Melanie MoralesFinding the perfect gift has never been my strong suit. I’ve always wanted something unique and special, but somehow, I end up in the same old stores, picking out another generic mug that’ll probably end up being a pen holder because I wasn’t “thoughtful” enough.
Wanting to be a more creative gift-giver, I explored various shops in Edmonton, trying to find places with a great product selection. Some of these offer personalized skin care goods while others even offer plants and arranged flowers.
For the most unique gifts, just read on!
1. Jilly’s Home & Lifestyle
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Website: https://shopjillysboutique.com/
Address: 5228 Windermere Blvd
Contact Details: +1 780-452-2595
Operating Hours: Sunday: 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Monday – Friday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM | Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Price: $$$
Jilly’s Home & Lifestyle pretty much has everything you can imagine. Come inside and you’ll be greeted by rows of cozy home decor, jewelry, and even baby essentials.
If you want to score one-of-a-kind items, this is also a great place to shop. They carry locally made crafts and hard-to-find brands for various items – specialty kitchenware and skin care products, to name a few.
Customer service is just as exceptional – friendly, helpful, and never pushy. Plus, they offer complimentary gift wrapping, making it easier to prepare goodies for your loved ones.
2. The Plaid Giraffe
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Website: https://theplaidgiraffe.ca/
Address: 10340 Whyte Ave NW
Contact Details: +1 780-439-6195
Operating Hours: Sunday: 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Monday – Friday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM | Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Price: $$
The Plaid Giraffe is a delight for those who love a personalized shopping experience. This cozy shop carries some of the cutest handcrafted jewelry, handbags, and scarves – all at reasonable prices!
Recommendation? The place is quite famous for its jewelry selection. They’re placed on color-coded displays, so it’s easy to spot something that fits your taste. The items look really pretty too, so prepare to spend hours just trying stuff out.
What we love most, though, are their locally made and artisan-made items. The selection is quite small compared to other shops, but they’re all really beautiful.
Plus, with amazing staff who are attentive without being overbearing, I’m sure you won’t have a bad time here.
3. The Makers Keep
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Website: https://themakerskeep.com/
Address: 1 Kingsway NW
Contact Details: +1 780-471-2304
Operating Hours: Sunday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM | Monday – Friday: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM | Saturday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Price: $
For those who want to explore gift items from various makers, The Makers Keep is a must-visit. This cute boutique is your typical gift shop that exudes a warm and friendly vibe. It sells everything from home decor to puzzles and even baby essentials.
My favorite thing about this shop is that every maker has their own section – feels like a mini market, really! So if you want to support a particular artist, you can come in, explore their work, and spend some dollars on a new gift.
Surprisingly, the prices here aren’t insane – you can in fact score some goodies at affordable prices. Just make sure to really explore and ask around for recommendations.
4. Shop Chop
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Website: https://shopchop.ca/
Address: 10265 107 St NW
Contact Details: +1 780-429-9629
Operating Hours: Sunday: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM | Monday – Friday: 11:00 AM – 5:30 PM | Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Price: $$
If you’re the type to scavenge for quirky goods, you may want to drop by Shop Chop. In this store, you’ll be surrounded by the cutest stationery and some of the most hilarious greeting cards you can find.
At the upstairs mezzanine, there’s even an entire wall of patches. Take one home as a souvenir!
Apart from these, there are cool, one-of-a-kind gifts that you’ll likely won’t find anywhere. Think 3D paper beetles and bottle openers shaped like mermaids.
By the way, new stock arrives often so you’ll almost spot something new every visit.
5. GemOro
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Website: https://www.gemoro.ca/
Address: 8882 170 St NW
Contact Details: +1 780-444-7210
Operating Hours: Sunday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM | Monday – Friday: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM | Saturday: 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Price: $$$
If you’re looking to splurge on your next gift-giving affair, you have to stop by GemOro. This shop specializes in luxury watches and carries top brands such as Rolex, Cartier, and Omega.
The place is an official Rolex retailer, so you won’t have to worry about the authenticity of the products and any new releases. Plus, they have on-site services, making it easy for your recipient to maintain their new pieces.
6. ShopAGA
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Website: https://www.youraga.ca/visit/shopaga
Address: 2 Sir Winston Churchill Square
Contact Details: +1 780-422-6223
Operating Hours: Sunday; Wednesday – Saturday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Price: $$
ShopAGA is your typical girl shop on the block – small and welcoming, carrying items such as jewelry, home decor, and prints. They even sell a few art pieces here and there if you want to take home something as an investment.
What makes this shop special is that it’s located in the Art Gallery of Alberta. That’s why many of the pieces at the shop are from artists featured in the gallery.
If you want the most unique gifts, I recommend getting any of the handcrafted ceramics they have in store. They’re not super expensive, so you can probably grab one for yourself too!
