As the holiday season approaches, we at Startup Tucson continue to champion the spirit of community by supporting local businesses. This year, we've put together a Holiday Shopping Guide to help you find the perfect gifts while making a positive impact on our local economy. Our guide is filled with incredible local businesses that make our community unique, and we’re excited to share them with you!
Holiday Shopping Guide Categories
Household Goods
CERO's team sells ethically made, zero-waste, and vegan products online and at their local shop. It's a great place to find something for that eco-conscious family member since they also proudly carrying over a dozen local businesses and makers.
CICADA crafts evocative, hand-poured fragrances in Tucson, capturing the essence of the southwestern landscape through high-quality, cruelty-free, vegan candles and scent products.
The Company Eco team makes gifts that are carefully curated by local Tucsonans for everyday people. Check out their custom engraved kitchen sets!
Di Luna Candles offers hand-poured 100% soy wax candles that illuminate spaces with warmth and light, fostering empowerment and community through a carefully curated collection that supports woman-owned and local businesses.
La Luna specializes in handmade concrete home decor & accessories. Checkered vases, disco ball planters and unique warm green coasters, need we say more!
Nest in the Desert offers expert interior design services and unique home decor that inspire and assist in creating spaces that truly reflect individual style and personality.
Plant Casitas brings the vibrant spirit of the Southwest to your indoor garden with beautifully crafted, 3D-printed houses, perfect for showcasing succulents and creating a colorful, miniature cityscape on your windowsill.
Spring & Vine creates small-batch, handmade goods inspired by the nature and landscape of the beautiful Sonoran Desert. Want to go beyond a gift? Their team also offers backyard clay workshops.
Fashion & Accessories
Alexa at Adela Artisan sells handmade clothing and accessories inspired in the culture and tradition of Mexico with all of their products are made by Mexican indigenous artisans. You can find her bags at The Monica.
Accessories for the colorful bold woman on the inside. Also available for browsing at Proper Shops!
Bralessly is a woman-owned small business sewing clothing with care in Tucson, Arizona. Their ‘no bra’ products are eco-friendly and sustainable. Check out their super comfy shirts and more. Erica and her team also run Sonoran Stitch Factory and support tons of other local entrepreneurs.
Jenna is an Artist, and designer based in Tucson. Her store celebrates Tucson through beautiful products such as bandanas, cards, and prints.
This desert inspired jewelry is sure to wow the copper queen in your family. Using metal clay to capture the intricacies of the little lives that can easily be overlooked, these pieces are unique and sure to please.
Luna & Saya, a Latina-owned and women-led brand, crafts unique, eco-conscious accessories with a focus on community, positivity, and minimal environmental impact, embodying the spirit of love and authentic connections in every piece.
The most festive of our recommendations, Eva makes beautiful and unique Santa hats from the highest quality materials and sometimes the unexpected materials. A perfect edition to any winter wardrobe for years to come.
Points Jewelry is a small, Latina-owned and operated business with delicate jewelry meant to embody an appreciation for the breathtaking and satisfying beauty found in the most simple of shapes.
A long time Startup Tucson fave, Sigfus creates fun and whimsical pieces to bring joy into your life. We are constantly inspired by the new designs Lauren creates, including now three rounds of special TENWEST earrings. Seriously EVERYTIME we wear her earrings we get asked where they are from, safe to say we're obsessed :) Check out her new household goods as well!
Our family's shared love of all things western led to the creation of The Punchy Boutique and its selection of children's western wear and women's apparel. C'mon in and visit whether it's virtually or find us with our mobile trailer at an event near you!
True Me Inspire, founded by a veteran and Latina entrepreneur, is a women's clothing boutique that celebrates empowerment and style, offering a curated collection of pieces that blend femininity and strength for every stage of life.
Looking for timeless western shirts and workwear? Look no further! West Major’s mission is to build a perennial American brand in the Southwest that makes the highest quality, U.S.A. made, western shirts and workwear in the country.
Art & Photography
Amor Despues crafts beautiful, ethical art and memento pieces that honor lost loved ones, celebrating enduring connections and the beauty in loss through unique, tangible tributes.
