Six Small Businesses In Charlottesville, VA
Charlottesville, VA is famous for its rich history, the great mountain hikes and views, and a vast amount of incredible restaurants, wineries and breweries. However, when I am out and about I’m not only struck by the vibrant dining scene; I am also always pulled in by the diverse selection of small businesses.
Six Small Businesses In Charlottesville, VA
From boutiques to wine shops, I am sharing a round-up of independent businesses in Charlottesville VA. Not only are they great places to find unique gifts during the holiday season; frequenting these places is an easy way of support local artisans and business owners alike.
Why Support Small Businesses
I’m a huge proponent of shopping local over chain stores for a number of reasons. Here are some benefits of shopping small:
You can find unique gifts created by local artisans, which you won’t find with large businesses
One of a kind gifts add a personal touch
It’s an easy option when it comes to supporting local businesses
Customer service tends to be elevated with small businesses, as they are extremely invested in what they are selling on a personal level
It helps with the supply chain - using local products means you are bypassing a lot of the issues we’ve been facing since the pandemic
While it is certainly convenient to hop on over to a big box store for a trending item, shopping locally means you are ultimately getting a more meaningful experience overall and to me it’s a fantastic way to pump money into the local economy.
Supporting locally impacts the local community greatly. When you support local businesses, their success can inspire other entrepreneurs in the community to do the same, and these businesses create more jobs and more revenue as a result. What could be better?
Here are some of my favorite small businesses in Charlottesville to buy local:
Agents in Style
I first learned of Agents in Style from social media. I liked them immediately because I noticed how supportive they were of other small businesses and that they also like to have a lot of fun with what they post. Their energy is infectious.
Owner Rhoda Wheeler clearly has a passion for both fashion and sustainability. When I visited I was so impressed with how easily she made conversation with everyone who entered (the Downtown Mall was packed that day) and it was obvious she gets excited to help customers find the perfect item for their closet.
The store itself is a luxury consignment shopper’s dream. Selling pieces from the likes of Chanel, Burberry, and Louis Vuitton, this is the spot to search if you have a fashionista in your life. The other bonus is the items are in great shape; they clearly take a lot of care when partnering with people. Stop in and say hello!
BitterSweet
BitterSweet always catches my eye with their window displays. Everything always seems a little bit ahead of the curve while still being affordable and makes me wish I was a little more stylish.
Once inside the store, you’ll find a chic collection of locally designed clothes and jewelry. I will also say every time I’ve been in the store I’ve been offered help immediately and I’ve also had some really lovely conversations with the people working there. It’s a friendly environment, which sets my easily intimidated soul at ease.
This is another woman owned business and it has been around for over 20 years. Owner Paula Pekic even handmakes the pieces from the Rozely line! You would think these adorable boho chic items would be expensive, but they are actually really reasonably priced. It’s a great place to buy a cute new outfit or to select a fun piece of jewelry as a gift.
Bottle House
When you are looking for a bottle of wine, instead of going to the grocery store, why not support small and head on over to Bottle House? Founded in 2020 by wine professionals Guillaume Gasparini and Daniel Kaufman, this is a great spot if you are looking to find quality wine, beer, gifts and more.
I like stopping in here to buy wine because their team is always friendly and I’ve never been steered wrong. They also host wine tastings on Thursdays from 5:00 - 7:00 PM, which is a great way to get familiar with the shop and discover new favorites.
Brigid & Bess
Located in the Dairy Market food hall (a great spot full of small business owners), Brigid & Bess is one of my favorite go to spots for gifts. Owned by Leah Donahue, you will find a great mix of items here and a lot of them are from Virginia (and Charlottesville!) artisans. It’s a great spot for unique decor that will make any house instantly Instagrammable.
I visited this spot while I was working on my Virginia Gift Guide and I really appreciated how helpful Leah was when I had questions about her Virginia made items. I could tell bringing special gifts to her shoppers is really important to her and it shows in the beautiful curation of her store. If you are looking to put together a basket for someone as a hostess gift, this is the spot.
Darling Boutique
Linnea White’s boutique Darling (now with its sister boutique Dashing, for more masculine tastes) is a fun secondhand and artisan combo store. If you are a consignment maven, it’s a great place to find a mix of affordable brands, as well as higher-end. If your taste falls more with handmade jewelry and gifts, you’ll find a vast selection of pieces from local artisans.
The vibe is definitely sustainability with a fun twist, so you’ll find a young energy while shopping here. I’ve been able to find some really great gifts for friends here so it’s always a spot I consider when there is an upcoming birthday or event.
Rock Paper Scissors
Purchased in 2010 by Dani Antol and Heather Haynie, Rock Paper Scissors is a custom paper store located on the Downtown Mall. If you have an event coming up where you’ll need invitations, be sure an check out their “Wall of Inspiration” for plenty of ideas in the back of the store.
If you don’t have a big event happening and are simply looking for a birthday card or a gift, you can’t go wrong here. I personally always like coming here to check out their planners for the start of the New Year!
This is just a small collection of the amazing small local businesses I love supporting here in Charlottesville, VA. Additionally, I also enjoy visiting the many local coffee shops and bakeries - you can truly make an entire day out of shopping locally so be sure and get out there and support these great places!
Until next time, cheers and happy shopping!
