Shop Local This Christmas
Shop Local for Christmas
There is no question that this year has presented smaller, local businesses with huge challenges.
Public safety measures including lockdowns have impacted businesses in Ireland and across the world – but for smaller businesses, this impact has hit much harder, with several businesses on their knees.
Now is the time to support homegrown Irish businesses, and we would like to extend our hopes that we can all shop local this Christmas. This is why we have decided to share our own list of some excellent Irish businesses to shop from.
Food & Drink (Wine and Spirits):
Kinsale Spirit: This Cork-based spirits company combines local ingredients to perfection, producing both Kinsale Gin and Red Earl Whiskey. Their online shop features several gift-worthy packages too.
The English Market: A famous, historical attraction of Cork City comprising market traders that sell authentic produce including baked goods, fruit and vegetables, meat, seafood and more – offering click and collect services now.
9 White Deer Brewery: Located in the heart of West Cork, 9 White Deer Brewery produces high quality Irish beers with Irish ingredients, including the iconic Stag Bán and the award-winning Black Lightning.
Bubble Brothers: Calling all wine lovers – Bubble Brothers is the destination for you. Selling wine, champagne, cigars and more, this Little Island-based business can even personalise your champagne bottles, making them great for gifting.
Salt Food & Wine: This Cork restaurant offers a delectable selection of healthy, tasty bites and has recently launched its takeaway service, allowing you to bring their delicious food home. They also have a great selection of beverages.
Bradley’s Off-License: With a huge range of alcohol and spirits on offer including whiskeys, wines and yes, even cocktails, Bradley’s Off-License has something for everyone – including artisan food boxes, perfect for gifting.
Kinsale Mead: This brand is Ireland’s first new meadery in 200 years, producing mead – the world’s oldest alcoholic drink, with its primary ingredient being honey. Kinsale Mead has a diverse range including Atlantic Dry and Wild Red.
The Ballymaloe Shop: This charming gift shop and kitchenware store provides some truly beautiful crafts, clothing and food items. It’s worth looking at their Gifts section – there’s some great products, perfect for your loved ones.
Real Olive Company: Cork’s finest vendor of high quality, Mediterranean foods – this company sells primarily through their market stalls and wholesale network but offer a delivery service for their delicious produce.
Cotton Ball Brewing Co.: Founded in 2013, Cotton Ball Brewery has its own bar in Mayfield and sells some of Cork’s finest craft beers – a distinctive selection of ales, lagers, IPAs and stouts. They also sell gift boxes.
Three Drams: A truly unique and innovative whiskey business, allowing you to purchase a monthly subscription which will see you receive three unique whiskeys each month to sample. Know a whiskey lover? You can even gift a subscription!
Whiskey Gift: Another innovative whiskey company – Whiskey Gift allows you to essentially create your own whiskey from scratch, based on yours or your loved ones specifications. Truly personalised whiskey.
Killumney Inn: A family run business, the beautiful Killumney Inn provides fantastic, hearty food sourcing only local produce in its offering. Why not get a gift voucher for your loved one this Christmas?
Seymours Biscuits: It is the season for enjoying delicious treats – and Seymours Biscuits is an award-winning handmade Irish shortbread biscuits company, with an online shop that offers a delightful range of gift boxes.
Clothing, Jewellery and More:
Lily and Clara: Based in Ballincollig, Lily and Clara is an independent womenswear boutique which comprises a fantastic collection of carefully sourced international designers.
Mizen Head: Irish-owned and run, Mizen Head is an official retail franchise partner of names such as Timberland Ireland, North Face and Vans in Ireland, providing outdoor and lifestyle oriented clothing.
NuShuz: With brands to suit every member of the family, NuShuz stocks a variety of different shoes of every style and colour to meet new and existing customer needs, offering fast delivery of all products.
The Baby Shop / Personalise Me: This shop offers a gorgeous selection of clothing and accessories for babies and children, and best of all can customise and personalise for any occasion.
Ba-Goose: 100% Irish-owned, Ba-Goose designs and produce affordable children’s’ fleece clothing with a selection of various patterns and colours.
On The Verge: Ethically produced and internationally inspired, On The Verge offers alluring, unique clothing accessories to those who are after something a little different. This clothing is art, and is highly recommended.
Eco Clothing: A sustainable clothing brand, Eco Clothing provides premium, affordable clothing using eco-friendly materials including organic cotton and recycled polyester – the clothes are very stylish and modern too.
Sapphire Eyewear: This company offers blue light blocking glasses which protect your eyes from digital screens, reducing eye strain and improving your sleep. For every pair of glasses sold, they donate a pair to developing countries.
Fitzgerald’s Menswear: They offer quality, heritage and and service for suits, clothes and accessories with a lineup of leading brands of menswear and a virtual shopping experience.
The Moderne: Operating for over 100 years, The Moderne has helped generations of women to find their perfect wedding dress. With a range of more than 500 gowns, you can book an appointment online to consult with the team.
Silk Peaches: This boutique is in the heart of Ballincollig and offers the latest fashion trends for all the fashionistas out there, with a mix of designer clothing, accessories and designer hats and a contemporary mix of beautiful casual pieces.
Desmond’s Menswear: Offering the latest in fashionable menswear, Desmond’s Menswear in Ballincollig offers the best in smart casual, slick and smart men’s clothing.
Azure Jewellery: A leader in jewellery design in Cork, Azure Jewellery provides original, enchanting jewellery with unrivalled customer service. The website offers an assortment of jewellery and accessories that make the perfect gift.
Garry McCarthy Trophies: This business provides personalised awards, trophies, water bottles, mugs and even facemasks with its ever-expanding product range.
Healthy House: Your health has never been more important, and Healthy House offers natural, healthy products across skincare, wellness, eco-friendly products and more. Their gift and hamper range is excellent.
By Vixi: This cosmetics company delivers great value products and cater to home and wholesale customers. It has a number of creative collections of high quality nails and lashes.
Kreations Kelly: A handmade jewellery, Kreations Kelly designs and creates truly beautiful jewellery with an eclectic range of designs to suite all tastes and fashion styles.
Toys & Games:
Michelle Mitton: This Clonakilty-based shop offers a beautiful range of giftable items, including a collection of toys and teddies and babies for young children that your child are sure to get value from.
Vibes & Scribes: Perfect for inquisitive minds, Vibes & Scribes offers a huge range of children’s (and adult) books, along with a selection of arts and crafts for creative types.
Tabletop Cork: A Boardgame Café, in addition to visiting this business, they also operate an online shop selling a huge variety of boardgames sure to provide hours of endless entertainment for your young ones.
Pinocchios: This is a charming toys and gift shop that provides toys and games for kids of all ages, from soft toys to educational games, delivering to anywhere in Ireland.
Joyces and Co.: A craft and hobby shop, Joyces and Co. specialises in traditional crafts, games and gifts that help to create and inspire, offering a delivery service.
Now that you have read our list of some leading Irish businesses – we encourage you to Shop Local this Christmas, as if you Shop Local this Christmas, you are supporting Irish businesses and people.
Whatever your recruitment need may be, get in touch with us today.