BY: ALAYNA EBERHART & NICOLE POPMA
Treat your work spouse to an office essential that can’t be found in the supply cabinet, like some low-maintenance greenery, a friendlier take on a Magic 8 Ball that shares compliments with every shake or Dutch designer Daphna Laurens’ modern paper clips, which started out as doodles and should make a fine finishing touch for that year-end report.
Sprout Ballpoint Pen, $6 at Flock; Pencil Bucket in blue by Doug Johnston, $30 at the ICA Store; 2. Paper Clips, $10 at Pioneer Goods Co.; 3. Smiling Face Affirmation Ball, $12 at Patch NYC; 4. Squirrel Tape Dispenser, $18 at Patch NYC; 5. Snake Plant, $48 at Niche; 6.Cold Brew On-the-Go Coffee Maker, $22 at Abodeon; 7. Cao Maru Stress Balls, $42 at Abodeon; 8. Boston MBTA Water Bottle, $23 at Magpie; 9. Scout Carved Italian Umbrella, $85 at December Thieves; 10. Monocle Speaker, $40 at Magpie; 11. Gentlemen’s Hardware Shoe Polish Kit, $26 at SAULT New England
Where to buy it?
Abodeon 1731 Mass. Ave., Cambridge (617-497-0137) abodeon.com
December Thieves 88 Charles St., Boston (617-982-6802) decemberthieves.com
Flock 274 Shawmut Ave., Boston (617-391-0222) flockboston.com
The ICA Store 100 Northern Ave., Boston (617-478-3104) icastore.org
Magpie 416 Highland Ave., Somerville (617-623-3330) magpie-store.com
Niche 619 Tremont St., Boston (857-753-4294) nicheboston.com
Patch NYC 46 Waltham St., Boston (617-426-0592) patchnyc.com
Pioneer Goods Co. 764 Tremont St., Boston (857-263-8799) pioneergoodsco.com
Sault New England 577 Tremont St., Boston (857-239-9434) saultne.com
Presents of Mind
A thoughtfully curated selection of cool gifts to suit every special somebody, all from local indie shops.
By Improper Staff | Photo Credit: Holly Rike | Dec. 4, 2015
BY: ALAYNA EBERHART & NICOLE POPMA
Treat your work spouse to an office essential that can’t be found in the supply cabinet, like some low-maintenance greenery, a friendlier take on a Magic 8 Ball that shares compliments with every shake or Dutch designer Daphna Laurens’ modern paper clips, which started out as doodles and should make a fine finishing touch for that year-end report.
Sprout Ballpoint Pen, $6 at Flock; Pencil Bucket in blue by Doug Johnston, $30 at the ICA Store; 2. Paper Clips, $10 at Pioneer Goods Co.; 3. Smiling Face Affirmation Ball, $12 at Patch NYC; 4. Squirrel Tape Dispenser, $18 at Patch NYC; 5. Snake Plant, $48 at Niche; 6.Cold Brew On-the-Go Coffee Maker, $22 at Abodeon; 7. Cao Maru Stress Balls, $42 at Abodeon; 8. Boston MBTA Water Bottle, $23 at Magpie; 9. Scout Carved Italian Umbrella, $85 at December Thieves; 10. Monocle Speaker, $40 at Magpie; 11. Gentlemen’s Hardware Shoe Polish Kit, $26 at SAULT New England
Where to buy it?
Abodeon 1731 Mass. Ave., Cambridge (617-497-0137) abodeon.com
December Thieves 88 Charles St., Boston (617-982-6802) decemberthieves.com
Flock 274 Shawmut Ave., Boston (617-391-0222) flockboston.com
The ICA Store 100 Northern Ave., Boston (617-478-3104) icastore.org
Magpie 416 Highland Ave., Somerville (617-623-3330) magpie-store.com
Niche 619 Tremont St., Boston (857-753-4294) nicheboston.com
Patch NYC 46 Waltham St., Boston (617-426-0592) patchnyc.com
Pioneer Goods Co. 764 Tremont St., Boston (857-263-8799) pioneergoodsco.com
Sault New England 577 Tremont St., Boston (857-239-9434) saultne.com
By Improper Staff | Photo Credit: Holly Rike
Help your favorite globetrotter keep track of past trips with a scratch-off map, whose colorful countries wait beneath copper foil, or plot future ones with a new tome from Phaidon, featuring more than 300 memorable maps culled from 5,000 years of cartography. Or opt for on-the-go gear, like, say, a compact cocktail kit for making mid-air Moscow mules.
Where to buy it?
Artemis Design Co. artemisdesignco.com
Ball and Buck 144B Newbury St., Boston (617-262-1776) ballandbuck.com
Black Ink 101 Charles St., Boston (617-723-3883) blackinkboston.com
Boston General Store 305 Harvard St., Brookline (617-232-0103) bostongeneralstore.com
The Designers Leather Clothiers 106 Charles St., Boston (617-720-3967)designerleatherclothes.com
Hunt’s Photo & Video 520 Comm. Ave., Boston (617-778-2222) huntsphotoandvideo.com
The ICA Store 100 Northern Ave., Boston (617-478-3104) icastore.org
Leather World 30A Langley Road, Newton (617-332-6519) shopleatherworld.com
Olives & Grace 623 Tremont St., Boston (617-236-4536) olivesandgrace.com
By Improper Staff | Photo Credit: Holly Rike
Adult coloring books are flying off the shelves; this one has perforated pages that make it easy to display masterpieces. Perhaps your giftee prefers quills to crayons? Consider this 18th-century-style calligraphy set, complete with inks, nibs, sealing wax and other supplies for noteworthy notes. And knit wits will love the SoWa Throw (Ya) Kit’s super-soft complementary yarns.
