PDD Gift Guide 2017

With an abundance of local craft fairs and new shops featuring local artists and products, supporting and buying local seems to be getting easier and easier in Duluth. With that in mind we bring you the annual PDD Gift Guide, a list of ideas with a local connection. As in previous years, we’ll kick it off with 15 suggestions. If you have your own ideas, or if you’re a local maker, feel free to add products and links in the comments.


 
Timbr-Tac-Toe game
Designer Ken Zakovich has been applying his skills to wood and three-dimensional pieces over the past few years. He has an e-commerce site with a handful of Minnesota-inspired items at timbr.design.
$46

Backpack
Harmonic Goods makes backpacks and other sizes of bags from canvas, wool, hemp, leather and other materials. The design is simple and clean. Available at Makers Mercantile.
$165

Duluth’s Historic Parks
This is probably the Duluthiest book you’ll find this year. Filled with historic photos, sketches and information about the evolution of our park system. Published by Zenith City Press. Available at local bookstores or at zenithcity.com.
$24.95

Other local book releases for 2017 are listed here.

Taconite Poster
There are so many great Minnesota-themed gift ideas on the ReplaceEverything web store, it’s hard to pick just one to feature. But we’ll go with this poster. If you’re stuck in a gifting rut, take a look through this site to get inspired. Fifty percent of the profit will benefit Minneapolis Parks Foundation. Available at Replace Everything.
$20

Textured Lines Earrings
Atelier & Stone Jewelry started out in the Duluth MakerSpace, and is now in the new Duluth Folk School building. Louise Payjack-Guillou designs contemporary Jewelry. Available online from Atelier & Stone, or at Makers Mercantile, Waters of Superior and Adeline, Inc.
From $295

Bummer T-shirt
Alison Lee is a senior at East High School. As part of a class she started a T-shirt company called Bummer. It continues to be a business for her with several designs and an e-com site. Available at bummerbylurk.com.
$20

First Avenue “lego” kit
Introduce the little ones to the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle with a mini First Avenue lego set. The 98-piece reproduction of the Minnesota landmark includes stickers, instructions and packaging and is 3.8 x 3.8 x 1.8 inches when assembled. Available from First Avenue.
$45

Artist Travel Kit
Dock 5 is the Park Point-based studio of Natalija Walbridge. She makes canvas bags and accessories screenprinted with simple elegant designs. Available at dock-5.com.
$40

AICHO 2018 Calendar
The American Indian Community Housing Organization has a vibrant, thriving art community, and has hosted some amazing art displays recently. The organization has published a 2018 calendar featuring some of those works. Available at aicho.org. Or call 218-722-7225 or email aichoduluth @ gmail.com.
$17 + $5 S&H

Christmas by the Lake CD
The eleventh volume in the Christmas by the Lake compilation series features more than 200 local musicians and all proceeds go to the Bluebird Foundation, providing grants and scholarships to youth in the performing arts. Available at Super One stores, Gary Milk House, Big Daddy’s Burgers, Holiday Spirit in the Lights, Lake It, Schmitt Music, Engwall Florist & Gifts and Discoverpc. For more local music options, refer to PDDs list of Duluth Album releases in 2017.

Hoops Brewing Crowler
Hoops Brewing opened in Canal Park this past summer and offers more than a dozen beers in 750 ml crowlers. Available at Hoops Brewing.
$9

Damn Good Mustard
Lake Superior Spice Company makes a variety of hot sauces and a tasty mustard called, appropriately enough, Damn Good Mustard. Available on squareup.com and at various craft and food events.
$8

Lake Superior Agate Pendant or Ring
White Cedar Studio in Superior makes one of a kind, custom jewelry. Available at White Cedar Jewelry.
Various prices

Candles
Life House, which offers support to homeless and street youth, started a program called Legitimate Hustle, to give youth an opportunity to safely earn money while learning entrepreneurial and employment skills. This year, the kids are making and selling candles. Available on Small Business Saturday (Nov. 25) in the new Annex (21 N. First Ave. W., just down the hill from the main Life House facility) and after that by contacting Life House.

