcrafted beverages, delicious foods, art, pottery, outdoor recreation gear and accessories, or educational and fun children’s toys? No worries, we’ve got you covered. Whether you’ve got foodies on your check list, adventure seekers, history buffs, curious kiddos, stressed moms, or beer-loving dads, we’ve got that. Maybe you have no idea what that special gift will be, but just need a festive experience to get you motivated? No problem, we’ve got those, too.
Hope Hill Lavender Farm's Holiday Open House tomorrow will enchant and delight you. Named number 3 of Travel Channel's most beautiful lavender farms you can visit in the US, Hope Hill Lavender Farm in Pottsville has a beautiful farm store stocked with the highest quality lavender beauty and culinary products, friendly animals, and unsurpassed service set among the scenic beauty of the mountain-top farm.
Vintage 61 Storehouse in Orwigsburg is a one-of-a kind mother-daughter owned business with an affection for all things vintage and antique turned new again housed in a cool warehouse specializing in refinished furniture, CeCe Caldwell Chalk & Clay Based Paints, Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paints, refinishing classes, repurposing all types of items to usefulness, and a full line of gift items as well. Vintage 61 Storehouse is known for quality, innovation, and their outdoor marketplace weekends complete with food, beverages, and tons of creative vendors. Plan to come on the 14th & 15th to meet Santa and have story time with Mrs. Claus at 2:00 pm.
Schuylkill County Council for the Arts' Christkindlmarkt tomorrow and Sunday will enthrall and delight you with a traditional German holiday market set in the historic Yuengling Mansion in Pottsville. Elaborately decorated for the holiday, this fine example of early twentieth century Tudor-Jacobethan Revival architecture provides the perfect setting for the plethora of craftspeople and artisans' unique handmade gifts awaiting you. The Walk In Art Center in Schuylkill Haven is another unique venue for holiday shopping. Their holiday holiday market tomorrow promises to be replete with handmade gifts, treats, and good cheer. Arrow Studio & Events' 2nd Annual Holiday Market on Sunday features a wine bar, Here Piggy Piggy Food Truck, and over 15 vendors for a relaxed afternoon of shopping.
Our community consistently ranks high in Pennsylvania for Christmas tree production, and at Pioneer Evergreen Farms in Orwigsburg they offer beautiful trees and an abundant assortment of gifts and decor neatly packaged with excellent customer service. While Christmas carols fill the air, friendly staff will greet you to be sure you know exactly where to go. The folks at Pioneer Evergreen invite you to bring the family out to cut your own Christmas tree this year. They offer free baling and trunk drilling, convenient on-site parking, and a concession stand with hot chocolate and other treats to complete this old-fashioned yuletide experience.
Wineries, distilleries, and breweries abound with holiday cheer and delicious hand crafted gifts. A stop at Yuengling Brewery, Stoker's Brewing Company, Pilger Ruh Brewing Company, Cellar Beast Winehouse, Stone Mountain Wine Cellars, or Main Street Moonshine provides an opportunity to relax and unwind a bit during your shopping trip, and grab some handmade holiday spirits everyone will love!
If you’re looking to save time while shopping this season, plenty of our small businesses and organizations offer online shopping options as well to provide you the opportunity to spend local, shop local, and support local from the convenience of your own home. Another big win! If you go to www.schuylkill.org or our Facebook and Instagram pages, you’ll find some videos of our unique shopping venues as well as pour tour and foodie videos, a local shopping section, and events calendar. We’ve got the resources to help you have an authentic, warm, wonderful, locally-sourced and supported holiday, and we hope you’ll join us by supporting and investing in Schuylkill County this holiday season!