Galeria Mitotera is a space to celebrate Chicanx culture, uplift artists of color in the community and create a safe space for community members and artists to inspire one another through art and togetherness. Their online store offers art, jewelry and more.
Abstract paintings with a scientific flair.
Arte y Cultura, celebrates heritage and culture through beautiful art. The etsy store includes beautiful ornaments and wine glasses.
Martha Retallick is a Tucson-based documentary photographer and journalist. Drawn to documentation projects that feature people in action or flora and fauna, her website features prints for sale and her book, City Nature, is available for purchase. Startup Tucson is also a big fan of her newsletter!
Wellness & Beauty
Ace of Cups Essentials, founded by Julie Barbier Bularzik in the Sonoran Desert, crafts small-batch, ethically-sourced essential oil blends, each infused with an affirmation to foster mindfulness and beauty in daily self-care.
The Broken Circle Soap Co. offers more than natural skincare; founded on the principles of healing and breaking harmful cycles, each product is crafted to nourish both skin and soul with pure, palm oil-free ingredients.
Torrie, the Desert Mystic, harnesses the healing powers of desert plants to create natural remedies, drawing from deep-rooted traditions and modern herbal knowledge to offer community-focused wellness products through her Tucson-based business, Desert Mystic Goods.
Desert Pearl Mushrooms, established by University of Arizona alumni in 2018, specializes in cultivating and supplying a variety of gourmet mushrooms to restaurants, local grocers, and directly to consumers at Tucson-area farmers markets, along with offering dried products, grow kits, and more through their online shop.
Patty crafts eco-friendly, aesthetically pleasing soaps and body care goods that enrich daily routines and support the planet, using fair trade, palm-oil-free ingredients to deliver joy and wellness in every handcrafted bar.
Guided Flame Spa, nestled in downtown Tucson's Brings Building, is a tranquil sanctuary where holistic skincare expert Adina Diaz combines over 20 years of experience with energy-infused organic treatments to promote both external beauty and internal wellness.
Higher Vibrations offered alternative and holistic health service natural medicinal, spiritual and herbal solutions. Their site sells therapeutic oils, tea and sea moss blends.
Luna Zen offers a line of luxury CBD products for pets and people, emphasizing well-being through high-quality, lab-tested ingredients and a commitment to ethical sourcing, with 20% of pet product profits supporting animal charities.
Magnolia Street Soaps excels as a Star Seller, crafting unique, vegan, and all-natural handmade bar soaps that promise a luxurious, personalizable self-care experience with a commitment to quality and sustainability.
TADA Rugs offers expansive, beautifully designed yoga mats that enhance any home exercise practice with their unique artisan patterns and luxurious space, ensuring a premium and eco-friendly experience for every yogi.
Kids & Games
Welcome to the world of Berry Cultured, where they teach kids to live whimsically, love extravagantly and dream boldly! Winner of IdeaFunding 2023, their family of products are a work of passion, from plushes, pillows, costumes and more, Berry Cultured offers wonder and play while also connecting kids with culture, positivity, and love.
Billight is a patent-pending pool table lighting and gaming system. It is the first of its kind to combine twenty-first century technology and the classic game of pool. Features include Call Your Shot, brand new games, scoreboard, and party modes. Billight will light your pool table into a spectacle!
Julie creates unique desert art using acrylic on canvas. Her work is available in prints and as greeting cards or as our favorite -- Desert Dwellers Flash Cards! Great gifts for kiddos here in Arizona or afar and very easy to mail!
Think chemistry is boring and hard? Think again! The M.C. Detective Agency series of chemistry comic books are filled with colorful characters and exciting storylines that translate complex chemistry into comic books. These imaginative comics have turned the Periodic Table into a playground of chemical adventure, and have allowed elementary school students to master chemistry concepts often taught at the college level. A perfect gift for early eager learners ages 8+.
Meet the Math Squad! Page a Day Math provides award-winning Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Division practice that helps children remember essential math basics so they can understand and answer math problems easily and confidently! There are also GAMES!
