How’s your Christmas shopping going? Are you still on the hunt for just the right gift? Have you checked out local stores to see what they have? Right here in Chautauqua County there are dozens of small locally owned businesses offering a wide variety of merchandise in a broad price range. And when you shop locally, there’s no need to worry about orders being filled correctly or deliveries arriving on time and intact. You just pick out your items, purchase them, and carry them home with you to be wrapped. It’s easy!

Are you on the hunt for local works of art? Check out Chautauqua Art Gallery in Jamestown, Chautauqua Visual Arts Galleries or Gretchen’s Gallery in Chautauqua, or in Westfield you can try Annex 25, Living Glass Gallery, Portage Hill Art Gallery, The Railroad House, or Surroundings Art Gallery & Framing.

If you want books try the Chautauqua Bookstore, the University Book Store at SUNY Fredonia, Good Neighbor Bookstore in Lakewood, or the Next Chapter Bookstore at Literacy Volunteers in Fredonia.

For clothing try ART Cloth + Craft in Jamestown or at Chautauqua, GG My Love in Chautauqua, Skillmans in Bemus Point, or Stagecoach West in Irving.

Hardware stores offer a variety of gift ideas from tools to gardening supplies to home good. Try ADD Lumber True Value in Dunkirk, Irving, or Westfield; or visit Everyday’s True Value or Jamestown Pro Hardware in Jamestown, or Stewart’s Mayville Hardware in Mayville.

If sporting goods are on your list check out Fredonia Cycling, Jamestown Cycle Shop, or Pearl City Cycle Mobile Bike Shop in Jamestown. For outdoor recreational vehicles visit 3 Seas Recreation in Mayville or Falconer Power Sports/Harley Davidson in Falconer. For outdoor living needs try Stone & Outdoor Living in Bemus Point.

You’ll find collectible sports cards at Ballgame Heroes in Jamestown, all kinds of games and gaming needs at Heart of the Game in Fredonia, great clothing and toys for kids at Sweet Repeats Boutique in Jamestown, quilting and sewing supplies at Quilter’s Haven in Lakewood, and lawn equipment at LandPro in Falconer or ROCKTerra in Westfield. Just Pets in Irving has everything for the pet lover on your list. For your favorite musician a gift from Crino Music in Dunkirk would be just right.

When you’re searching for unique home decor items visit The Shabby Shrub in Ashville, Country Woods in Jamestown, or Rosie’s Workshop in Westfield. Antiques and gifts of all kinds are available at The Barn 3521 in Fredonia as well as Peaceful Designs in Westfield. Specialty items abound at Chautauqua Soap Company, CHQ Plus – Discover the Difference, Biodome, Dot’s Gift Boutique, and Peterson Farms in Jamestown. In Mayville find specially crafted items at Handcrafted from the Heart and Uptown Mall. Florists have a variety of plants and gifts including Blue June Blooms in Westfield, Mayberry Jungle in Mayville, Pea Pod & Juniper in Lakewood, and Fresh & Fancy Flowers & Gifts in Fredonia.

Local museum gift shops also offer fabulous gift ideas including merchandise, memberships, and more. Here are a few gift shops to sample in the Jamestown area: National Comedy Center, Lucy-Desi Museum, Fenton History Center, Roger Tory Peterson Institute, Robert H. Jackson Center, and Audubon Community Nature Center.

These are just a few suggestions. For a complete list of local Chamber member businesses run a search in our online Business Directory at www.chautauquachamber.org.

When you purchase from a small locally owned business over 67-cents of every dollar goes back into our local economy. For merchandise purchased at big box stores locally that drops to 43-cents on the dollar. But if you’re only buying online from big retailers with no local presence, there is no benefit to our local economy at all. The money you spend with local merchants multiplies more, providing not only wages to local employees but also supporting other local organizations and vendors. Shopping locally is a win for the gift giver, the gift receiver, and the local community!

GET YOUR SHOPLOCALCHQ GIFT CARDS BY THURSDAY FOR CHRISTMAS GIVING

There’s no doubt that gift cards make good stocking stuffers, and the ShopLocalCHQ Gift Card is one gift card that everyone will appreciate. The Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce sells ShopLocalCHQ Gift Cards in any amount from $5 to $500 and they can be redeemed at over 170 local participating merchants for everything from dining to gift shopping to services.

When you give a ShopLocalCHQ Gift Card, you can be assured that the recipient will find a local business (or more than one) where they can use the card. Whether they choose to have an experience such as visiting a local museum, winery, or attraction, buying necessities at the grocery or hardware store, purchasing a gift for yourself or someone else, or a great meal at a local restaurant, this one card will be supporting our local economy. In 2022, consumers used over $50,000 in ShopLocalCHQ Gift Cards to make purchases right here in Chautauqua County. That number is already on track to increase this year.

To make it easier to purchase ShopLocalCHQ Gift Cards, the Chamber is staffing its Jamestown office at 300 North Main Street from 8:30am-4:30pm Monday-Friday, and its Dunkirk office at 10785 Bennett Road from 8:30am-4:30pm Tuesdays and Thursdays before Christmas. The Chamber offices will be closed December 22, so please be sure to get your gift cards in advance.

Processing orders for multiple cards does take some time, so we urge you to call in advance at (716) 484-1101 extension 201 or email Carrie Swanson at cswanson@chautauquachamber.org. A convenient order form, and more details, can be found on our website at www.shoplocalchqcard.com.

The ShopLocalCHQ Gift Card is issued by Pathward™, N.A., Member FDIC. Funds do not expire. Non-reloadable and no cash access. For Cardholder Agreement or Customer Service: www.getmybalance.com or 1-833-558-1088.