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Boston's Best Gift Shops

Boston is full of talented artisans and curators, so it is not surprising that the city is full of fun, beautiful gift shops. It is easy to find a gift for anyone in your life that they will love and would never be able to find anywhere but Boston. These gift shops are all small local businesses that deserve our support which makes any gift even more meaningful.

Gifted
(Photo Credit: Gifted)

Gifted
2 Dartmouth St.
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 716-9924
www.giftedboston.com

Gifted is an adorable independently owned boutique in Boston's picturesque South End neighborhood. Located conveniently between other boutiques on this list -- Olives and Grace and Follain -- Gifted is an obvious stop on any gift-shopping trip. Gifted is a particularly great place to shop for children's toys and gifts for new mothers. They carry beautiful high-quality lines that combine functionality, aesthetics and safety. Organic cotton stroller toys are a perfect example of the thoughtful wares one will find in Gifted, along with locally made jewelry, candles and scarves.

Olives & Grace
(Photo Credit: Olives & Grace)

Olives and Grace
623 Tremont St.
Boston, MA 02118
(617) 236-4536
www.olivesandgrace.com

Just a few doors down from Gifted is Olives and Grace, one of Boston's trendiest and most unique boutiques. Though the store space is small, every item in their inventory packs a punch. Each quirky item is made in the United States and celebrates independent craftspeople in what has become known as the "maker movement." The shop promotes these makers by showcasing the quality and creativity that comes of handmade items. Here is the place to go to find something completely one-of-a-kind!

Boston Public Market
(Photo Credit: Boston Public Market0


Boston Public Market

100 Hanover St.
Boston, MA 02108
(617) 973-4909
www.bostonpublicmarket.org

This much beloved open indoor market in downtown Boston provides some of the best gift shopping opportunities in town. Everything in the market is "hyper-local," meaning it was grown or manufactured within a few miles of the city of Boston, so these gifts are hard to find anywhere else. Some great local gift ideas include Massachusetts wildflower honey, Taza chocolate, a growler of locally-brewed kombucha, or some delicious Masschusetts wine or mozzarella!

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Black Ink
101 Charles St.
Boston, MA 02114
(617) 723-3883
www.blackinkboston.squarespace.com

Black Ink is like a funky, Boston version of Paper Source. In addition to clever cards and pricy pens, the boutique has games and toys that appeal to all ages and craft supplies that you won't find at CVS or Staples. They're known for their variety of rubber stamps, stickers, cute kitchen items and other novelty versions of classic household items. Black Ink is an important stop before any birthday or other celebration because shoppers are sure to find great gifts there that the recipient would never imagine!

Follain
(Photo Credit: Follain)

Follain
53 Dartmouth St.
Boston, MA 02116
(857) 284-7078
www.shopfollain.com

Follain is a great place to shop for gifts for, really, anyone! The skincare boutique offers a variety of completely American-made products for all skin and hair types. Even the non-product-junkies will appreciate the high quality, effective ingredients in every one of Follain's product lines. Great gift ideas include their refillable glass soap bottles, environmentally-friendly candles, lip balms, bath salts, hand lotions and much more. Not sure what to get as a gift? Gift cards are a great way to support this locally owned boutique but not get bogged down thinking about the gift recipient's skin type or cosmetic routine.

Related: Boston's Best Wedding Photographers

Cameron Bruns is the founder of BostonGreenBlog.com and co-author of Just Us Gals Boston. She lives in Boston's North End, where her goal is to promote ethical, stylish, and sustainable lifestyle choices to all Boston residents. Her work can be found on Examiner.com.
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