Shopping small for the holidays is – as Martha Stewart would say – “A good thing.” It supports our neighbors and the broader communities we’re a part of, it’s the best way to find unique and special items, and it’s a fantastic excuse to take some alone time, schedule a date night, or catch up with a friend. Lucky for us, these amazing small businesses on the Eastside are all stocked with incredible (and popular) finds, so we can support local and find what our kids, friends, and partners have on their wish lists. From Midtown to West Detroit, Grosse Pointe to Mount Clemens, Ferndale and more, we’ve got you covered. And of course, if you have a favorite store that’s not listed, we’d love to hear about it! Happy hunting. <3
Toys & Clothing | Books | A Little Bit of Everything | Thrifting, Consignment, and More
Toys & Clothing
17110 Kercheval Avenue, Grosse Pointe
- Best for Ages: Maternity to early teens
- Brands You’ll Find: Becco Bags, The Charm Bar, Maileg, Coco Village, Gotz Dolls, Mushie, Meri Meri, Itzy Ritzy, and a super sweet book section.
- Holiday Hours: Current hours listed are Monday-Friday 10:00am-6:00pm and Saturdays 10:00am-5:00pm.
23240 Greater Mack Avenue, St Clair Shores
- Best for Ages: Newborn to 13 years
- Brands You’ll Find: Stride Rite, Mud Pie, Mayoral, Little Me, Sperry, Bogs (and holiday formal wear)
- Holiday Hours: Monday-Friday 10:00am-6:00pm and Saturdays, 10:00am-5:00pm. They may be open some Sundays in December, so keep an eye on their socials for an announcement.
- Upcoming Sales: Black Friday & Small Business Saturday sales – check with store for details.
- Upcoming Events: Jingle Mingle in Downtown SCS
Midtown: 4240 Cass Avenue, Detroit | Royal Oak: 228 W 4th Street, Royal Oak
- Best for Ages: All ages
- Brands You’ll Find: Sanrio everything (stationery, plush toys, charms, lunch bags, keychains, slippers, etc.), plus SMISKI, K-Pop, Anime sections and more.
- Holiday Hours: Royal Oak hours are currently listed as Monday-Thursday 11:00am-8:00pm, Saturday 11:00am-9:00pm, and Sunday 11:00am-7:00pm. The Midtown store is very temporarily closed and anticipates a reopening announcement soon. Keep an eye on their socials for updates!
- Upcoming Sales: None currently listed, but they did have Small Business Saturday sales in 2024, so keep an eye on their socials just in case!
200 W 9 Mile Rd Suite B, Ferndale
- Best for Ages: All ages!
- Brands You’ll Find: Lego, Jellycat, Rail Cube, Fat Brain, Brio
- Holiday Hours: 10:00am-5:00pm everyday, year round! Check their socials for holiday closures.
- Good to know: Modern Natural Baby and Toys has a shoppable Holiday Catalog! You can order directly from the Catalog for in-store pick up or shipping.
17112 Kercheval Avenue, Grosse Pointe
- Best for Ages: All Ages
- Brands You’ll Find: Jellycat, Magnatiles, Charm It, Wigglitz
- Holiday Hours: Still to be confirmed – watch their socials for updates.
- Upcoming Events: Kids Christmas Open House on November 16.
21714 Harper Avenue, St Clair Shores
- Best for Ages: 0-100 – you’ll find something for everyone!
- Brands You’ll Find: LEGO, Calico Critter, Madame Alexander Dolls, Brio Trains, Children Books, MagnaTiles, Ravensburger Puzzles, Hot Wheels, Rolife, Lionel Trains, Hot Wheels Creativity for Kids, and so much more!
- Holiday Hours: Beginning November 28th, holiday hours are Monday-Saturday 10am- 9pm and Sundays, 12:00pm- 6:00pm.
- Upcoming Sales & Events:
- Saturday, November 29th: “Meet Frosty the Snowman” event from 11:00am- 1:00pm (free!)
- Free LEGO giveaway with every LEGO purchase (while supplies last)!