Why & Wiser's makes artful games & gifts for clever kiddos & their grown-ups. They are all completely original designs, full of bright and colors and unique art created by up-and-coming artists and designers. Our favorite is the Prickly Pairs card game -- like Go Fish but instead you send someone to "Take a Hike" -- instant crowd pleaser!
Food & Beverages
If you’re looking to give the perfect gift for the foodie in your life, or are hosting family or friends during the holidays, relax and let some of these entrepreneurs help you with your entertaining!
Ate Kei's Filipino Treats offers a taste of the Philippines in Tucson, Arizona, with a delectable array of authentic and contemporary Filipino-flavored cookies, including pandan, ube, chili mango, and malunggay, plus vegan options for all our vegan kaibigans.
Better Than Provisions crafts premium, health-conscious granola using a distinctive five-nut blend, organic ingredients, and natural sweeteners, ensuring every bite is gluten-free, grain-free, and delightfully satisfying without the guilt.
Blue Finch Bakery specializes in freshly baked, simple yet flavorful goods made with locally sourced grains and in-house milled flour, offering a rotating menu of sourdough breads and pastries, and supporting community well-being by donating to local non-profits.
Cycling Moon Cafe specializes in handcrafted, artisanal chocolate, offering a diverse menu of single-origin, bean-to-bar creations that are as health-conscious as they are indulgent, crafted with coconut sugar and available in unique varieties like ceremonial and smoked oat milk chocolate.
Beautiful boards, boxes, and more for special occasions. Check out options and order through Instagram.
Love In A Cup crafts healing and holistic teas and herbal blends, inspired by the founder's personal health journey, to offer comfort and wellness, enhancing your daily ritual of self-care and healing through the power of nature.
Loving Labor Coffee Co., your premier custom coffee roaster in Arizona, crafts each batch of coffee with meticulous care, sourcing only the finest beans from ethical farms, ensuring every cup is as fresh and delightful as possible, and is committed to community engagement and sustainability.
Oro Valley Gold Gourmet Seasonings crafts artisanal herb and spice blends in Oro Valley, Arizona, offering a range of flavors from classic steak to bold Mexican seasonings, perfect for enhancing any meal with a touch of the Southwest.
Celebrate Tucson’s unique flavors and status as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy with SoAZMade, the best gift guide for local food. With everything from desserts, to fine wine, to tortillas and hot sauce, SoAzMade is the best place to find the perfect (and delicious!) gift for the foodie in your life!
Unique Holiday Gifts
Gaia provides creates hemp-based health and wellness treats for pets of all sizes. Check out their wellness chewables for all your furry friends.
High Spirits Flutes, established in 1990 in Patagonia, Arizona, crafts Native American Style Flutes with a commitment to environmental sustainability and superior craftsmanship, offering a unique musical experience and extensive support for both novice and seasoned flute players.
Stacks Book Club is Oro Valley's first independent bookstore and coffee bar. They offer an all genre book buying experience with a full service cafe.
The Sound Post, Tucson's premier folk music center and full-service repair shop, offers an array of folk instruments alongside buying, selling, and trading services, music lessons, jam sessions, and live events to enrich the community’s musical experience.
Give the gift of photography! Tucson Headshot creates beautiful portraits and personally styled photo sessions. Delivering convenience, a high standard of work, and a signature process that takes the work out of your hands.
Experiences
Another Startup Tucson fan favorite, the Arizona Wine Tours team makes a day down to Arizona wine country one to remember. We've been... three times!
A Culinary Inheritance brings healthy, creative recipes and meals to fellow Tucsonans. With in-home personal chef services, culinary consulting, and special events, Jenna, the founder and chef of A Culinary Inheritance answers the question of “what’s for dinner?”
Looking to shake things up? Bond with family and friends? Have something new and interesting to do this holiday season? Check out Fox in a Box Tucson for the best rated escape room in town!
A little bit of everything!
Still looking? Check out Why I Love Where I Live's curated collection of local goods and products that will make you feel connected to Tucson. We never leave with only one thing!
Located in the heart of downtown Tucson, Proper Shops is a collective of local merchants and artists featuring the best products inside their social lounge atmosphere.
Happy holiday shopping and thank you for supporting local entrepreneurs!
-The Startup Tucson Team
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