Courtesy Tio Lee
The Brooklyn Magazine small business Valentine’s Day Gift Guide
From Brooklyn with love: A curated list of gifts from local artisans — no matter who your Valentine may be
Valentine’s Day, depending on whom you ask, is a cynical corporate money grab. Or! It is a day to commemorate love in all of its diverse forms (and an opportunity to support local businesses). If you fall in the latter camp, there is no one standard or ideal for what a Valentine’s Day gift should be.
In the interest of highlighting local makers and giving back to the creative community that shows us love every day, we have curated a Valentine’s Day gift guide for whoever you’d like to share your affection with — whether that be your interior design-obsessed partner or even yourself, because you can totally shamelessly be your own Valentine.
We caught up with seven small, local businesses below to show off their best gift selections for the holiday and to discuss the many different ways the day can be celebrated.
BonBonWhims
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BonBonWhims has brought a pop of color to its stylish wearers’ wardrobes since the brand’s founding in 2020. Owner Clare Ngai was inspired by the anime characters and bright colors of her upbringing in Hong Kong, and wanted to create a company that brought those fantastical images to life. The AAPI, woman-owned jewelry and accessory business handmakes an array of resin, 14K gold plated, and pearl-adorned pieces that come in whimsical shapes and hues, like festive pink or red hearts. SZA and Doja Cat can’t get enough of BonBonWhims, and we bet your Valentine won’t be able to either.
BonBonWhims Gifts: Ling Bling Ring ($122 ), Mega Lucky Clip ($28), Micropave Pop Drop Earring ($74)
What does it mean to you when people shop small for the holidays?
Ngai: Holiday seasons are huge for all brands but can definitely make or break a small business in some cases! More often than not, you as a customer will also be more likely to discover one-of-a-kind and thoughtful designs by shopping small, versus buying dime-a-dozen pieces. For a special occasion like Valentine’s Day, I find supporting small businesses is a lot more intimate and romantic as well.
What is your ideal way to celebrate Valentine’s Day?
This year I’m finally getting to celebrate my very delayed bachelorette dinner, which was supposed to take place back in 2020, over this Valentine’s Day weekend! So instead of celebrating with my other half who’s not really big on celebrating this day anyway, I get to spend some quality Galentine’s time with my closest girlfriends.
Tio Lee
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Tio Lee is an eponymous Brooklyn-based hat brand that practices small-batch manufacturing and employs recycled fleece and wool for every product. Their funky hats, which come in a variety of vibrant colors, would make a perfect genderless gift for any significant other (and they’re perfect for the winter season).
Tio Lee Gifts: Fargo Hat in cocoa and mustard colors
What does it mean to you when people shop small for the holidays?
Lee: Shopping small is shopping with intention. It’s more about finding that one item that’s unique and thoughtfully chosen for that one person, and less about impressing someone with a brand name, or how much money you spent. To us, shopping small for the holidays means the world! It enables small businesses like ours to keep going, keep creating, and keep sharing our passion locally.
What is your ideal way to celebrate Valentine’s Day?
Pho at home, a fireplace (but more like candles) lit, and an epic tale (“The Revenant”)!
Keane New York
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Marrying the worlds of art, glass blowing, and fashion, Keane New York emphasizes the delicate beauty of glass sculpting. Each made-to-order homeware or piece of jewelry is handmade by Colin Keane Lynch out of his studio in Brooklyn’s Navy Yard. Red, pink, or purple glass baubles make for adorable Valentine’s Day gifts — they look sweet enough to eat, but even sweeter complimenting any everyday outfit.
Keane New York Gifts: Glass Ring in Ketchup ($75 ), Three Knot Necklace ($195 )
What does it mean to you when people shop small for the holidays?
Lynch: Holidays or not, it means a lot to me. Knowing our work resonates enough for someone to want to share that with someone they love really makes me want to keep creating.
What is your ideal way to celebrate Valentine’s Day?
Watching really really bad TV with the person I love, while eating either fondu or Korean BBQ.
Apprvl
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Apprvl is a handmade and hand-dyed product business based out of the founder’s artist studio in Brooklyn. Megan Mussari uses natural dyes and fibers for all of her handmade items, and techniques employed have been gathered from all around the world to create a distinctive product. If your Valentine is not the bouquet or chocolate type but has a green thumb or knack for home decor, these gift options may be the key to their heart. Apprvl’s Custom Embroidered Bandanas let words speak louder than actions, as they can be personalized with favorite song lyrics, a poem, or a name.
