Here at the Jill Biggs Group, we love shopping locally all year round, but the holidays are an especially great time to support your favorite hometown shop. Ahead, we’ve rounded up 14 of our favorite spots for holiday gifts, for everything from housewares to books to toys to jewelry.
Housewares and knickknacks
Washington General Store
Washington General Store
509 Washington Street, Hoboken
We can’t help smiling every time we walk into this gift shop on Washington Street. Local resident Meghan Lavelle Lukin founded the store in 2014 when she personally felt that Hoboken was missing a great gift shop for last-minute finds for baby showers, birthday parties, etc. You’ll find candles, decor, games and puzzles, as well as specific sections for men, baby and child, engagement and wedding, and holiday. There’s also a great selection of local Hoboken-themed gifts.
Kanibal & Co.
Kanibal & Co.
197 Montgomery Street, Downtown Jersey City
If you go into Kanibal Home for a gift, it’s very likely that you won’t be able to resist picking up something for yourself (or is that just us?!). After starting as an online shop in 2006 selling refurbished furniture, Kanibal is now a whimsical gift shop that has a special focus on locally-made products. You’ll find clothing, candles, stationary, kitchenware, a men’s section, a large selection of Jersey City-themed gifts, and much more.
PLNTD
16 Erie Street, Downtown Jersey City
Sisters Danielle and Lauren Gambino opened PLNTD just last month. They say they “found peace and stress relief in the simple art of indoor gardening” during the pandemic and wanted to share that with others. Their shop on Erie Street is just as adorable as this story; it’s filled to the brim with indoor plants, each variety of which comes with its own story about what the plant symbolizes. Danielle and Lauren are also committed to supporting fellow women-owned businesses, so you’ll find home decor and apothecary products from female makers.
Unjumbold
Unjumbold
257 1st Street
Partners Michael and John dreamt up Unjumbold after renovating their Harlem apartment, a hotel in the Catskills, and finally their house in the Jersey suburbs. When they saw during Covid how important small businesses are, they decided to follow their dream and open a gift shop, where they also offer staging and organizational and design services. They focus on women-, LGBTQ-, and Black-owned companies, and sell everything from art, decor, gifts, and housewares.
Lucky Honeybee
487 Palisade Avenue, Jersey City Heights
When Lucky Honeybee founder Melissa Glick realized that the candles and lotions she loved were giving her fragrance headaches, she decided to make her own (her first batch was for her wedding favors!). Her shop, which opened in 2020, now sells homemade, eco-friendly candles, soaps, and apothecary goods, as well as other handcrafted wares by local makers.
Wicked Scents Hoboken
Wicked Scents Hoboken
163 2nd Street, Hoboken
Local resident Miguel Goncalves had a background in consumer packaged goods and a love for candles when he decided to open Wicked Scents Hoboken last year. At his shop, you’ll find both locally made products and national brands, and in addition to candles (many of which are in the “funny” category), there are bath bombs, room sprays, essential oils, and gift sets.
Books
WORD Bookstores
123 Newark Avenue, Downtown Jersey City
If you’re strolling along Newark Avenue, don’t miss WORD. The independent community bookstore opened its first location in Greenpoint Brooklyn in 2007, and then opened in Jersey City in 2013. In addition to a wonderfully curated selection of books--from bestsellers to kids’ titles to local content--you’ll find quirky greeting cards and gifts.
Little City Books
Little City Books
100 Bloomfield Street, Hoboken
Little City Books gives us major The Shop Around the Corner vibes (the whimsical bookstore from “You’ve Got Mail”). Opened in 2015, the bookstore has a cozy corner storefront with sections on architecture, picture books, cooking, and everything in between. There’s also an adjacent children’s book annex that is so cute and fun, any little one would want to pick up a book.
Children
Hazel Baby & Kids’ Montgomery Street location
Hazel Baby & Kids
109 Montgomery Street, Downtown Jersey City
17 McWilliams Place, Hamilton Park, Jersey City
With two super-cute locations in Jersey City, Hazel Baby & Kids is the perfect place for a sweet gift for the little one in your life. The store was started by husband and wife Donovan and Elizabeth Cain, who previously opened the local pet boutique Hound About Town. When they were expecting their first child, they realized there was a need for a store geared toward expectant parents and their children. Hazel focuses on sustainable products like clothing, puzzles and games, essentials, and cute Jersey City-themed gifts.
Big Fun Toys
602 Washington Street, Hoboken
Big Fun Toys owner Jenny Robertson has been in the toy business for over 20 years, with other locations in Manasquan and Point Pleasant. She curates her inventory according to what children like in each area, and her staff are incredible knowledgeable about what makes a great gift for a child at a certain age. You’ll find toys that are silly, educational, and just plain unique.
Hoboken Clique
1204 Washington Street, Hoboken
Hoboken Clique is a boutique that was made for tween (in between a child and a teenager) girls, selling funky, colorful, and sparkly clothing and accessories. There are some items for boys, too, along with age-appropriate games and decor. They also offer a selection of personalized clothing, where customers can choose the fabric, lettering, or bedazzling.
Fashion + Jewelry
Peper & Parlor
938 Washington Street, Hoboken
Owner Anne Bonner opened upscale women’s clothing store Peper all the way back in 1995, followed by a shoe store called Parlor. The two have since combined, but Peper & Parlor has certainly stood the test of time, and it now includes unique housewares, jewelry, and bags. The collection is carefully curated with a mix of local and international designers.
Love Locked
Love Locked
353 Grove Street, Downtown Jersey City
Though Love Locked sells apothecary items and home goods, it’s probably best known for its large selection of eclectic, fair-trade jewelry, much of which is designed and handcrafted in house (meaning you can customize it). They also carry national artists and local Jersey City designers. AND they design custom engagement rings (never a bad gift idea!).
MARGO
1102 Washington Street, Hoboken
After years working with traditional retailers and seeing the wastefulness and, oftentimes, in humaneness, that comes from that industry, Maggie Emma decided to open her own women’s lifestyle boutique focusing on sustainable products. This, of course, included apparel, but also beauty products and jewelry. Every piece you purchase at MARGO tells the story of those who created it.