Where to buy it?
Bead + Fiber 460 Harrison Ave., Boston (617-426-2323) beadandfiber.net
Gift at the Gardner 25 Evans Way, Boston (617-566-1401) gift.gardnermuseum.org
The ICA Store 100 Northern Ave., Boston (617-478-3104) icastore.org
Magpie 416 Highland Ave., Somerville (617-623-3330) magpie-store.com
Olives & Grace 623 Tremont St., Boston (617-236-4536) olivesandgrace.com
Templeton General 25 Channel Center St., Boston (857-362-7289) templetongeneral.com
By Improper Staff | Photo Credit: Holly Rike
Nerd alert! Shop smart with an electronics kit for pint-sized inventors, a flask etched with the chemical formula for alcohol or a laser-cut wood puzzle from Somerville studio Nervous System, which uses a custom algorithm to make its challenging patterns and can even incorporate your own photo or drawing into the design.
Where to buy it?
Abodeon 1731 Mass. Ave., Cambridge (617-497-0137) abodeon.com
The ICA Store 100 Northern Ave., Boston (617-478-3104) icastore.org
Magpie 416 Highland Ave., Somerville (617-623-3330) magpie-store.com
The MIT Museum Store 265 Mass. Ave., Cambridge (617-324-2849) museumstore.mit.edu
Nervous System n-e-r-v-o-u-s.com
On Centre 676 Centre St., Boston (617-522-2255) oncentrejp.com
Xylem 287 Third St., Cambridge (617-494-9953) shopxylem.com
By Improper Staff | Photo Credit: Holly Rike
Indulge the imbibers on your list with conversation-starting barware, some intoxicating reading material or a buzz-worthy sip, like Boston Harbor Distillery’s new limited-edition spirits made from Sam Adams brews.
Where to buy it?
Black Ink 101 Charles St., Boston (617-723-3883) blackinkboston.com
Boston Harbor Distillery 12R Ericsson St., Boston (617-533-7001) bostonharbordistillery.com
Flock 274 Shawmut Ave., Boston (617-391-0222) flockboston.com
Hudson 12 Union Park St., Boston (617-292-0900) hudsonboston.com
The ICA Store 100 Northern Ave., Boston (617-478-3104) icastore.org
Kitchenwitch 671 Centre St., Boston (617-524-6800) kitchenwitchjp.tumblr.com
Magpie 416 Highland Ave., Somerville (617-623-3330) magpie-store.com
The MFA Gift Shop 465 Huntington Ave., Boston (617-369-3575) mfashop.com
The MIT Museum Store 265 Mass. Ave., Cambridge (617-324-2849) museumstore.mit.edu
Templeton General 25 Channel Center St., Boston (857-362-7289) templetongeneral.com
By Improper Staff | Photo Credit: Holly Rike
Where to buy it?
Abodeon 1731 Mass. Ave., Cambridge (617-497-0137) abodeon.com
Ball and Buck 144B Newbury St., Boston (617-262-1776) ballandbuck.com
Black Ink 101 Charles St., Boston (617-723-3883) blackinkboston.com
Boston General Store 305 Harvard St., Brookline (617-232-0103) bostongeneralstore.com
Magpie 416 Highland Ave., Somerville (617-623-3330) magpie-store.com
Olives & Grace 623 Tremont St., Boston (617-236-4536) olivesandgrace.com
Patch NYC 46 Waltham St., Boston (617-426-0592) patchnyc.com
Pioneer Goods Co. 764 Tremont St., Boston (857-263-8799) pioneergoodsco.com
Templeton General 25 Channel Center St., Boston (857-362-7289) templetongeneral.com
Xylem 287 Third St., Cambridge (617-494-9953) shopxylem.com
By Improper Staff | Photo Credit: Holly Rike
Outfit your favorite rugged adventurers with gear that will let them tote tunes into the woods, tipple ’round the campfire and wear their love of nature on their sleeve—that bracelet is made from a real sizing gauge used by Maine lobster trappers.
Where to buy it?
Abodeon 1731 Mass. Ave., Cambridge (617-497-0137) abodeon.com
Ball and Buck 144B Newbury St., Boston (617-262-1776) ballandbuck.com
Bobby from Boston 9 Thayer St., Boston (617-423-9299) bobby-from-boston.com
Boston General Store 305 Harvard St., Brookline (617-232-0103) bostongeneralstore.com
December Thieves 88 Charles St., Boston (617-982-6802) decemberthieves.com
Kitchenwitch 671 Centre St., Boston (617-524-6800) kitchenwitchjp.tumblr.com
Patch NYC 46 Waltham St., Boston (617-426-0592) patchnyc.com
Pioneer Goods Co. 764 Tremont St., Boston (857-263-8799) pioneergoodsco.com
The Tannery 711 Boylston St., Boston (617-267-5500) thetannery.com
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