Apprvl Gifts: Small Jute Rope Basket ($35), Jute Gather Basket ($55), Custom Embroidered Bandanas ($58)
What does it mean to you when people shop small for the holidays?
Mussari: Shopping with a small business feels like you are investing in their passion and their future, not just to receive a product or service in return! I also really enjoy giving unique gifts and introducing my friends or sisters to a smaller brand that they may have never heard of before.
What is your ideal way to celebrate Valentine’s Day?
To be honest, I’ve spent the last two Valentine’s Days doing customization events, which has been really fun to help people make a gift for their loved one, or themselves! After that, an indulgent night of pizza at home with my boyfriend and dog is the best thing I could ask for.
Flowers by Ford
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Flowers by Ford is a Brooklyn-based floral company founded by Molly Ford. She creates multi-dimensional bouquets and centerpieces that any giftee would swoon over. Ford places an emphasis on embracing the natural beauty in the materials she uses, so each arrangement is purely one-of-a-kind, and can be customized to cater to your loved one’s personality or aesthetic.
What does it mean to you when people shop small for the holidays?
Ford: To me, shopping small is always about personality and intentionality. Everything is available online these days but it’s so meaningful to walk into a local shop and grab something unique for someone that you’re thinking of. I also find that small business owners are more intentional with what they carry and choose to offer; it’s always a unique experience! As a small business owner, I find joy in creating something for an individual. It’s about supporting artists and sharing their stories with my loved ones!
What is your ideal way to celebrate Valentine’s Day?
I love going into Manhattan for drinks and a nice dinner with my husband. We enjoy exploring different restaurants and neighborhoods together! I also love having a Galentine’s Day party with my girlfriends. Valentine’s Day has always been a day to simply have fun, love those around me, and feel a little extra love myself.
Null NYC
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For the streetwear fanatic, Null NYC infuses edgy New York style with timeless staple pieces from sweats to graphics tees. The brand is run by creative director and founder Kristian Mentor, who decided to name it “Null” as a nod to the computer science term — all items begin with no value, and are assigned meaning through time. Mentor hopes that his pieces will become valuable to wearers through years of use, and if you have a fashion lover in your life, we’re sure they’ll treasure these pieces for years to come.
Null NYC Gifts: Dream Land Tee ($40), Red Trucker Hat ($26)
What does it mean to you when people shop small for the holidays?
Mentor: I’d say it shows me that they’re committed to thoughtful gifts that benefit their community. As bigger businesses get larger, it’s really easy to find something on Amazon instead of looking up a local shop; but the love is definitely felt more.
What is your ideal way to celebrate Valentine’s Day?
Typically I take my partner out on Valentine’s out for a romantic dinner and a Broadway show. Last year I caught a viewing of “Hadestown.” This year, I’m single so I’ll do a self care day instead. Definitely still grabbing a high tier meal afterwards though.
Ming Yu Wang
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Ming Yu Wang is an AAPI-owned fine jewelry brand that Wang started, using her Chinese name to highlight her heritage, after working in fashion. Wang witnessed the disposability of the traditional fashion industry and decided she wanted to create products with longevity in mind. Her statement jewelry takes on abstract shapes and forms, establishing it as wearable art. All pieces in her collections are made from recycled sterling silver, brass, freshwater pearls, and ethically sourced gemstones — these are elevated gifts for the classiest of Valentine’s.
Ming Yu Wang Gifts: Tu Bracelet ($88), Fagiolo Earrings ($172.50)
What does it mean to you when people shop small for the holidays?
Wang: I believe by shopping small you are bringing unique, more personal items into your life. There’s an actual face and story behind these brands that forms a deeper connection to the whole shopping experience. It creates more meaningful and sustainable purchases and provides a wider access to product diversity. Small businesses lead the way to innovation and are the backbone of our economy. Many small businesses are also more socially responsible. So by supporting your local small businesses you are also supporting your community and I think that’s beautiful.
What is your ideal way to celebrate Valentine’s Day?
I feel that Valentine’s Day is ideally about having love for yourself, feeling great about where your life is at, and taking care of your health — all within balance. I plan to start the day with a good workout, then a trip to the museum wearing my favorite pair of rose quartz earrings (the crystal of unconditional love), maybe get my nails done if there’s time, and then ending the day with a kids-free dinner date with my partner of 22 years. That would be my ideal Valentine’s Day; I hope you can take the time for yourself too!