Minne-Skirt
A down-insulated skirt, or as described on their website: “a jacket for your butt.” The Minne-Skirt is designed by Heim-made, a Northern-Minnesota based clothing company, “Where haute meets cold.” Available at heim-made.com.
$130-$150

12 Comments

Russell Crawford

about 6 years ago

Perennial Coffee, a micro roastery based in Duluth, offers seasonal, single origin coffees perfect for those coffee lovers in your life. Locally roasted and available this holiday season at Makers Mercantile and Duluth Folk School's December market, as well as at the Lincoln Park Farmers Market in December. Connect with us @perennialcoffee or call for more details -- 218.340.3193.

Brian Barber

about 6 years ago

Chester Bowl introduced a nifty new mug design at Fall Fest, and they sold out quickly. More have been ordered and there are limited supplies left. Available at the chalet during hours of regular operation (opening date 12/9, weather permitting), or at the chalet by appointment (call 724-9832).

Rae

about 6 years ago

I've been following Anna Bailey of annabaileying.com/build-ing.  

She's a reclaimed wood artist, who does work with her husband and I believe they do a lot of joint events with Makers Mercantile. They are pretty active on Instagram and Instagram stories, and shes really putting the social media aspect of business to good use.

Paul Lundgren

about 6 years ago



As usual, all profits from Security Jeweler's Bentleyville ornament go to Bentleyville.

Brian Barber

about 6 years ago


I've got a couple holiday card designs, choose from Krampus or Uke Santa.
Also a goofy kid's book I illustrated.



Paul Lundgren

about 6 years ago


 
Also near the top of everyone's holiday shopping list should be the new lukewarm-off-the-press Angry Seagull PDDT. Available online through the PDD Store.

Brian Barber

about 6 years ago

It's going to be a busy Small Business Saturday today (November 25), with pop-up shops and events across town. Evolve Duluth will be hosting a pop-up with several vendors. Evolve, Duluth Loves Local and DLH Clothing are promoting a Small Biz Hop. Details and participating businesses can be found at this link. 

Brian Barber

about 6 years ago

Duluthian and PDD Saturday Essay contributor Eric Chandler published "Hugging This Rock: Poems of Earth & Sky, Love & War" this fall. Pick up a signed copy at the Bookstore at Fitger's, Zenith Bookstore, or at Amazon.

robotRickshaw

about 6 years ago

Fresh from Duluth's only known local robot sweatshop: musical robots, kits and other devices for geeky kids of all ages. Offering shop-wide 10 percent off through Dec. 3: etsy.com/shop/RobotRickshaw.

Brian Barber

about 6 years ago

The Duluth Winter Village at Glensheen will be happening again this Saturday and Sunday from 10am until 5pm (December 2 and 3, 2017). Lots of vendors and lots of people, so as the website says, don't even THINK about parking at Glensheen. There are convenient shuttles running to and from the event though. See the website for more info.

Facebook Event Page

https://duluthwintervillage.com/event-info/parking-and-directions/

Paul Lundgren

about 6 years ago


 
Nothing quite says "holiday spirit" like a bottle of rye whiskey. 
 
Here's the gimmick to go with it: Vikre Distillery is planting a tree for every bottle of its hooch sold during the holiday season.
 
Vikre is partnering with the nonprofit organization American Forests to plant the trees.
American Forests works on forest restoration worldwide, and has planted over 350,000 trees in the Superior National Forest since 2007, which contains the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.
 
Every sale of every Vikre product contributes. Individuals can help plant a tree by purchasing a cocktail at a bar or restaurant, by purchasing a bottle at their local liquor store, or by buying a bottle from the distillery directly. 
 
The number of trees planted will be equal to the total number of bottles sold of all Vikre products between Dec. 1 and Dec. 31, through liquor stores, restaurants, bars, and Vikre’s cocktail room.

Brian Barber

about 6 years ago

Spirit Mountain has a collection of branded hats, cups and more, available online at shop.spiritmt.com.

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