The Ultimate Knoxville Gift Guide
Emilie Stooksbury
The Ultimate Knoxville Gift Guide
If you have already finished your Christmas shopping, we are fundamentally not the same kind of person. I probably have a lot to learn from you and I’m frankly not sure why you clicked on this article at all. However, if you have been quietly muttering to yourself, “Everything will be fine, everything will be fine,” as December closer and closer with no presents purchased, you’ve come to the right place.
We’re here with the ultimate Knoxville gift guide so when you are finally able to do some Christmas shopping, you can do so fully prepared to shop local, support our cute lil Scruffy City, and absolutely floor your loved ones (or, you know, general acquaintances you somehow got roped into buying a gift for) with your thoughtful and one-of-a-kind gifts. Without further ado, here is your ultimate Knoxville Gift Guide:
For the Fashionista
🌟 A custom upcycled quilted jacket or suave vintage watch from The Back Pocket Knox in the Old City will make you look AND feel cool. Kick up the experience a notch by making a day of it & hitting up neighboring vintage shops Contra, French Fried, & Wabi Wear Repair.
⭐️ Geo Stud Earrings from Cold Gold (you should be able to find them at Rala in the Old City!) elevate the simple stud just enough to make you more interesting & whimsical than you were yesterday.
🌟 Do you reeeally love ’em? Gift them custom Jeans from Marc Nelson Denim just northeast of downtown & they’ll be indebted to you forever. (That’s how gifting works, right? 👀)
For the Friend Whose Self Care is #goals:
⭐️ Snag a face mask or bath scrub from Harper Naturals & gift them a cozy night of January self-care without ever leaving their house 😮💨
🌟 Or pick up some herbal remedies from Tonya Rea’s Teas and Remedies if your pal’s self-care toes the line of hypochondria 😉
⭐️ Penny+Bear are a husband & wife duo who make “Ritual Art” that helps build daily habits of gratitude & joy. It doesn’t it get more wholesome than that, people — aaand unrelated but they’re also a fun hang on the ‘gram.
⭐️ Men are famously difficult to shop for (um, why are their hobbies so expensive?!) but Beard Balm from Coulis Beard Co makes it easy 👏👏
🌟 Be generous to your friends AND the planet by gifting soaps & lotions from KnoxFill (you can find Harper Naturals products there as well!).
⭐️ Ooooh or snag a gift card to Wake Foot Sanctuary or Lost Lagoon Day Spa for ultimate relaxation (toootally unrelated, wanna be best friends? 👀).
For the Friend Who Moved Away (Rude)
🌟 Remind them how to come back & visit you by getting them a map of Knoxville from Native Maps or Paris Woodhull 💛
⭐️ Force nostalgia upon them by giving them a T-Shirt featuring their old neighborhood from Nothing Too Fancy.
🌟 Show ’em what they’re missin’ by gifting a bottle of local-to-lucky-us whiskey from Knox Whiskey Works 😉
For the Foodie
⭐️ Olive Oil from A Dopo Pizza will look fancy on their counter aaaand be tasty to boot.
⭐️ A Charcuterie Box from Euphoric Cheese Shop is a win/win because helloooo, in what world do they open this gift & not immediately start snacking & sharing?
⭐️ Coffee Subscription to Five & Hoek or Intrepid Nitro Coffee & Tea is the gift that keeps on givin’. (Annnd if your pal’s in Hardin Valley, Intrepid is about to open a second location there!)
🌟 The Coolest Beer Glass They’ll Ever Own a la Pretentious Glass Co. They’re sure to be blown away… glass blowing pun clearly intended.
For the Friend Who's Your Favorite
🌟 Since it seems you legitimately like this person, we suggest giving a gift where you can actually spend time with each other! You can always poke around & see what upcoming concerts, stand-up, live theatre, etc. is coming to town…
🌟 Orrr you can get them a Pasta Making Class with Amami Kitchen! She comes to you so you can make a little party out of it. OR if that’s not the play, you can step into her beautiful South Knox home and get the “Full Italian Experience” instead. We did this earlier in the year & trust us when we say, it would be SUCH a fun gift for your besties!
🌟 Speaking of besties, PROVE IT 😠 Okay sorry for yelling, but getting permanent bracelets together would be so cuuute! Pop by Hampton House in Fountain City or Born This Way Body Arts in Bearden to start taking the title of BFF seriously.
For the Tiny Friend (ie. Child)
⭐️ Pick up a cutie Knoxville Puzzle from Paris Woodhull (her shop is 25% off through the end of the year)!
🌟 A Create Your Own Monster Kit from Monsters Made with Love gifts a fun time creating together AND a fluffy BFF when all is said & done.
⭐️ A Whimsical Wand from Glitterville feels obvious? Duh?? They’re absolutely fabulous? Give the gift of whimsy & pretending you’re Glinda the Good.
🌟 Is there a new little bestie on the way? Isabela Iessi created the sweetest embroidered hoop for my son when he was born. We love it to pieces & not to make assumptions but 100% so would your friend.
For the Teacher/Office Party/General Acquaintance You Don’t Really Know That Well but Still Have to Give Something To:
⭐️ No one will be upset to receive a bag of locally roasted coffee from Mahalo, K Brew, or Five & Hoek.
🌟 Same can be said for cookies the size of your faaaace from Myrtle’s Bakehouse or Alchemy Bakehouse.
⭐️ Nothing says, “I don’t really know you that well but I care enough to try,” like a candle. But Verba Candles are NEXT LEVEL, y’all. Is it a candle? Is it art? Is it absolutely necessary to be in my home this holiday season? Yes, yes, and yes.
🌟 Finally, a whole sleeeew of cutie, cheeky, specific gifts can be found at Mother Shop. (They’re moving/changing concepts soon too which means lots of deeeeals!) Truly. This is our favorite gift shop. Go explore. Thank us later.
Thanks for shopping small and scruffy this season, friends. We hope this list has helped make the next month of shopping feel a little less daunting! Check out some upcoming markets here AND if you end up finding an absolutely obsession-worthy gift from a local maker, you better tag us on the ‘gram so we can see it 🤩