Each of us’s challenge during the holiday season is what to gift to our loved ones. Perhaps you asked your dad what he wants, and all he said was, “I want for my family to be happy” (not helpful, Dad). Or maybe you asked your sister, and all she wants is a new laptop that you can’t afford to buy her (Let’s be realistic, Sis). Whatever the case, we here at Downtown Kamloops wanted to help you with a cheat sheet. The CAP Team has gone to all of our favourite stores downtown and put together their own wish list. Here is the CAP Holiday Wish List: 20 items from 20 stores that we think would make excellent gifts.
Ms. Whimsy’s Gift Emporium
Ms. Whimsy’s is the perfect place to start this list, as they have a fantastic selection of beautiful, handcrafted gifts. There are gifts for even the most nuanced and complicated relative, and the staff are always willing to help in any way. For Christmas, they are selling gift boxes with various entirely customizable items, which range in price. This one is full of exceptional, locally sourced food items and retails for $75.
Ms. Whimsy’s Gift Emporium’s Christmas hours will be starting in December. They will be open from 9am to 5pm, from Monday to Saturday, and from 10am to 4pm on Sundays.
The Ruby Room
The Ruby Room is a store for new and recycled clothing for the modern woman. Their curated selection of clothing is full of gems, so it’s a great place to browse. We highlight their beautiful new caracol scarves, which are available starting at only $22.99.
The Ruby Room is open from 10:30am to 5pm from Monday to Saturday.
Far + Wide
Far + Wide is a unique little store in downtown Kamloops that sells home decor and lifestyle goods, focusing on small batch and locally sourced items. They also sell plants and some curated vintage pieces. All of their products are beautiful, so it’s hard to go wrong with buying a gift here. Our gift pick is their gorgeous line of Esther and Erik candles since they’re the only store in BC’s interior that sells them. These candles are handmade in Denmark and range in price from $17.50 to $34.00, depending on their size.
Photo Credit: Far + WideFar + Wide is open from 10am to 5:30pm from Tuesday to Friday, from 10am to 4pm on Saturdays, and from noon to 4pm on Sundays. Online Shop coming soon.
Cycle Logic
Cycle Logic is the stop to shop for all your outdoor sports needs. In the summer, they have tons of bike equipment and accessories, and in the winter, they pivot to skiing and snowboarding. Rest assured, this store will have something you can gift to the athlete in your life. Our pick is this bike pump and multi-tool pair. The two products go together, with the multi-tool fitting inside the pump for easy storage, making this an excellent gift. Both items are $78 each.
Cycle Logic is open from 9am to 6pm from Monday to Saturday.
The Vic Downtown Coffee Bistro
The Vic is the perfect place to stop in for a hot cup of coffee or to relax with a cup of their delicious hot buttered rum chai. They have several gift items available from local artisans, including their own coffee, roasted in house, or handmade mugs. The CAP Team has selected Under the Deck Honey, which The Vic sells for $8.99 for 500g. This is the perfect gift for the tea drinker in your life, and it is locally sourced and unpasteurized.
Photo Credit: The Vic Downtown Coffee Bistro
The Vic is open from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday, and from 9:30am to 4pm on Sundays.
MainStreet Clothing Co
This locally owned and operated clothing store is dedicated to bringing the public all the most recent fashions, though they focus on local designs. This makes them an excellent place to shop for the fashionista in your life. They have so many stylish options to choose from, but our favourite is this adorable Paper Label playsuit for $78. The playsuit was designed in Vancouver and comes in a variety of colours.
Photo Credit: MainStreet Clothing Co
MainStreet Clothing Co is open from 10am to 5pm from Monday to Saturday, and from noon to 4pm on Sundays.
Lavender Lingerie
Lavender Lingerie is the best place for all your lingerie needs in Downtown Kamloops. As well as selling beautiful, high-quality lingerie, they do custom bra fittings for bra sizes B to K. Our choice of product from Lavender Lingerie is the Hanky Panky thong, the world’s most comfortable thong. This thong is $28 but is totally worth it.
Photo Credit: Lavender Lingerie
Lavender Lingerie is open from 10am to 4pm from Monday to Saturday or 24 hours a day at the website.
The Golden Buddha
The Golden Buddha is the best place in Downtown Kamloops to get crystals, incense, and all of your naturalistic needs. They also have tons of gorgeous jewelry. Their little store has a calming atmosphere, and their employees are always willing to provide help and advice. Our gift pick from The Golden Buddha is one of these excellent Tarot box sets. They have a vast selection to choose from, so you can pick out the perfect one for the spiritualist in your life. They have a bunch of different boxes, ranging in price from $30 to $40.
The Golden Buddha is open from 10am to 4pm, from Tuesday to Saturday.
Manhandler Barber Shop
This local barbershop is open and staying safe this holiday season. While offering premium hair cuts, they also carry hair products for styling short hair. It was difficult to choose just one product, but Manhandler has a selection of adorable stocking stuffers available that are perfect for the stylish man (or short-haired lady) in your life. These are all available for under $12 apiece.
Photo Credit: Manhandler Barber Shop
Manhandler Barber Shop is open from 9:30am to 4:30pm from Monday to Thursday and Friday from 9:30am to 6pm. They are closed on weekends.
The Art We Are Cafe
As well as being a bustling café and restaurant, The Art We Are has an excellent selection of locally sourced gifts and art available for sale. There is a beautiful range of offerings to choose from in this cozy little café, but we’ve selected this beautiful handmade ramen bowl with chopsticks. This bowl is available for just $25 and is the perfect gift for the starving student in your life who wants to look classy while eating their fifth bowl of ramen for the day.
