Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1511981
WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM 14 UCW November 22-28, 2023 Shop small, local this holiday season by SHEILA D. BARKER The streets of Downtown Fayetteville brim with excitement and holiday enchantment on the day following Thanksgiving. A Dickens Holiday has been a cherished tradi- tion for 24 years. During the Dickens Holiday event, Downtown Fayetteville offers a fan- tastic shopping experience. In ad- dition to the more than 100 vendors participating in the Dickens Holiday, the local downtown shops are not to be missed for great holiday shop- ping. Get your day off to a great start by fueling up with a cup of coffee or a delicious breakfast. Visit Rude Awakening Coffee House at 227 Hay Street for the op- portunity to indulge in fantastic cof- fee, tea or smoothies. Enhance your experience by pairing your choice with a delectable pastry. While you are there, be sure to check out their gift mugs for the cof- fee and tea lovers on your list. Not to be missed is their highly anticipated seasonal alcohol chocolates. Get one for someone special, and one for yourself. Let the shopping begin! Pressed-A Creative Space at 120 Hay Street is a great place to start! They carry a variety of unique gifts, from a huge selection of crystals to tee shirts. During the Dickens Holiday Event on Friday and Shop Small Business on Saturday, they will have 40% off crystals and 30% off crystal rings. Crystal bracelets will be Buy One Get One Free, and regular-priced shirts will be Buy One Get One 50%. Don't miss their Cyber Monday sale, where everything on their site will be 35% off. Visit their website at : https://pressednc.com/ Another great downtown gift shop with over 60 artisans in their store is A Bit of Carolina at 306 Hay Street. A great place to find a single item or to put together a customized gift basket, they will have $15 Simply Southern Christmas Long Sleeve Tees, regularly $25.95, $5 Christmas Earrings, regularly $12.95, and Sim- ply Southern Beanies, 1/2 off during Dickens Holiday. Come back for Shop Small Busi- ness Saturday for 10% off gift boxes and gift baskets, gift with a purchase of $25 or more, while supplies last, and 25% off Simply Southern, ex- cluding sale items. Not to be missed is Cursive at 223 Franklin Street. You will surely find something amazing here for even the hardest person to shop on your list. Get a complimentary Bah Hum- bug ornament while supplies last when you make a purchase at the Dickens Holiday event. Also, enjoy free gifts with purchases of $50, $100 and $150. Shop Small Business Saturday shoppers will get a swag bag with coupons and other surprises! After a hectic day of shopping, take a break and enjoy a delicious lunch or dinner. In downtown, there are a variety of options available to satisfy your cravings after a day of shopping, with more than 20 restaurants and cafes to choose from. Cool Springs Downtown District's website also does a great job listing them, including their location, the type of food they serve, hours and contact information. Check it out here: https://vis- itdowntownfayetteville.com/ places/c-dining/ An after-meal stroll is the way to go. Once you have satisfied your ap- petite, continue exploring down- town by immersing yourself in the Dickens Holiday festivities or taking a leisurely walk through the local bookstore. City Center Gallery & Books at 112 Hay Street is not only a great place to find your next read but also a place where local artists sell their latest creations. They will feature a large selection of holiday books at great prices as gifts for the season. There is a wide selection of unique art pieces you can get as gifts in all price ranges by local and re- gional artists. Mark that book lover or art lover off your shopping list! One last stop to cap off the day. It's time to unwind from the day, and there's no better place to do that than The Sip Room at 106 Hay Street.Feeling warm enough to sip some wine or champagne on the patio? If not, enjoy the great ambi- ance inside. Take advantage of their Dickens Holiday specials with $5 mimosas, $20 hookahs and $4 beers. Have some wine lovers to shop for or want to get a head start on bever- ages for your holiday dinner? Don't miss their 40% off retail sale. And the more you buy, the more you save with 10% off three bottles of wine, 20% off six, and 30% off 12 or more bottles. When in doubt, give them a gift card. Did you know that Cool Springs Downtown District offers a Down- town E-Gift Card? An easy gift to give and a great way to support the local downtown businesses. For more information or to pur- chase a gift card, visit : https://visit- downtownfayetteville.com/down- town-fayetteville-e-gift-card/ FEATURE SHEILA D. BARKER. Staff Writer. COM- MENTS? Editor@upandcomingweekly.com. 910-484-6200 Downtown Fayetteville gets decked out for the holiday season in 2022. (Photo by Isaiah Jones)