Local Holiday Gift Guide for Charlotte 2025: Shopping, Markets & Pop-Ups

Skip the online shipping delays and support local this holiday season. We’ve rounded up Charlotte’s best locally owned shops, pop-ups, and holiday markets — from South End to Matthews to NoDa — to help you find unique, handmade gifts while keeping your dollars in the community.

Online shopping, while convenient, threatens content overload and runs the risks of gifts arriving late, damaged or not at all.

Small, local businesses, on the other hand, remain your most reliable source of a variety of unique, handmade gifts that are meant to last while keeping your money in the community.

Check out our other local guides: Guides & Events

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Locally Owned Retail Shops in Charlotte

704 Shop

This Charlotte-themed apparel shop has lots of gifts for those with hometown pride, offering women’s, men’s and unisex options and goods from collabs with local organizations like Lions Services. The company’s Neighborhoodies are sure to be bestsellers this holiday season.

Use code GOBBLE all day on Black Friday, Nov. 28, for 40% off all purchases on the site.

Read More: 704 Shop Launches (En)Vision Line in Partnership with Lions Services

The Book Rack

Home to 50,000 books for 8 bucks or less, The Book Rack is holding a November special that offers $5 in credit for every purchase of $20 or more.

The Brown Sugar Collab

The Brown Sugar Collab offers a curated shopping experience featuring unique and high-quality natural products handcrafted by over 20 BIPOC women suppliers, with products including home, bath and body, hair and skincare. Their Early Black Friday Class Pass Sale offers $20 off their popular perfume- and cologne-making classes if booked before Nov. 29.

The Buttercup

Originally opened in 1975, Kim Gordon (not that Kim Gordon) took this Myers Park gift shop over from her mother-in-law in 2017 and has continued to evolve the space, showcasing local and regional creators.

CLT Find

Tucked away into The market at 7th Street, CLT Find curates a range of gifts and items from Charlotte makers, from apparel to art to snacks.

ColsenKeane Leather

This leather goods shop in the Elizabeth neighborhood offers rugged, hand-crafted, heirloom quality products all made in the store’s Charlotte studio. The store offers luxury leather belts, duffles, key fobs, satchels, journals, wallets and more, all with a lifetime guarantee and the ability to personalize gifts to add that special touch.

Curio, Craft & Conjure

This Black-owned magick shop in NoDa sells tarot cards, talismans, candles, and other tools and supplies that honor African, American, Asian, European, Indigenous, Latin, and Neopagan traditions and practices.

Glory Days Apparel

While they do run a storefront in the heart of South End, the real glory day for this nostalgia-fueled apparel company comes on Cyber Monday, Dec. 1, when they hold their annual 1-minute sale, taking place online from 7:04-7:05 p.m. You have 34 minutes before then to get your cart together before the madness begins. Tune into Glory Days’ TikTok and/or Instagram Live, where they’ll drop the secret code live, unlocking 50% off everything in your cart for one minute only.

Read More: Glory Days Apparel Finds a Home in South End

Good Postage

This independent paper goods store Good Postage is holding a Black Friday fountain pen sale, with certain brands ranging from 10-35% off and an Estie mini tote with notebooks, Peanuts x Esterbrook tag keychain and sticker with the purchase of any Esterbrook pen.

Read More: Drunk Journaling Is One Way Good Postage Connects Creatives

KIKI

Specializing in selling waterproof jewelry made with top-grade, surgical steel, KIKI will be holding a 50% off sale on what it’s calling Pink Friday at the Camp North End location, plus 40% off all website jewelry sales.

Lunchbox Records

Record Store Day is typically held in the spring, but RSD Black Friday gives vinyl lovers a second chance at new releases and sales. Lunchbox Records will open at 8 a.m. and expects a packed house through to closing time at 6 p.m. on Nov. 28. Visit the website for a full list of releases and deals.

Moxie Mercantile

Moxie Mercantile is a locally-owned boutique that is marking 10 years in business this November. Its locations in Charlotte, Matthews and Davidson carry local art, home goods, candles, jewelry and more, feature both local artisans and fair trade products.

Read More: Moxie Mercantile Owner Opens Sister Store in Plaza Midwood

Oh Seoul Happy

Launched in 2023 by two friends and fellow K-pop fans frustrated with the apparent lack of a K-pop fandom scene in Charlotte, Oh Seoul Happy sells albums, clothing, accessories, posters and other collectibles that make perfect gifts for the K-pop fan in your life.

Renfrow Hardware

Billed as an antidote to the Black Friday madness, the fine folks at Renfrow Hardware in Matthews are cooking up mixed greens and collards onsite from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Nov. 28, giving visitors a chance to grab a bowl, kick back and reconnect with community — and perhaps get some stress-free shopping done, too.

Sleepy Poet Antique Mall

Navigating the cavernous but well-filled aisles of this antique mall is enough to make any poet sleepy, just remember to always be on the lookout for the discounted booths. It’s the perfect hunting ground for pickers … or gift givers with one in their family.

Read More: Sleepy Poet Purchases Permanent Home on South Boulevard

Sorcellerie Apothecary

Known as Sorce, this local, artisan-owned business is based in the Elizabeth neighborhood with a mission to “create ethically made perfume as a form of accessible, wearable art and self-expression.” Each Sorce scent is hand-blended in small batches by Sorce’s team and formulated by founder and self-taught perfumer Caitlin Hayes.

