As we draw near to the Christmas season, the gift-buying frenzy is starting to snowball! There are so many wonderful present options available, yet we continue to emphasise the importance of shopping local and supporting small businesses. Liverpool boasts numerous independent businesses, with a unique gift guaranteed for everyone.
Boozy Gifts
Gin: We’re lucky to have some amazing local gin distillers in the city including Liverpool Gin, Everton Gin and Anfield Gin if you’re looking for a football spin, Mother Gin, Turncoat Gin, Handyman Gin, Three Graces Gin and Ginsmiths of Liverpool.
Beer: Check out Love Lane Brewery, Smithdown’s Handyman Brewery, Black Lodge Brewery, Neptune Brewery, Glen Affric and Top Rope Brewing.
Rum: Liverpool’s first spiced rum, Lost Dock Rum, is a celebration of the Rum, Tea, Sugar and Spices that flowed through the Old Dock of Liverpool.
Wine: Bold Street’s Ropes & Twines are selling wine hampers, as well as chocolate and coffee hampers. Wine lovers should also check out R&H Fine Wines, an independent Wine Merchant in Liverpool with a gentle lean towards the hand made, old world, organic and biodynamic.
Health & Beauty
Mother is the perfect online shop for all the mums out there in need of a little extra pampering this Christmas. The brand offers loungewear, beauty and wellness products, baby and kids clothes and even their own range of handcrafted gin. They even supply tailored gift boxes that you personalise, and their packaging is absolutely stunning.
Orange County CBD (affiliate) and Planthaya offer a range of high quality CBD based products that are great for pain relief, stress and anxiety reduction and relaxation.
Gifts for those with a sweet tooth
Toxteth Chocolate is a Liverpool-based artisan chocolate business founded by Rebecca Birtwistle. Birstwistle offers the most delightful and innovative range of luxury chocolates, infused with vibrant colours and rich flavours. Her artistic, contemporary packaging and fun designs are ‘inspired by the chaos and colour of Toxteth,’ and makes the perfect gift for family and friends with a sweet tooth. Visit the official Toxteth Chocolate website to order (back in stock mid-November).
The Nakery is an award-winning raw vegan treats delivery service. Imagine billionaire shortbread bars, cake jars, mini cakes and weekend treat boxes. Whether you’re a vegan or not you’ll love The Nakery, trust us!
Desserts By Dre has gained a legendery staus in Liverpool with creative bespoke cakes and sweet treats including, brownie slabs, cheesecake sandwiches, gateaux’s cakes and more. Head over to the website to start drooling.
Unique Gifts
The Beers of Goodison Road and Beers of Anfield Road beer mats are a great gift for football fans. You can get your hands on beer mats of the current teams as well as some retro Everton and Liverpool line ups.
Independent Shops
Merseymade is a brilliant city centre shop selling a range of local independent products, from food and drink, to homeware and unique gifts. Depending on if they’ll be able to open before Christmas, you can pick up loads of gifts in here or you can shop in their online store.
The Art Quarter began as a popup shop in 2018 and has now established itself in Liverpool Metquarter. Showcasing 13 current and local artists, The Art Quarter supplies unique and high-quality pieces. This little fraction of the city is a prime spot for all mediums of art- from glasswork to oil pastel, and even textile collages- it truly is a gallery of talent.
Utility is a showcase of the most fun and quirky furniture and decor. Both Liverpool stores (Bold Street and Liverpool One) are studded with homeware gems that will bring pops of colour to your contemporary home designs. For those in your life that are renovating or redecorating, a gift from Utility is malleable to all tastes and budgets. Whether its modern lighting, soft furnishing or charming trinkets, there’s something for all generations.
Situated in Albert Dock, The Nest hosts an array of handmade gifts created by local creators in Liverpool. Come and browse the stunning photography, one-of-a-kind jewellery, and brilliant ceramics, amidst a plethora of independent designs. The Nest is home to many hidden gems in the world of independent businesses and has brought a new lease of life into Albert Docks since its opening in 2018.
Where to even begin with Scouse Bird Shop?! Fragrance, stationary, mugs and books doesn’t even scratch the surface of what they have to offer. Just head over to scousebirdshop.com and start adding to your basket, or pop into their store in Tarleton Street.
It seems like there’s nothing that Freida Mo’s can’t do! With its fabulous, quirky exterior, it is impossible to miss, and proves to be a cave of wonders on the inside. We cannot recommend it enough, especially for our vintage lovers who are drawn to all things sequins, chunky knits, and bright, retro prints. Moreover, their bakery boasts a wide selection of treats, and their chocolate dipping boxes make a perfect Christmas present.
Music and Vinyl
There’s some fantastic Independent record shops in Liverpool including Dig Vinyl, 81 Renshaw, Defend Vinyl and Penny Lane Records who are offering click and collect and mail orders. Probe Records will hopefully be back open when the lockdown lifts.
Books
Shop local for your books with News From Nowhere or Kernaghan Books at The Bluecoat, both of which have online shops so you don’t have to wait for lockdown to lift to get what you need.
Plants
Roots Houseplants
A Slower Space on Penny Lane now have an online store and also offer a click and collect service so you can get the plant lovers in your life their green fix. They also sell a range of gifts so you can grab a whole range of presents in one fell swoop.
Experiences & Tours
For those in your life that are ‘tricky to buy for,’ why not gift them an experience instead? Liverpool has a fantastic range of activities and tours suitable for various ages.
Reel Tours offer film and tv location tours around Liverpool city centre with a wonderful tour guide and host, Gary. Gary works at the Everyman and Playhouse theatres and his film and tv knowledge is second to none. If there’s a film or tv buff in your life then this is a great gift for them.
Shiverpool Ghost Tours provide tons of fun, carefully mapped out with plenty of jumps and laughs along the way. Plus, it’s a super interesting way to learn about the history of the city as well as some spooky ghost stories from suspected haunted locations. Book online for a great experience in the new year.
VR-Here is an interactive and fully immersive gaming experience for anyone aged 8+. Their packages are super popular with all ages, so pop on your headset and explore their array of amazing virtual reality locations.
And finally, if you know someone with bucketloads of energy and a competitive streak Hatchet Harry’s and Timberjacks Liverpool axe-throwing experiences are perfect.
Have we missed some amazing local businesses off our Liverpool Independents Christmas Gift Guide? Let us know in the comments below.
It would be great if you could include the 60+ independent small & local businesses who are part of Red Brick Market in Cains Brewery Village! There are so many unique gifts that you can buy there – art, photography, homewares, jewellery, plants, clothing, antiques, retro, furniture, beauty gifts, vinyl etc etc!! New items and pre-loved items too.
Loving all of these suggestions! Great list.
We would love to be featured if possible? We are a Liverpool Based social enterprise called InnovateHer, and we empower teens by supplying free tech education.
We are currently selling Christmas gift packs, in which all proceeds go towards our educational programmes, and to a domestic violence charity called Chayn.