If you know us, you know we love our town. Anderson, SC holds a special kind of magic. This Christmas season, we hope to see the community show up for our small businesses, makers, artists, and restaurants in a big way. Most people know about Black Friday, but a day that is often overlooked is Shop Small Saturday. This Saturday is the perfect time to come out and enjoy the laid-back vibes of Downtown. With many businesses doing special sales and promos, it’s the perfect time to find something for everyone on your list. Here are some of our students’ favorite places and a mini gift guide, because who knows what college students want nowadays anyways? 

 

Food 

We’re starting this list off strong with the category of food. If you have a student to shop for and no idea where to start, you can’t go wrong with a gift card to a local food stop. And as an added bonus, many of these places offer student discounts, so your gift will go even further! We asked our students for some of their favorites, and here’s what they said: 

The Bradbury Bistro
Boba Space 
Creamland (rolled ice cream)
Common House
CocoBon Chocolatier (Gourmet chocolatier, everything made in-house. Locally owned and operated.) 
Corner Bagel
Doolittle’s
ECity Java
Figs Cafe and Farmacy
Groucho’s Deli
JC’s
Maki (sushi)
Sullivan’s Metropolitan Grill 

 

Boutiques 

The boutiques in Anderson are full of intentional, trendy gifts. From gold-dipped jewelry to sweaters to shoes, there is something they are sure to love.  

Belle Beauty – Entire website is 25% off 

Cate’s – A curated upscale women’s boutique. Open Saturday 10-4. Everyone else who shops on Saturday will draw a discount before checkout, ranging from 20-30% off. Shoes on sale will also range from $20-$40. Gift cards available.  

Collectique – “Effortless style and eclectic finds” Gift certificates available. 20% off.

Honey Hush – An all-age boutique with clothes and accessories in trendy styles. Open 9am – 1 pm. Discount drawing at checkout, discounts range from 10-30% off. 

Maren + Main – A cute small-town boutique with a variety of clothing sizes and styles, accessories, and beauty items. Open 10-6pm on Saturday. 10% off entire store. Gift cards available. 

 

Shopping & Specialty 

These shops are the most diverse and unique, and are a big part of what makes our town so special. For many of these places, their goods are one-of-a-kind. If you have a hard-to-shop-for person on your list, one of these places is sure to have something they’d love.  

Apple Dumplin’ – Antiques, Collectibles, Gifts, Vintage Decor. At over 14,000 square feet, this is the largest antique mall in Anderson, with over 60 vendors. “You’re sure to find somethin’ and the dumplin’!” 

Open Saturday, 10-6. Sales vary by vendor. 

City Seed at the Station – All things plants & home. Closed this weekend but will reopen Monday, 12-5:30 pm. 

The Fashion Shack – A locally owned upscale resale shop and exchange store. Open Saturday 10-6pm.

Figs Cafe and Farmacy – Locally owned and operated, full of knickknacks and homemade goods. Open Saturday until 6 pm.  

Finch and Fern – Curated interiors and cafe. Antiques, art, design, and lite bites. Spend $100, get $20 gift card for future purchase. Open Saturday 10-5. 

Indigo Custom Framing and Artisan Market – 15% off, free cider and cookies while you shop! Gift cards available. Open 10:30 – 4 pm on Saturday. 

The Kitchen Emporium – Locally owned and operated for more than 20 years. Specializes in gifts for the “host.” Tailgating supplies, snacks, hot chocolates, candies, stoneware, metalware, and more! Open Saturday from 10-5. 20% off entire store, 40% off fall. 

Run In – All things running related, from shoes to apparel and accessories. Open Saturday from 10-4 pm 

Stripes – A one-stop shop for nostalgic fashion from 1930s to modern styles. All vintage clothes 30% off, all higher end men’s wear and sneakers 20% off, $20 rack is 50% off, all brand-new Nike dunks are $50 each, Women and Youth sizes $40 each. Open 11-8 on Saturday. 

Tracie Starr Home – 20% off entire store, 40% off all fall. Open Saturday 10-6 pm. 

The Vine – An Antique Mall and upscale consignment shop with an eclectic mix of goods and a variety of vendors. Sales based on individual vendors, up to 50% off. Open Saturday 10-6 pm.  

 

Support Local Artists 

Bay 3 Artisan Gallery at the Anderson Arts Center – A co-operative gallery of local artists. The work presented in the gallery features many different mediums making sure there is a piece of original art for every home in a variety of price ranges. Includes work by local artists Wesley Carr, Rebecca Lawson Carruth, Susan Lenz, Joy Moss, Wesa Neely, Kathy Ogden, Diann Simms, Patricia Walker, C.T. Weiss and Leslie Wentzell. *Not open this weekend. Will reopen on Wednesday, December 4th. Normal hours are Wed-Fri 10 am –4 pm, Saturday 10-1.  

Anderson Holiday Market – November 30, December 7, 14, 21, 10am – 2pm at the Anderson Farmers Market, 402 N Murray Ave. 

 

Events 

Besides shopping, there is so much to do! Enjoy the Christmas lights downtown or visit Ice in the Park at Carolina Wren Park, starting December 2 at 5 pm. This year, the skating rink is real ice! The cost is just $5 for ages 6 and up. 

Ice in the Park | Monday, December 2nd – Sunday, January 5th
December 2nd – 22nd
Monday-Friday: 5–9pm
Saturday: 11am–9pm
Sunday: 2–6pm

December 23rd – January 5th
Monday–Friday: 1–9pm
Saturday: 11am–9pm
Sunday: 2–6pm

CLOSED Christmas Eve & Christmas Day
CLOSED New Year’s Day 

Anderson Holiday Market – November 30, December 7, 14, 21, 10am – 2pm at the Anderson Farmers Market, 402 N Murray Ave.

Anderson County Christmas Tree Lighting and Ice Skater Performance | December 6, 6-8:30 pm 

Electric City Christmas Market | December 6-7, Carolina Wren Park, 4 – 9 pm 

City of Anderson Christmas Parade | December 8, 3 pm 

 

Of course this just scratches the surface of all the stores in our town. We wish we could include them all, because there are so many special places in Anderson! If you have a favorite that is not on this list, please let us know by emailing social@andersonuniversity.edu, so we can include them next year. Happy shopping!