Tabor

Tabor offers clothes and accessories from established and emerging designers for fashion-forward men, but wait, there’s more! You’ll also find records, grooming products, books and other lifestyle retail goods at this Myers Park boutique, with a Holiday Gift Guide built for convenience on the website.

Thirty-One Jane

Thirty-One Jane is a small women’s clothing store in Chantilly run by mother/daughter duo Eloise and Susan. Inspired by their time living in New York, the women built Thirty-One Jane to offer Charlotteans a mix of women’s contemporary clothing, accessories and home goods across a variety of styles and price points. In fact, they’ve already compiled a gift guide on their website based on budget.

Twenty Two West

“We are in direct contrast to the word of mass production,” reads Twenty Two’s website, and that’s a mission statement we can get behind. Small Business Saturday, Nov. 29, marks the biggest sale of the year for this artful boutique, including product launches. And with HelloUncle hosting a vegan pop-up all day, good eating is guaranteed, too.

Troubadour Booksellers

A post on Nov. 25 heralded the arrival of a slate of new releases at Scott Tynes-Miller’s Troubadour Books including fiction like the “funny and unsettling” debut novel from Maria Kashimo titled Best Offer Wins and the nonfiction WWII page-turner Family of Spies, which is about … well, you can guess from the title.

The indie shop will be awarding prizes to customers throughout Small Business Saturday, Nov. 29, including a signed copy of Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winner James by Percival Everett. Also, all children’s books purchased for donation to Promising Pages on Giving Tuesday (Dec. 2) will be sold at 10% off.

Read More: Troubadour Booksellers Set to Open in Southeast Charlotte

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Charlotte Holiday Pop-Ups & Market Events

Maker’s Market CLT

Dates, times and locations vary • Free to Attend
Maker’s Markets with goods and crafts from local vendors are popping up at local breweries in Charlotte, Mount Holly and Huntersville on weekends from now until Dec. 10. Check the website for specific dates and times to grab a brew and scope out these regionally sourced goods.

VTGCLT

Weekends through Dec. 7; Daily Dec. 8-23 • 10 a.m.-7 p.m. • Elizabeth on Seventh • Free to Attend
For the 11th year, VTGCLT curates a selection of local and regional vintage and handmade brands for your holiday shopping needs. This year they’ll be showcasing more than 90 brands from a new location in the heart of Elizabeth.

Light the Knights Festival

Nov. 26-Jan. 4, 2026 • Times Vary • Truist Field • $14-$15
Truist Field hosts ice skating, snow tubing, shopping, holiday treats, tens of thousands of lights, decor and more for a great night out with the family.

OMB Christmas Market

Nov. 26-Jan. 4, 2026 • Weekends • Olde Mecklenburg Brewery • Free to Attend
Olde Meck’s biergarten hosts more than 50 local vendors with food, Christmas lights, fire pits and seasonal favorites like holiday beers and the traditional spice wine Gluhwein for four festive weekends.

Shop Small Saturday

Nov. 29 • 11 a.m.-5 p.m. • Camden Road, South End • Free to Attend
Shop Small Saturday kicks off the holiday season in South End every winter with a street festival. This year’s event will feature more than 120 vendors, but also look for deals from businesses throughout the neighborhood all day.

4th Annual Christmas Extravaganza

Nov. 29-30 • 10 a.m.-4 p.m. • Cabarrus Arena + Events Center • $7
Peruse goods from more than 150 vendors during this two-day show, but also check out the Christmas tree display, free Santa pics, onsite ornament making, egg nog and other holiday treats.

Upcycle Arts Holiday Pop-Up Market

Dec. 2-23 • 6-9 p.m. • Upcycle Arts • Free to Attend
Hosted in the space next door to Upcycle Arts’ creative use center in the Eastway Crossing shopping center, this annual holiday market will be filled with finished craft kits, gift baskets, and art from more than 20 local creatives.

Christmas in Davidson

Dec. 4-6 • Tues.-Sun., 11 a.m.-7 p.m. • Main Street, Davidson • Free to Attend
A signature event for the northernmost town in Mecklenburg County, Christmas in Davidson features a holiday light show, roving entertainment, bubble snowflakes, a children’s craft area and unique gifts from the artisan village.

Mistletoe Market

Dec. 6 • 9 a.m.-1 p.m. • Huntersville Family Fitness & Aquatics • Free to Attend
Browse unique gifts, handmade goods and festive treats from amazing local vendors in Huntersville.

International Holiday Bazaar

Dec. 7 • noon-4 p.m. • Refugee Support Services • Free to Attend
Wedgewood’s annual International Holiday Bazaar is more than a market; it’s a celebration of global culture, creativity and compassion raising funds for Refugee Support Services.

10th Annual Winter Market & Art Gallery

Dec. 7 • noon-5 p.m. • Haylo Healing Arts Lounge • Free to Attend
Enjoy fellowship with kindred spirits while finding gifts from local and regional creators, all of whom are women.

Tenant Inspired Artists Night Market

Dec. 13 • 6-9 p.m. • VAPA Center • Free to Attend
More than just an art show, this is a cultural experience that takes place on the second Saturday of each month. Wander through the studios VAPA’s tenant artists, get a behind-the-scenes look at their creative process, and purchase unique, handcrafted pieces from the artists and other vendors. Also check out the live performances, creative classes and great food and drink.

Check out our local events calendar: Nerve Events Calendar

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