Try these 5 off-the-beaten-path shops in Louisville to find unique Christmas gifts ideas
Shopping malls and big box stores may be the most popular locations to find gifts for the holidays but for some, the perfect place to shop for holiday gifts is something a little more unique.
Here are five Louisville locations (and a bonus shopping tip!) where you may be surprised by the unique selections and thrilled by the lack of crowds this holiday shopping season.
Baptist Health Louisville Gift Shop
4000 Kresge Way, baptisthealth.com
It may seem an odd choice to do your holiday shopping but trust us, the large colorful gift store just inside the main entrance to the hospital is filled with much more than figurines, balloons, and get-well cards. In fact, store manager Debbie Skaggs said the gift shop often attracts customers who have no other reason to be in the building.
"They aren't here to visit a sick family member or welcome a new baby," Skaggs said. "They drive to the hospital just to shop."
From kitchen gadgets to scarves, purses and apparel — not to mention the jewelry — high-quality children's toys and holiday decorations, the selection fills each nook and cranny of Skagg's carefully curated shop.
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The Brown Hotel Gift Shop
335 W. Broadway, brownhotel.com
The gift shop at The Brown Hotel in downtown Louisville does carry the usual hotel staples like toothpaste, aspirin, and candy bars, but the similarities stop there. Frequent visitors, including commercial airline flight crews who stay at the hotel, say it's the best gift shop anywhere.
If you're looking for items offering a hint of Kentucky that aren't your typical souvenirs, this is the place to shop. Horseshoes worn by racehorses at Churchill Downs are one of the top-selling items at the gift shop located on the first floor of the Brown Hotel.
The gift shop carries specialty items such as Mother of Pearl guest books, jewelry, cufflinks, grooming kits, ties and embroidered towels. A truly unique item is the Hot Brown ceramic skillet, just like those used in the kitchen at the hotel where the dish was created.
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Kizito Cookies
1398 Bardstown Road, kizito.com
Elizabeth Kizito is famous for her homemade cookies, made fresh daily in her Highlands neighborhood shop. She also bakes brownies, granola, muffins, and biscotti, which are sold in local coffee shops and restaurants. A gift basket filled with Kizito goodies is a scrumptious gift for anyone with a sweet tooth.
And while you're at the bakery to pick up those baked goods, Kizito also sells a variety of African crafts in her shop. You'll find Christmas ornaments, figurines, and other authentic African items she's brought back from her travels home to Uganda.
The pieces make wonderful gifts on their own or combine them with several cookies and a bag of granola for a one-of-a-kind holiday gift.
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Louisville Zoo
1100 Trevilian Way, louisvillezoo.org
What kid isn't ready for some outdoor adventure? You'll find everything your little explorer needs to ignite their imagination at the Louisville Zoo's gift store.
From pint-sized binoculars to cuddly pandas and floppy sloth plush toys, to miniature safari jeeps and a collection of African animals to reenact safari fun, your little explorer will find plenty to help grow their imagination. The gift shop at the Louisville Zoo is filled with adventure toys for the tiny environmentalist and animal lover in your family. Plus, there are also loads of gift items for adults, too.
While you are there, don't forget to renew your Louisville Zoo membership. A trip to the zoo provides year-round family fun. (And if you're more into "gifts of experience," gifting a membership might be the right route.
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Paul's Fruit Market
3922 Chenoweth Square, 3704 Taylorsville Road, 4946 Brownsboro Road, 12119 Shelbyville Road, paulsfruit.com
Known city-wide for its hand-crafted fruit baskets, Paul's is a family-owned group of four specialty grocery stores located throughout Louisville which sell much more than fruits and vegetables.
You'll find shelves filled with certified Kentucky Proud products like gift boxes of gooey Bauer's Modjeskas, creamy Gethsemani Bourbon Fudge, Louisville-made bath and body products, specialty food gift boxes, house plants, exterior decor and gift cards, to be used at any of the four local stores.
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Gift shops on Museum Row in downtown Louisville
The gift stores located at Louisville's museums are a great place to find an eclectic mix of art, Kentucky-themed items, apparel, food, jewelry, toys, ornaments, home decor and more.
Take a stroll down "Museum Row" located in the West Main District of downtown, and stop along the way in the museum gift shops including the Frazier History Museum, Kentucky Science Center, KMAC Museum, Evan Williams Bourbon Experience, Muhammad Ali Center and the Slugger Museum and Factory.
From Main Street, it's a short drive to the Speed Art Museum and the Kentucky Derby Museum, both of which have extensive gift shops filled with items you can't find at the malls.
Happy shopping!
Reach features reporter Kirby Adams at kadams@courier-journal.com.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Shop these 5 unique stores in Louisville for Christmas gift ideas
