This Holiday Season, Shop Local in Lower Manhattan

That Christmas music at the coffee spot ain’t early — the holidays are coming quickly, which means it’s time to get your gift shopping plans in order. And as you’re readying your errand list, might we suggest adding some local downtown businesses to the agenda? Big cities run on small businesses, and though it’s easy to order a gift from a large e-tailer or corporate chain, the mom-and-pops in our neighborhood offer an eclectic mix of products and services that might not show up in your Instagram algorithm. 

This holiday season, the Downtown Alliance is encouraging folks to shop small and local, and with 1,100 businesses in our district, that’s plenty easy to do. Below, you’ll find some spots we’d like to highlight, and check out our Shop Dine Guide for a full list of downtown’s retailers.

QC Spa (Governors Island) — Spa on Governors Island with over 20 wellness experiences.

Dry Clean NY (Mr Rafael’s Cleaners & Tailoring) (88 Fulton St.) — Offering wash-and-fold, dry-cleaning, tailoring and more.

Swiss Precision Watchmaking (45 Nassau St.) — Watch repair service for all brands, makes and models of watches. 

Bark St (80 Maiden Ln.) — 3,800-square-foot dog daycare that offers grooming and boarding as well. 

Remi Flower & Coffee (130 William St.) — Specialty coffee spot that doubles as a flower shop.

Midtown Comics Downtown (64 Fulton St.) — Comic book shop featuring classic comics and manga, in addition to collectibles and other merch. 

Korin (57 Warren St.) — Professional cutlery shop with wares from Japan. 

Common Ditch Social (74 Broad St., 2nd Fl) — Men’s grooming club offering fresh cuts, shaves and other traditional services. 

Simply Wine & Spirits (55 Liberty St.) — Subterranean wine shop with small batch wines and liquors. 

NY Transit Museum Store (2 Broadway) — Outpost giftshop of the NY Transit Museum in Brooklyn, with transit-themed gifts and merchandise.