- Tuesday, December 2nd: From 4:00pm-7:00pm Whistle Stop will be donating 20% of all sales to Kids on the Go for Giving Tuesday (oh, and Santa will be visiting from 5:00pm-6:00pm too!). Kids on the Go specialists will be there to guide you for the perfect gift!
- Good to know: Whistle Stop is a Toys For Tots drop off site and they offer FREE gift wrapping year round! Online orders and curbside pickup are always available and you can even email Julie (juliewstop@gmail.com) to be your personal shopper for all of your toy and hobby needs this season!
Books
Coreander’s Children’s Bookshoppe
15118 Kercheval Avenue, Grosse Pointe Park
- Best for Ages: All ages! While Coreander’s focuses on ages 0 – young adult, they do offer current adult fiction, cookbooks, puzzles and more. They can also special order almost any book!
- Books You’ll Find: In addition to many classics and current children’s favorites, Coreander’s also has a great variety of books for the holidays including Otto the Ornament, Hanukkah Pajamakkahs, The Night Before Christmas and much more.
- Holiday Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10:00am-6:00pm and Sundays, 12:00pm-4:00pm. Check their website for holiday hours the weeks of Thanksgiving and Christmas.
- Upcoming Sales: Watch Coreander’s website and Instagram for their holiday sales!
- Upcoming Events: Santa comes to Coreander’s, Friday, November 28 from 12:00pm-3:00pm!
16555 E. Warren, Detroit
- Best for Ages: All Ages
- Books You’ll Find: Next Chapter Books has an incredible selection of new and curated secondhand books, and a sweet (and good-sized) children’s section. They can also order books that you’re interested in that may not be readily available in store (some restrictions may apply, so always call!).
- Holiday Hours: Current hours listed are Tuesday-Thursday 11:00am-6:00pm, Friday 11:00am-5:00pm, and Saturday 10:00am-5:00pm.
- Upcoming Events: Small Business Saturday: Spend $75 and get a $10 gift certificate for the new year!
19560 Grand River Avenue, Detroit
- Best for Ages: All Ages
- Books You’ll Find: Pages has a great selection of books for readers of all ages (including local authors), a sweet French shelf in partnership with Caribou à Lunettes, an art materials section, and local goods.
- Holiday Hours: Current hours listed are Wednesday-Saturday 11:00am-5:00pm.
4240 Cass Ave, #105, Detroit
- Best for Ages: Source Booksellers carries primarily non-fiction books for readers of all ages.
- Books You’ll Find: They carry a carefully curated selection of books, and they recommend coming in to browse for the best experience!
- Holiday Hours: The hours that are currently listed are Monday-Friday, 11:00am-5:00pm, Saturday 12:00pm-4:00pm, and Sunday, 12:00pm-4:00pm.
- Upcoming Events: Merry Midtown on December 6th – local stores will be open between 5:00pm-9:00pm with festivities happening throughout the area.
The Caboose: Sidetrack Bookshop for Kids
220 W. Fourth Street, Royal Oak
- Best for Ages: Ages 0-12/13! They carry a wide variety of board books, chapter books and picture books in the fiction and non-fiction categories.
- Books You’ll Find: The Caboose has a wonderful selection of books by local authors and can order plenty of books if they don’t have what someone is looking for in the store. They also have a selection of Yoto players and Yoto cards which make wonderful gifts.
- Holiday Hours: Monday-Wednesday 12:00pm-6:00pm, Thursday 12:00pm-8:00pm, Friday 12:00pm-6:00pm, Saturday and Sunday 10:00am-6:00pm.
- Upcoming Events: Santa will be visiting the bookshop on November 22, and The Grinch will be coming in December!
A Little Bit of Everything
60 Cadillac Square, Detroit
- Best for Ages: All ages – Downtown Detroit Markets features eighteen local vendors with curated selections for the holiday season.
- Brands You’ll Find: All of the Downtown Detroit Market vendors are incredible, but the vendors with the most kid-friendly items appear to be Asher & Arnold, The Coloring Museum, and Opal Grove Games.
- Holiday Hours: You can find the Downtown Detroit Markets in the Eastside Kids calendar, or their hours are listed here.
20100 Mack Avenue, Grosse Pointe Woods
- Best for Ages: The Friendship Factory carries sizes 3-14 but does have some items in smaller and larger sizes as well!