The Art We Are is open from 8am to 6pm from Tuesday to Saturday and is closed on Sundays and Mondays.
Red Wing Shoes Kamloops
Red Wing is the perfect stop for shoes and leather goods of all kinds, making it the ideal place to shop for Christmas gifts for even the pickiest person on your shopping list. We here on the CAP Team recommend their beautiful line of Heritage Boots for men and women, which range in price from $300 to $400. These gorgeous, high-quality boots are perfect for anyone in your life since they’re stylish, comfortable, and durable. And, even if $300 is out of your price range, Red Wing still has a ton of other great products at lower prices, so be sure to stop by and take a look.
Photo Credit: Red Wing ShoesRed Wing is open 10am to 5:30pm from Monday to Friday, from 9:30am to 5pm on Saturdays, and is closed Sundays.
Jardine’s Domaine
Jardine’s Domaine is the cornerstone of accessible fashion in downtown Kamloops. Within are clothes, jewelry, and a large selection of gorgeous bags. Our picks are these adorable Smash & Tess Rompers from $120. These come in various styles, sizes, and colours, so there are tons to choose from.
Jardine’s Domaine is open from 10am to 5pm from Monday to Saturday.
Desert Rain Giftware
This little store is absolutely packed with memorable gifts for every member of the family. However, we thought that these adorable mermaid pyjamas were too cute to pass up. They’re available for $32.99 and are the perfect gift for the little mermaid in your life. There are countless options for gifts and treats in Desert Rain, so be sure to stop by this holiday season.
Photo Credit: Desert RainDesert Rain Giftware is open from 9:30am to 5:30pm from Monday to Saturday and from 10am to 4pm on Sundays.
Castles & Cottages
Castles & Cottages is chock-full of extraordinary gifts. It’s the kind of gift you could get lost in, surrounded by high-quality household decor and goods. All of their products are hand-picked and guaranteed to please. It was difficult to recommend just one with many beautiful products, but we have selected these unique aprons, which are the perfect gift for the chef in your life. These lovely aprons are available in a variety of colours for only $34.
High Octane Comics & Collectibles
This is the kind of store that the nerds in your life can spend hours in. It has everything we could ever imagine, from comics and board games to mini-figures and even a talking Batman cookie jar. We decided the perfect gift from this store would be a Dungeons & Dragons Starter Kit. It could be that you know someone who’s always been wanting to get into Dungeons & Dragons or perhaps someone who has just started their journey. For both options, this is the perfect fit for them. They have a few different boxes to choose from, but my favourite is the one that costs $30, although they do have a slightly more expensive one that includes a mini figure, and that’s pretty cool.
High Octane is open from 11am to 4p on Sundays and Mondays, from 11am to 5:30pm from Tuesday to Friday, and from 11am to 5pm on Sundays.
Genesis Beauty Boutique
Genesis Beauty Boutique is a salon, spa, and boutique. They have a great selection of services to offer, including hairstyling, microblading, and pedicures. They also have a ton of great items for men and women at reasonable prices. This super-soft, comfy sweater is $110 and is the perfect gift for anyone in your family.
Genesis Beauty Boutique is open from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday.
Aina Salon & Spa
This beautiful spot is one of the most relaxing places in the downtown core. With many services available, including massages, manicures, pedicures, and body sugaring, they also have many lifestyle products for sale. The store is full of scented candles, bath products, and essential oils to choose from. Right now, they have a bunch of Self-Care Gift Boxes on sale for the holidays. They have many premade gift boxes available at different price points and are also making custom gift boxes on order. We’ve chosen their premade Night Ritual Self-Care Gift Box, which is for sale for $45.50.
Photo Credit:Aina Salon & Spa
Aina Salon & Spa is open from 10am to 6pm on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, from 10am to 9pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays and is closed on Sundays and Mondays.
The Modern Family Boutique
Our favourite product is the Só Flaky Magnesium Bath Flake Soak, a little boutique that a lot to offer in this cozy store. This luxurious product is the perfect gift for the person in your life who needs to relax. It’s unscented, so it’s ideal for even to most sensitive of noses. A 600g bag is $22.
Photo Credit:The Modern Family Boutique
The Modern Family Boutique is open from 10am to 4pm from Monday to Saturday and is closed on Sundays.
Barnacle Records
It can be so hard to shop for music lovers, so it’s a good thing that Barnacle Records has everything you could want from a record store. They have a large selection of records to choose from in every genre, as well as CDs and tapes. In their current promotion, all CDs are $5 or 6 for $20, making this the perfect sale for that particular music lover in your life.
Barnacle Records’ Christmas hours start on December 7th, when they’ll be open from 9am to 6pm on weekdays, from 10am to 5pm on Saturdays, and from 12pm to 4pm Sundays.
Blowfish Hair Studio
This little hair salon packs a big punch. It’s got style, personality, and passion. Their stylists are dedicated to making your appearance is a reflection of your true self. They also have many fantastic hair products for sale and some bundles put together just for the holidays. We recommend Kevin Murphy’s Hydrate Me Wash, Hydrate Me Rinse, and Young Again Serum, all for only $71. These three products, used together, are sure to make your hair feel rejuvenated and refreshed.
Photo Credit: Blowfish Hair Studio
Blowfish Hair Studio is open from Tuesday to Saturday, with late night appointments available on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
So that’s the Downtown Kamloops CAP Team Holiday Wish List! Be sure to give these stores your love this holiday season to help them through the pandemic.
For more information about Downtown Kamloops’s plans this holiday season, check out downtownkamloops.com