7. Biggle Souvenirs & Gift Shop
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Website: https://www.biggle.ca/
Address: 8526 109 St NW
Contact Details: +1 780-680-2299
Operating Hours: Saturday – Sunday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Monday – Friday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Price: $$
Want to take some goodies for your fam back home? Biggie Souvenirs & Gift Shop is the perfect place to do some last–minute shopping spree.
Here, you can buy multiple items to give away – think mugs, cookies, keychains, and magnets. They also have some adorable tote bags and travel-friendly keepsakes that’ll fit in pretty much any luggage.
If you don’t mind splurging a little more, I recommend you get any of their maple products and Canadian treats. They have 100ml syrup bottles and ice wine-infused chocolates. And yes, they’re perfect as gifts or simply for your own indulgence!
8. Evoolution
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Website: https://evoolution.ca/
Address: 11958 104 Ave NW
Contact Details: +1 587-521-3445
Operating Hours: Saturday – Sunday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM | Monday – Friday: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Price: $$
Buying a gift for a foodie? Evoolution offers a wide range of unique spices. Some of their offerings include premium olive oils, aged balsamic vinegars, and gourmet salt and spices.
Their specialty is their incredible fresh extra virgin oil that’s sourced from different hemispheres to ensure peak quality year-round. And unlike grocery store oils, these are picked and pressed within hours, making the taste more pronounced.
The staff here are awesome too, so if you’re not sure what to buy, just reach out! They can guide you through tastings, suggesting perfect pairings, and help you take home recipe cards for ideas.
9. Zocalo
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Website: https://www.zocalo.ca/
Address: 10826 95 St
Contact Details: +1 587-428-0754
Operating Hours: Sunday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM | Wednesday – Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Price: $$
Zocalo is the perfect spot for those who want to buy plant and flower related gifts for a special someone. Here you can find lush plants, handcrafted vases, and home decor at reasonable prices.
The great thing is that the place specializes in floral arrangements. So if you’re grabbing a gift for a specific occasion or theme, you can simply request their staff to personalize one for you.
Even better is their exceptional customer service – they even follow up on deliveries to ensure they get to the recipient on time!
10. Seasons Gift Shop
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Website: https://seasonsgiftshop.ca/
Address: 8665 McKenney Ave
Contact Details: +1 587-419-3582
Operating Hours: Monday – Saturday: 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Price: $$
If your idea of gift shopping is aimlessly browsing a store, hoping something unique catches your eye, I’m sure Season Gift Shop won’t disappoint you. Everything you can think of under the sun is pretty much here, at prices that won’t break the bank.
From home decor to stylish accessories, you can grab a wide range of items for birthdays or holidays. They even have a few jellycat plushies in store – perfect for the kiddos on their big day!
The shopping experience is another plus. Beyond the easy layout, they also make online orders easy. Everything is packed carefully, so your recipient can get their gift with no worries.
11. Hideout Distro
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Website: https://hideoutdistro.com/
Address: 12407 108 Ave NW
Contact Details: +1 587-249-8303
Price: $$
If you love supporting locals, you may want to check out Hideout Distro. Over 200 artists contribute to their selection, with options ranging from handcrafted ceramics and home goods to fashion items and accessories.
My favorite here has to be their hand-poured candles as everything smells good and looks great as a display. They’re slightly more expensive than other speciality shops, but the quality more than makes up for the price.
On some days, you may even score some nice, hard-to-find indie books on their shelves. Or you can score a nice jewelry set that’s made right here in the city.
12. Carbon Environmental Boutique
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Website: https://www.carbonboutique.com/
Address: 10710 120 St NW
Contact Details: +1 587-249-8303
Operating Hours: Saturday – Sunday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Monday – Friday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Price: $$
Carbon Environmental Boutique is the perfect destination for high-quality, eco-friendly gifts. Here you can find refillable soaps, organic skincare, and reef-safe sunscreen.
And if you want something fragrant for a friend, you shouldn’t miss out on their scented candles that come in stylish, reusable containers.
For a more personalized touch, you can create a custom gift set by mixing and matching sustainable home goods, linens, and other wellness products.
You can even bring your own container to their refillery and add handcrafted soaps or lotions for a zero-waste gift.
13. The Quiltbag
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Website: https://www.carbonboutique.com/
Address: 10516 Whyte Ave NW
Contact Details: +1 780-784-5265
Operating Hours: Sunday: 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Monday -Wednesday; Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM | Thursday – Friday: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Price: $$
The Quiltbag is the perfect place to find a meaningful and inclusive gift. From pronoun buttons to pride-themed stickers, every item here celebrates LGBQ+ identity.
For a thoughtful and affirming gift, check out their gender-affirming products. They have chest binders and compression underwear in various designs and sizes.
If you’re a little too unsure, you can easily reach out to their staff to help find the ideal gift. The place isn’t too crowded most of the time, so I’m sure you’ll have a chill time here.
