These new NYC stores are hotspots for gifting. So if you’re in the city Christmas Eve and looking for a last-minute gift, head to these unique stores, from a shop that makes Insta-famous custom neon signs to a beauty oasis hidden in a drugstore.
Even if you’ve checked everyone off your Christmas list, these gems are worth checking out, either in-person or online!
If you dread being that guest who shows up with a basic box of chocolates, roll through this new Lower East Side bazaar to find a fail-proof foodie gift. Pick up festive cake pops from Rebecca’s Cake Pops (from $3.50 to $5) shaped like snowmen or reindeer, decadent caviar at Essex Pearl’s market and kitchen, or score a unique bottle at Peoples Wines and Spirits, from the duo behind Michelin-starred Contra. And the iconic Upper East Side German grocer Schaller & Weber has a stocked outpost at the Market Line where you can pick up their signature pâtés and cookies. The Market Line, 115 Delancey St., 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. (individual vendor hours vary)
Kitschy pieces from this neon lighting studio have been all over Instagram lately. At its new Lower East Side store, you can choose from small accent pieces — for example, a 9-inch-high yellow smiley face ($150) or a 2-foot-tall cactus ($325) — or go bigger with a custom job, which you can get a quote for in-store. Even if you’re not ready to pull the trigger on a giant piece to give (or get!), the draw of the shop is that you can try before you buy: Pick a color, background, font and more, and they’ll project your life-size design onto the wall. 133 Norfolk St., 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Drugstore beauty has never been so chic. Birchbox, the beloved subscription box brand has pop-ups at select Walgreens and Duane Reade stores. (In NYC, they’re in Williamsburg, Soho and Financial District locations). Curate your own five-piece box with select travel-sized beauty and grooming products for girls and guys ($15) or choose from pre-made kits, such as “The Moisturizers,” which comes with seven little luxe lotions for $14. Mini products make great gifts: Besides being cute, they’re also practical, as they don’t take up much room in suitcases and are carry-on-friendly. Birchbox at Duane Reade, 40 Wall St., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Step out of the cold and into the sunshine at this cheeky accessories line’s pastel paradise in Soho. Pick out a versatile pouch (from $38), vegan leather passport case ($42) or a bag (from $128), and customize it on-site. Choose from more than 1,000 patches: They’ve got varsity-style letters, sparkly emojis and exclusive NYC-only pieces, such as a pretzel, MetroCard or taxi. Stoney Clover Lane, 42 Prince St., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