- Brands You’ll Find: Lola and the Boys, Hannah Banana, Sweet Wink, Sparkle Sisters, Iscream, Petite n’ Pretty, Primary, OMG Accessories, Girl Nation, Charm It! and many more! Stuff your own stuffed animal is very popular for all ages and The Friendship Factory has many animals to choose from!
- Holiday Hours: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 2:00pm-6:00pm, Saturday and Sunday 10:00am-6:00pm (and by appointment). Friendship Factory is opening early at 12:00pm on November 26 and 28.
- Upcoming Sales: Pink Friday sale on Black Friday: buy more save more – 10% off $100 or more purchase, 20% off $250 or more purchase, 25% off $500 or more purchase.
- Upcoming Events: Friendsgiving Gratitude Gala on 11/25, Dolly and Me Christmas Pajama Party on 12/11, Gingerbread House Decorating on 12/13, KPOP Holiday Break Camp on 12/28, Zombies Holiday Break Camp on 12/29. See www.thefriendshipfactory.com for more info on these events!
22202 Harper Avenue, St Clair Shores
- Best for Ages: All ages!
- What You’ll Find: Locally made and handmade goods. Kitty Deluxe Beaded Bracelet Kits. Kitty Deluxe fabric aprons, cute bags, and jewelry. Handmade crochet hats. Crafty and art brands and puzzles that are popular – Tiger Tribe, Eeboo, and Bright Colors.
- Holiday Hours: Current hours are Tuesday, Wednesday & Saturday 11:00am-4:00pm, Thursday & Friday 11:00am-6:00pm, Sunday 12:00pm-4:00pm. Holiday hours may be updated – keep an eye on their socials for an announcement.
- Upcoming Sales: Small Business Saturday, watch their socials for details!
- Upcoming Events: Kids holiday shopping event at Kitty Deluxe Tuesday, December 16 from 4:00pm-7:00 pm (special discounted merchandise!) Tuesday, December 9 there is a Kids Christmas jewelry making workshop 4:00pm-5:30pm, $20 (registration required).
66 Macomb Place, Mount Clemens
- Best for Ages: Newborn to teen (and many items for grown ups too)
- What You’ll Find: Lots of fun sports swag for all ages.
- Holiday Hours: Wednesday 11:00am-4:00pm, Thursday 11:00am-2:00pm and 5:00pm-8:00pm, Friday 11:00am-5:00pm, Saturday 11:00am-4:00pm, Sunday 11:00am-3:00pm.
- Upcoming Sales: The Nest will run specials during their Holiday Open House (November 21, 5:00pm-9:00pm), Small Business Saturday (November 29 11:00am-4:00pm), during the holiday light parade (December 13, 5:00pm-9:00pm), and more – follow their socials for details.
- Upcoming Events: On December 13, The Nest will have an event with Friends of Foster Kids and will donate some proceeds to them!
14500 Kercheval, Detroit
- Best for Ages: Baby and Kid items, plus plenty of adult goods for friends, teachers, family, and pets.
- What You’ll Find: Crafting kits, earrings, temporary tattoos, rattles, Mama Siesta Creature Comfort socks, finger puppets, and many other handmade goods.
- Holiday Hours: Current hours are listed as Wednesday-Friday, 8:00am-6:00pm, Saturday & Sunday, 9:00am-5:00pm. Keep an eye on their socials for updates.
Thrifting, Consignment, and More
Thrifting and buying used for the holiday is a great option and something we do every year! Here are a few of my favorite spots to find great used and like-new items.
Facebook Marketplace & Swap Groups
Check your local Facebook swap groups for big holiday threads! One of the groups in my area has a few major threads for toys and clothing (some with almost 700 comments) where people list what they’re looking for and connect with other parents who are selling those items — or decide to once seeing the request.
Eastpointe: 18859 E. 9 Mile | Grosse Pointe: 18468 Mack Avenue
Eastpointe: 24900 Kelly Road | Clinton Township: 33955 Gratiot Avenue
Veterans Thrift Store (open to the public)
29523 Gratiot Avenue, Roseville
29929 Harper Ave, St. Clair Shores
