This holiday season, discover a world of unusual and unexpected gifts in Marion County. We’ve got quirky shops, boutiques, distilleries, and a new brewery to make gift giving easy and enjoyable for everybody.

Antiquing

Primitives- Crystal’s Custom Creations is a fantastic shabby-chic destination. Scout around for primitives, rugs, vintage whatnots and country furniture. You can even stay for lunch! Baby B’s BBQ Restaurant serves hickory-smoked pulled pork, ribs, and tangy sandwiches.

Old-time treasures- Arts & Antiques Marketplace in Fairmont overflows with finds from 90+ dealers. Vintage clothing, fine art, furniture, and intriguing whatnots fill the 3-story emporium. You’ll definitely want to add them to your itinerary, too.

Music & more- Pawntique Emporium (formerly Pickers Paradise) isn’t an ordinary antique store, although it certainly has a colorful selection of vintage signs, stoneware and funky furniture. But the owner has an even larger stash of musical instruments. Shop around for Gibson, Taylor and Martin acoustic guitars, or check out the electrical Fenders and Yamahas. Pawntique’s has amplifiers, mandolins and the odd dulcimer or two as well.

Get crafty

Locally made gifts- Joe N’ Throw cafe’s gallery has locally made

mugs and artwork, plus convenient gift baskets stuffed with West Virginia goodies. Once you’ve picked up gifts, treat yourself to a latte and read a novel from the book selection. You can also grab lunch. Daily specials are bold and inventive, like warm beer-brat paninis, pickle soup and bacon-cheddar-cheeseburger quesadillas.

Ceramics- At Mountain Creative, you get to decorate a ceramic sculpture, and your lucky friend gets a unique keepsake! Paint frames, mugs, piggy banks, animals, and more. You can also take ceramics lessons— a great way to really get “hands on” with Christmas gifts.

Crafting supplies- Sew Chic has plenty of sewing crafts in its rafters! The eye-catching red barn is loaded with 3,500 bolts of fabric and tons of embroidery designs, books and thread. Sew Chic has kits for bags, quilts and aprons, too.

Relaxing treats

Soothing spa treatments- Tuscan Sun Spa melts away tension in just 1 session! Masseuses offer treatments like Etruscan hot stone therapy, Swedish massage, and Aveda stress relief. They have facials and sugar scrubs as well. And hey, it’s always good to try it out for yourself before you pick up a gift card for your friends!

Florals- Main Street Shoppes’ fresh greenery and dried wreaths make ideal gifts for your holiday hostess. Plus, the sight of bright flowers in winter is always refreshing— and surprising. For houseplants, there’s Mountaineer Florist & Gifts. During the winter months, indoor plants offer some great health benefits.   You can also shop around for fruit or candy gift baskets and natural soap.

A healthy boost- Health Naturally is the perfect antidote to holiday stress. Does your friend have Devil’s Claw capsules? What about flower essences or echinacea purpurea? Bee pollen, organic products, minerals and exotic Chinese medicinals are just some of the things you’ll find here. Rider Pharmacy, Gifts and Collectibles combines good-for-you cures with unexpected goodies: antiques, home decor, coffee and more!

Edible (& drinkable) gifts

Pepperoni rolls- Marion County is home to the original pepperoni roll, West Virginia’s state food. Country Club Bakery has been making them ever since the originals came from the oven in 1927. The recipe remains the same: bread dough wrapped around seasoned pepperoni sticks. And they’ll ship ‘em anywhere in the U. S., so you can share this state specialty with anyone who might be missing it. They’ll make everybody at your holiday gatherings merry!

Craft beer- After an enjoyable day of shopping, stop in Rivesville to sample the latest creation from Short Story Brewing, a family-owned craft brewery. Like any good book, you’ll be glued to their delicious beverages, most of which are named after literary devices and classic legends.

Mountain moonshine & more- Heston Farm Winery and Pinchgut Hollow Distillery crafts brandy, whiskey and real mountain moonshine. Get original corn “white lightning” or something more exotic, like Honey Peach Shine. Take your pick of wines, from aged reds to dry whites. The owners have tasting sessions aplenty, so you can choose your gift with discernment.

Mead- Mountain Dragon Mazery pays homage to tradition with ancient honey wine.Try their small-batch infusions like wildflower, Black Cherry Red or Basswood Honey. Want something really unexpected? Cafe Monteverde Methglyn, a coffee-honey wine, adds a jolt of uplifting caffeine!

What Marion county gifts will you share this season?

Be sure to check out the daily specials on our Marion County ADVENTure Calendar, where we feature 25 days of exclusive deals.