Among the many artisanal delights the city has to offer, Lunch City Studio combines a commitment to the environment with their dazzling array of print and other media offerings.

By Ryan DiLello

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed innumerable challenges to our community, especially to those in the small business world. Local artisans and merchants play a central role in keeping Somerville vibrant; we need their creativity and expressiveness now more than ever.

By shopping locally this holiday season, you can show your appreciation for local artisans and give back to your community in a rewarding way. Listed below are some of our favorite gift shops run by local artisans and retailers.

Tell ’em The Somerville Times sent you!

Lunch City Studio, 265 Washington Street – Buy a gift, plant a tree

Pay Courtney and her pup, Lunchbox, a visit for some sustainable prints from Lunch City Studio, where a tree gets planted for every sale. Since 2018, the shop’s commitment to climate- and community-conscious spending has provided funding for more than 3,000 tree plantings. An artist and architect, Courtney opened her art studio to the public a few years ago.

The shop offers a variety of locally inspired prints and goodies such as tote bags, magnets, stickers, and soap – all made by women. I took a particular liking to Courtney’s series of “color palette” prints, which feature color samples meant to represent key attractions from iconic cities like Boston, New York, and Austin.

4GoodVibes, 483 Somerville Avenue – Like a craft fair, year-round

Holiday crochet items and a veritable plethora of creative gift ideas are available at 4GoodVibes on Somerville Ave.

With over 10,000 hand-picked gifts from over 250 artists and crafters, it’s difficult to capture the inventory at 4GoodVibes in just a few short words. Owned and operated by sisters, Becka and Emily Pierce, 4GoodVibes carries a wide variety of customizable goods, kitchenware, home spa accessories, and apparel for everyone, (babies included).

“It’s like a craft fair that’s open all the time,” says Becka. If you prefer to shop online, 4GoodVibes hosts virtual shopping periods (and bingo games) twice a week on their Facebook page. For this holiday season, Becka recommends trying hot cocoa bombs, getting warm with microwavable heat packs, or signing up for one of their artist workshops beginning in January.

Davis Squared, 409 Highland Avenue – Rep the hometown

Specializing in all things Somerville, rep your hometown with a gift from Davis Squared.Owners Melisa and Paul opened the shop in 2007 with a mission to help the Somerville community celebrate “major and minor” life “victories” with locally made crafts.

You can check out the shop’s new website for Somerville-themed coffee mugs, baby clothes, hoodies, baseball caps and more. The shop also offers a number of curated gift boxes for personal and corporate purposes.

Adorn Me Africa, 1 Bow Mkt. Way – A bridge to African design

With clothing, self-care products, and various accessories sustainably produced and sourced from over 14 different African countries, Adorn Me Africa offers a bridge into the world of African design. Owner Elorm Praise Dela Seshie started Adorn me Africa as a subscription box service 4 years ago, and this year, the store moved into a brick and mortar location in Somerville’s famed Bow Market.

Dela Seshie says she was inspired to found the store after she befriended artists and designers on trips back home to Ghana. Dela Seshie says the store’s mission is to share culture and increase visibility for African designers. “Sometimes in the climate we live in, people are hesitant about cultural appropriation. We specifically work with designers that want to share culture.” Dela Seshie says. For this holiday season, she recommends checking out mud clothes from Mali, or skincare products, sweaters, and socks from Ghana.

Tiny Turns Paperie, 1 Bow Mkt. Way – Say something!

No gift is complete without a card. Visit Tiny Turns Paperie to browse an impressive collection of indie-made stationery and cards for all occasions. Jen Palacio found her passion for letterpress after joining an all-women crafts group. Jen is constantly experimenting with new ways to print using a variety of technological methods and media from cards to posters. Stop by Tiny Turns to see what’s new.