Thoughtful, Unique Holiday Gift Ideas

Shop locally for your loved ones this holiday season! We checked in with a few Kingsport retailers to get their gift recommendations.

Bellafina Chocolates

When you give the gift of gourmet chocolates from Bellafina, you are also helping children threatened by disease, poverty, abuse, or neglect. The Kingsport chocolatier donates 100% of its profits to children’s charities.

Located downtown at 123 Cherokee St., Bellafina makes several different flavors of dark chocolate truffles, from mint to peanut butter to espresso and more. They even offer a truffle that’s kicked up a notch with a dash of Tennessee moonshine.

“Our boxes of truffles are our best sellers,” said Jes Williams, Operations Manager. “They allow for a variety of flavors as well as the option of choosing our signature green box or children’s holiday art from our charity partners.”

Jes said, “Our chocolate-covered treats make great stocking stuffers!” These include dried tropical fruits, cashews, blueberries, cherries, espresso beans, and more. The shop, open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., also offers handmade scarves, quilts, and jewelry.

“The best gifts are ones that feel personal,” Jes said. “Find out what flavors the person most enjoys; include a personal note; and if there’s time, consider customizing the box.” 

Bellafina ships – order before Dec. 10^th for your gift to arrive before Christmas. “That said, chocolate still tastes yummy after the holidays, too!” Jes added.

Abingdon Olive Oil Co.

Give your favorite chef or aspiring chef the gift of great flavor. Abingdon Olive Oil Co.’s Kingsport location offers “ultra premium oils” from all over the world, including Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Argentina. The shop is located downtown at 102 E. Main St., Suite 1.

All of Abingdon Olive Oil Co.’s oils are great for grilling, baking, stir frying, or for mixing with a flavored balsamic vinegar for a delicious salad dressing.

Their fused olive oil, made by crushing the olive with another fruit so the two juices fuse together, include flavors like blood orange, baklouti green chile, and eureka green lemon. Their infused olive oil is made by immersing whole ingredients or essential oils of an herb or spice in extra virgin olive oil so that over time, the essence is infused into the oil. 

The shop also offers gourmet oils like roasted French walnut, California roasted almond, dark toasted sesame, and white truffle; dark balsamic vinegars with flavors like elderberry, cinnamon pear, and black mission fig; and white balsamic vinegars with flavors like pineapple, honey ginger, jalapeño, and lemongrass mint. You can also stock up on specialty vinegars like red wine, sherry, pinot noir, and champagne.

Owner KC St. Louis said their Tuscan Herb Infused Olive Oil and Traditional 18-Year Barrel-Aged Balsamic Vinegar are two of the shop’s best-sellers. 

“These two are fabulous by themselves and even better together,” St. Louis said. “Tuscan herb is infused with your basic Italian herbs and is perfect for everything – chicken, pasta, pizza crust, potatoes … combine with the 18-Year for a delightful marinade, bread dipping, or to finish off the perfect charcuterie board!”

Gift certificates are available online, and the shop offers gift-wrapped oil and vinegar sets with pourers.

Abingdon Olive Oil Co.’s Kingsport store is open Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Ride the Barge at Bays Mountain

114 Broad St., 423-398-5178

gem, offering outdoor activities too numerous to count. Among them are lake activities like kayaking, paddleboarding, and pedal boating on Fort Patrick Henry Lake. A new marina is currently under construction, so in the meantime, rentals are available at the Recreation Center at Duck Island. Single kayaks can be rented for $8 per hour, tandem kayaks for $11 per hour, paddleboards for $10 per hour, and pedal boats for $10 per hour. Life jackets are provided. Call the park office at 423-239-8531 for more information.

Downtown Plant Bar

If you’ve never thought about giving a houseplant as a holiday gift, Downtown Plant Bar may make you reconsider.

Owners Chase and Dakota have a “passion for all things green.” Their shop, located at 417 E. Sullivan St., features a wide variety of unique, hard-to-find houseplants and succulents as well as gifts that support local makers and businesses. You can even find DIY terrarium kits and moss poles handmade in the shop with natural reindeer moss. According to Plant Care for Beginners, moss poles teach your plants to grow upwards, rather than down or horizontally.

Succulents are the most forgiving of plants, so even those with less than green thumbs can have success with them, according to Drought Smart Plants. (Bonus: Several succulents even flower around Christmastime!)

If you prefer to give experiences rather than things, check out Downtown Plant Bar’s roster of classes, including Macrame + Mimosas, Propagation Paradise, Christmas Tree Planting, and more! Gift cards are available as well.

Downtown Plant Bar is open Wednesday through Sunday.

DeWayne’s World

Business Insider reports that graphic novels are gaining in popularity, reaching $635 million in sales in 2018. With endless titles in a variety of genres, graphic novels make great gifts this holiday season. 

If you have a graphic novel, comic book, or gaming fan on your gift list, a good place to start your quest is Dewayne’s World, located at 457 E. Sullivan St. 

Offering a large selection of graphic novels and comics (you can’t go wrong with anything Marvel) for all ages, Dewayne’s World also stocks games, including an extensive selection of tabletop miniature wargames Warhammer Fantasy, Warhammer 40k, Warmachine, and Hordes.

The shop also offers collector’s items like Funko Pops and toys such as action figures and Squishables.

Got something specific in mind for your favorite gamer? Dewayne’s World can also special order many items if they don’t have them in stock.

Dewayne’s World is open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.All Posts