Shop Local Blah, Blah, Blah

I’m going to borrow a line from Bret’s editorial last week and dove tail onto that if I may. Shopping locally not only supports the livelihoods of our local shopkeepers, it’s so much more convenient! You no doubt have some shopping to do for the holidays, and I thought I would let you know what a handful of Ojai’s merchants have in store:

Studio C:
This is where I get my hair done, so it wasn’t the first place I thought of for Christmas gifts, but Lelah, who is sometimes charged with taming my unruly brows, was quick to point out several ideas:
Walker Wrist Wallets (great for someone who works out): $7.
Organic Soaps: $7.
Candles and Jewelry in several price points to fit any budget.
Sparkling vintage inspired ornaments and tree toppers.
Organic thick hot chocolate: $16.

Kava:
Hildegard showed me some fantastic gifts - these are my top picks for under $10:
A local 8-year-old boy is making beautiful hand-painted glass ornaments: $8.
Monogrammed luggage tags: $5.75, a great stocking stuffer for a travel buff.
I love the $8 Zulugrass stretchy beads which can be worn as a bracelet, necklace or ponytail holder, mixed and matched or worn alone.
Men of Ojai Calendar: Naked local butts all for a good cause in the form of community fine arts grants: $20 with tax.
Gift-wrapping is free and gorgeous!

Village Pharmacy:
Again, not a place I’d think of for Christmas shopping, but this writer lost her pen somewhere along the way, wandered in to buy a Bic and found lots of Ojai souvenir t-shirts: Adults $14, Kids $12.

Noah’s:
My sister and I trade gifts every year for our dogs, so this year Sydney the Labrador gave Gilby the Husky a small dog paw stocking filled with treats for around $10.

Rains:
What don’t they have? From apparel to kitchen gadgets to hardware, Ojai’s answer to the department store has got it all. And they have Michael McFadden's Color of Ojai Calendar featuring his stunning local landscape photography for $12. And gift-wrapping is free.

Every Saturday night in December, the arcade merchants are staying open late and offering a special activity. Tonight it’s storytelling and the official courtyard lighting, on the 9th is a dog parade, on the 16th is caroling, and on the 23rd “shop, snack and schmooze with the Merry Merchants of Ojai.” The Chamber of Commerce has more information.

My shopping list is nearly crossed off. But I still need a lava lamp, which I thought would be a sure bet in this town. Have you seen one in Ojai? Do you have any other local shopping tips?

Listen to an interview with Ojai Santa on Radio Ojai!