The Guide to Buffalo Gift Giving

Ava Steiner '22 ~ December 2021

Tired of every gift you order on Amazon arriving late? Or, maybe you want to support local vendors. (P.S.-- local gifts have a lower carbon footprint than online shopping. If you’re interested in holiday sustainability, check out an article on sustainable shopping here). Well, here is a list of gifts you can easily get in WNY that your friends, family, and teachers will love!

For friends with a sweet tooth:

350 Sweets & Treats: Run by Nardin senior Peyton Leftwich and her mom Dawnette Leftwich, 350 Sweets and Treats provides quality, made-to-order baked goods. For the holiday season, they have cookie platters including chocolate chip, sugar cookies, snickerdoodle and thumbprint cookies, and bourbon eggnog cake. There are also DIY cookie kits and hot cocoa bombs in original, peppermint, and salted caramel flavors. Throughout the year, they offer delicious dessert jars.

Blue Table Chocolates: Blue Table sells beautiful and tasty artisan chocolates, including an advent calendar, a sampler box to try some of their more popular selections, and collections like “Bucket List” with tropical flavors. They also have a selection of vegan chocolates.

What’s Pop-in’ Gourmet Popcorn: This family popcorn business crafts extraordinary popcorn in small batches. Their rotating flavors include Lemon Pound Kettle, Buffalo Wing, Mango Habanero, and many more! You can even get gift baskets of a variety of flavors.

Platter’s Chocolates: Located in North Tonawanda, Platter’s is family owned and operated. They sell sponge candy and other chocolates, and you can even take a tour of the factory!

Butter Block: Located in the “five points” neighborhood near other thriving shops, Butter Block sells handmade pastries including monkey bread, cookies, a variety of croissant flavors, and much more.

Cookies and Cream: Next to Starbucks and Renew on Elmwood Avenue, Cookies and Cream offers many cookie and ice cream combos, such as sea salt truffle ice cream or s’mores cookies. They even have gluten-free chocolate chip cookies.

Watson’s Chocolates: Although famous for delicious sponge candy, Watson’s also has classics like buffalo-shaped chocolates, chocolate drizzled popcorn, and jingle bell bark. Located right in the Elmwood village, you could easily walk there from school (if you bundle up)!

For teachers who need caffeine:

Remedy House Gift Card: Right across from Butter Block and Five Points Bakery, Remedy House has innovative coffee and tea flavors like tahini honey or buttered rum lattes. They also have yummy breakfast meals like a coffee croissant or egg on a roll.

Spot Coffee Gift Card: A Nardin favorite, Spot Coffee has several locations across Western New York, including in the Elmwood village, Kenmore, Williamsville, Hamburg, and Ellicottville (Click here for more info about this popular Nardin coffee shop).

Overwinter Coffee Gift Card: A new coffee shop focused on the bean grinding process, Overwinter is the perfect gift for coffee lovers.

Caffe Aroma Gift Card: Caffe Aroma is Buffalo’s longest running locally owned coffee shop. You can always find yummy baked goods and handcrafted drinks there!

Treat your family to a meal:

Five Points Bakery: While you’re in the five points neighborhood, have some toast or cake at Five Points Bakery. Their ingredients are all locally sourced from farms around the area, and the flour is ground right in the kitchen.

Iron Tail Tavern: This new restaurant hosts Sunday brunches, as well as dinner most nights. Their seasonal rotation of innovative meals are mostly sourced from nearby farms and local vendors.

The Lexington Coop: The Coop has a large selection of locally sourced foods and snacks, including sourdough pretzels from Breadhive, sweets from Junko’s Dessert’s, and knishes from Bloom and Rose.

Daniela: Daniela is the only pinseria in Buffalo, making a style of pizza baked in a pan. Daniela serves fresh, delicious Italian food that your whole family will love. Plus, it is owned by a Nardin family!

For plant lovers:

Put a Plant on It: For plant-themed gifts of every kind, Put a Plant on It is your shop. They sell houseplants both common and rare, provide plant consulting, and have a potting station. They are located on Elmwood.

Urban Roots: Urban Roots is a cooperative plant business, so their profits stay in the community. They sell indoor and outdoor plants, gardening supplies, nature-themed gifts, and classes.

The Plant Shack: The Plant Shack in East Aurora and Lewiston has a variety of plants, pots, giftcards, and gifts, some locally sourced. They also give back to the community and environment by planting trees for every ten plants sold, donating to clean the ocean, and more.

For music lovers and artists:

Revolver Records: For a small shop on Elmwood, Revolver Records has a wide range of music records for you to pick from.

Twin Village Music: Get the gift of private music lessons for that person who always talks about learning to play drums, or the aspiring violinist.

Hyatt’s All Things Creative: Located on Elmwood near Hertel, Hyatt’s has an extensive collection of art supplies from paint, clay, and markers to posters, puzzles, kits, and more. Hyatt’s also sells gift cards and classes.

Buffalo Arts Studio: Buffalo Arts Studio offers art classes for all ages, as well as gift certificates and artwork by local artists. They also offer volunteer opportunities. In the season of giving, what’s more fun than volunteering at exhibitions or the gift shop there with a friend?

Hi-Fi Hits Records: This record store in Williamsville sells records along with musician merchandise.

For pet owners:

Elmwood Pet Supplies: For collars, toys, and treats, Elmwood Pet Supplies carries all you need for your furry friends.

Bath and beauty:

Zandra Beauty: Founded by entrepreneur and Nardin alumna Zandra Azariah Cunningham, Zandra Beauty offers a wide range of beauty and skincare products. Zandra Beauty uses natural plant-based ingredients and supports girls’ education around the world. Products can be found at Target, Renew Bath and Body, and online.

Renew Bath and Body: Renew strives to provide beauty and skincare products free from harmful chemicals. They sell fun bath bombs, clean makeup, and skincare products for men and women.

For the trendy friends:

Second Chic: Going thrifting is always fun, especially with friends. Second Chic is a secondhand shop located in the Elmwood village and in Williamsville.

Ten Thousand Villages: Focused on fair trade certified and handcrafted products, Ten Thousand Villages is a nonprofit in the Elmwood village that invests in artisans from around the world. They have a variety of jewelry, accessories, houseware, and more. You can also volunteer there!

For the Buffalo-spirited:

Buffalove Apparel: From masks to mugs, Buffalove has every kind of merchandise you need to support our city. They also have a variety of Buffalo Bills gear-- perfect for jeans days!

Sunshine + Bluebirds: Sunshine + Bluebirds has Buffalo-themed everything, and more, like fun books, candles, and jewelry.

Title Photo: Ava Steiner