PILSEN — With the holidays coming up, consider showing some extra love to local stores during this shopping season.
To make it as easy as possible to support these local spots, Block Club rounded up a handful of businesses in Pilsen, Little Village and Back of the Yards where you can grab gifts.
Here are a few shopping options:
Pilsen
Hecho Con Cariño, 1653 W. 18th St. Website.
Pilsen native Angie Hernandez opened her shop on 18th Street earlier this year, selling her own handmade crafts after years of selling at markets and pop-ups. She also stocks work from more than a dozen other artists. You can find earrings, stickers, clothing, knick-knacks and more, with many of them showcasing Latino pride.
The store is open noon-6 p.m. Wednesday-Friday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
Semillas Plant Studio, 1848 S. Blue Island Ave. Website.
This Pilsen shop offers a variety of plants and flowers for the green thumbed person you might be shopping for this year. Pick out something yourself, or you can grab them a gift card to shop on their own. Semillas also stocks candles and perfume from the brand dilo home — the same stuff Semillas uses inside the store (which smells amazing).
Semillas is open 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays, and you can order gift cards online.
Sponsored
VOLVERde is a sustainable online marketplace offering low-waste everyday essentials inspired by “abuelitas and Latinx culture.” Co-founders Aidee and Mónica are sisters of Mexican heritage raised in the Chicago area who grew up making regular trips to Mexico where they saw how deeply their family’s roots were tied into nature.
To VOLVERde, sustainability isn’t just about packaging or ingredients — it’s also about empowering communities most impacted by climate change. That’s why every product on the marketplace is sourced from businesses that are women- or are black-, brown-, indigenous-, or people of color-owned. For a gift, check out this gift basket with a trio of cocktail-inspired soap bars from Chicago-based Soap Distillery for $35, or the best-selling Poderosa gift basket, which contains three sustainable, Latina-owned brands packaged in a handcrafted keepsake palm basket for $48.
Tortilleria Sabinas, 1509 W. 18th St. Website.
For the foodie in your life, consider treating them with the beloved house-made chips and tortillas from Tortilleria Sabinas. The family-run business opened in September after having to close for several years due to health issues of the former owner and the pandemic.
A bag of their traditional chips is $3.25, while their spicy chips are $3.35. A 9-ounce packet of yellow corn tortillas is 55 cents. Or, if you have loved ones who make homemade tamales around the holidays, Sabinas also sells their raw masa for $8.50 for a 5-pound portion.
Sabinas is open 6 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Their products can also be found at select grocery stores around the city.
18th Street Vintage and Just One Vintage, 1549 W. 18th St.
This shop features two businesses in one. Jesus Diaz operates Just One Vintage, which focuses on reselling sportswear and streetwear. 18th Street Vintage, run by Elena Saenz, offers vintage pieces, sometimes with a modern twist, thanks to Saenz.
You can find vintage purses or funky pants at 18th Street Vintage for the fashion-forward folks in your life, or reworked classic Nike crewnecks and old-school sports merch for sports-lovers at Just One Vintage.
Just One Vintage and 18th Street Vintage are open noon-7 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sundays.
Sponsored
The holidays are almost here — we’ll cheers to that! But first, a lovely bottle of wine from Vinalia must be obtained. Vinalia is a pioneering wine brand dedicated to honoring the vast diversity of wine in the world, with a focus on emerging economies, women and minority winemakers, and sustainable practices, ultimately aiming to create a more inclusive and representative wine culture.
At Vinalia, curated collections offer an array of gifts. Whether your tastes gravitate toward wines from a specific region, carefully selected staff recommendations, or bottles chosen for a specific occasion, there’s a Vinalia collection that’s a perfect size and match. The 4-bottle “Americas” box ($88), transports you to the rich wine cultures of the USA, Canada, and Chile. Or, the 6-bottle “Sommelier’s Soiree” collection ($160) is designed to delight and surprise even the most knowledgeable wine enthusiasts. Collections are available in 4-bottle, 6-bottle, or 12-bottle formats. Bi-monthly subscriptions are also available with new wine releases each month.
While Vinalia is currently online only, it has plans to open a tasting room in Pilsen in Winter 2024.
Little Village
Kiubo Space, 2901 W. Cermak Road. Website.
You can find something for everyone in your life at Kiubo Space. It’s a new collective based in Little Village, made up of three separate businesses. Comercio Popular sells a rotating stock of clothing, accessories or home goods from Mexican designers; at Flores Campo Santo, you can pre-order floral arrangements or grab mini pre-made ones; and Bueno Days Coffee offers made-to-order drinks from beans produced by Mexican coffee companies (you can also buy beans by the bag).
Kiubo is open 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Fridays and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
Discount Mall, 3115 W. 26th St. Website.
The beloved Discount Mall has undergone many changes since last year’s holiday shopping season. About half of the vendors had to vacate the mall when they couldn’t get a new lease, and the rest said they struggled to retain business while the surrounding plaza was under construction this summer.
Consider doing some of your holiday shopping there, where vendors in the north half are still in business. You can find clothes, jewelry, toys, knickknacks, musical instruments and more at the dozens of booths.
The Discount Mall is open 10 a.m.-7 p.m. daily.
Solei Boutique, 3738 W. 26th St. Website.
You can find handmade clothes and other accessories made by Indigenous cooperatives in Mexico at this Little Village boutique, like embroidered dresses in a variety of colors or a matching headband and scarf for ($24.99).
Until Nov. 30, the store is offering 10 percent off your purchase storewide and free shipping on orders more than $150.
Solei is open 11 a.m-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 11 a.m-5 p.m. Sundays for in-store shopping, and you can shop online.
Ur Nails & Spa, 2807 S. Kedzie Ave. Website.
For the loved one in your life who needs some self-care and pampering, you can grab them a gift card to a recently-opened spa in the heart of Little Village. Treat them to a basic manicure ($20) or pedicure ($30). You can find a full list of their services and prices online.
Ur Nails & Spa is open 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays, but you also call the spa at 872-267-0068 to ask about gift cards.
Back Of The Yards
Sputnik Coffee Company, 2057 W. 51st St. Website.
This Back of the Yards-based coffee shop sells the medium-roast coffee beans they serve in the cafe online. You can get an 8-ounce bag for $7, or, for the coffee enthusiasts, a 5-pound bag for $60.
The cafe also offers gift box bundles. One gift box includes two 8-ounce bags of their signature coffee blend and a diner-style mug ($29), while another option includes the two bags of coffee with a T-shirt instead for ($34).
You can shop in-store 6 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday-Friday or 7 a.m-4 p.m. Saturdays, or online.
La Selva, online. Website.
This neighborhood-themed brand offers apparel for people who love their Southwest Side roots and aren’t afraid to show it. For the winter season, you can get a cozy knit beanie in a variety of styles and colors ($20), a pullover declaring yourself a “Product Of Back of the Yards” ($45), or a long sleeve shirt with “Back of the Yards” written in a glow-in-the-dark graffiti font ($30).
You can shop online.
Back of the Yards Coffeehouse, online. Website.
This local coffee shop had to close the doors of its beloved brick-and-mortar shop late last year, but its beans are still for sale online. Get a 12-ounce bag of their classic 47th Street Blend for $13.99, or a 12-ounce bag of their Butcher’s Blend espresso for $15.99. You can also gift a loved one a mug with the shop’s logo on it for $14.99 or a gift card for them to pick out their own blends.
You can shop online.
Previous guides:
Do you want your business added to our gift guide? Sponsored spots are still available! Email zack@blockclubchi.org for more information.
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