San Antonio – Elsa Fernandez, owner of Eye Candy Boutique, shares tips on how to shop local for Father's Day. Here's a breakdown of hand-picked items that will make your papa proud and a little bit about the companies that make them.
Chef Janie Romo from Ms. Chocolatier was born in San Antonio and graduated from the Culinary Institute of America. Ms. Chocolatier is locally owned by Romo and her family and has been in business for ten years.
Each Ms. Chocolatier product is made in-house using locally sourced ingredients from places like Hartman Farm, Texas Honey Gretchen Bee Ranch, and the Farmer's Market. While they're most known for decadent chocolate and candy, Ms. Chocolatier also makes a tasty peanut brittle. You can find them at the Pearl Farmer's Market every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Barba Guapo Handcrafted makes unique wooden trinkets by hand. They began their line with beard combs and have now made their way to cigar holders. The colors of the combs are beautiful because they use three different types of wood, and their cigar holders make for a unique architectural design element on a coffee or end table.
Barba Guapo Handcrafted collaborates with Gonzalez Handmade to create traveling humidors and beard combs with handmade leather slats. Gonzales Handmade also makes a leather pouch that is perfect for cigar-loving dads. All of their leather goods are hand stitched here in San Antonio, Texas.
Cadeaux is a lifestyle and gift shop located in downtown San Antonio that offers great gift items for dads from books such as "50 Places to Play Golf Before You Die" for golf-lovers to Girl and Guy Code Soaps such as "Fight Club" which will help your dad smell like Brad Pitt.
Lastly, Bird and Pear makes high-quality serape goods that are either handcrafted in-store or locally sourced. Every item carries a bit of South Texas flair with its bright colors and bold prints, and your dad is sure to love their signature bow tie.
This Father's Day, avoid the malls of crazy shoppers and instead support your community by gift-shopping at one of these great local spots.
"When you shop local you support a family and you support a dream," Fernandez says.