With only a handful of shopping days left until Christmas, your options for having gifts shipped are getting limited! Luckily, we are blessed with a wide variety of local shops and locally made products that offer the perfect gift for everyone on your list.
One shop you may not know about yet is the gift shop at Visit Statesboro on South Main Street. While the building primarily serves as our local tourism hub and visitors center, they've curated an awesome selection of items that is sure to be loved by visitors and locals alike.
"Opening the gift shop at Visit Statesboro has been so rewarding," Becky Sanders, Visit Statesboro Executive Director, said. "We love seeing locals come in to buy 'Made in the Boro' items, and it's so much fun talking with travelers who are shopping for souvenirs or gifts."
They are fully stocked right now and will be open their regular hours this week. That's Monday to Thursday from 9am-5pm and Friday from 9am-4pm. They'll even be open from 9am-1pm on Saturday for the very last minute shoppers, and they have gift bags pre-stuffed with tissue paper available to purchase, as well. It doesn't get much easier than that.
Check out some of the awesome things they have to offer!
If you've got a culinary connoisseur on your list, Visit Statesboro has them covered, for sure. They've got all the Boro gourmet bests like Cork's Kettle Corn; Braswell's jams, mustards, dressings, and pickles (I picked up a jar of the Good & Evil Pickles on Becky's recommendation, and we weren't disappointed!); Mill Creek Farms pecans; honey from a variety of local hives like Humble Bumble, Franklin's, B&G, and The Bees' Knees; and even Road-Tisserie's locally famous chicken dry rub.
They've also got a variety of tea towels that would make a great addition to any of these edible gifts, as well as one of my personal favorites -- an "Eat Local" wooden spoon.
Got a cocktail, beer, or coffee lover on your list? Visit Statesboro has the coolest coffee mugs (I'm partial to the Real Housewives of Statesboro one!) and some beautifully etched glassware. You could pick up a local coffee blend or other libation to go along with them. They've also got koozies and coasters that would pair perfectly with a local brew from Eagle Creek.
If you're shopping for a fashionista, check out their offerings of locally made jewelry and the best t-shirts, which they design in-house. They've got jewelry from Beads by Barbara and Howard Bead Boutique, both popular vendors at the Farmer's Market, and they've got a t-shirt for every fashion sense. How totally awesome is this 90s-inspired tee?
The homebody in your life will love the selection of local candles by makers like Fox+Hound, Southern Soaked, Sassy Girl, and CandleBellaCo. They've also got a variety of interesting books chronicling our rich history as a community as well as CDs featuring locally produced music by Chris Mitchell and Brandi Harvey. For an heirloom quality gift for the home, check out the light-up replicas of some of Statesboro's best known buildings. Any combination of those would make for a really cozy night at home!
Finally, for all your stocking stuffer needs, they have the cutest Boro-themed items like magnets, keychains, oyster shells from Mack's Mussels, and MORE!
There is truly something awesome for everyone on your list at Visit Statesboro, and knowing that you shopped SMALL and shopped LOCAL will make the gifts even better! Stop by for all your last minute gifting needs, and I promise you will be impressed by the selection. Let me know what you find!
Visit Statesboro is located at 222 South Main Street in Statesboro. Give them a call at (912) 259-9555 if you need more information.