Shoppers who are tired of buying mass-produced items to put under the Christmas tree for loved ones during the holidays may find local, handmade gifts by artisans and craftspeople in shops in the area.

The Era visited several shops in the community that sell a variety of quality, handmade gift items that should provide pleasant surprises for recipients come Christmas morning.

At the Main Street Mercantile at 45 Main St. in Bradford, employee Amber McAlpine said the facility carries a variety of crafts, handmade and locally produced items such as honey and maple syrup.

“This is definitely the place to come, we really have something for everyone,” McAlpine said of the consignment shop. “We have two different toy sections now because Timeless Treasures has come over here,” she said of the toy and children’s shop that had been located on Chestnut Street and is owned by Sheryl Silvis. In addition to the Timeless Treasures gift items, other handmade toys and gift items made by Holgate Toys are located at the back of the store.

“We have a ton of people who come back home (during the holidays) so they stop in to visit,” McAlpine said of customers. “They buy memorabilia and other stuff.”  

Additional craft items include wooden birdhouses by Bob Foote of Bob’s Wood Shop, artwork and books by Denise Drummond and her mother, Pat, as well as other local authors, wooden helicopters by Don Simon and framed photographs by Brian Berlin.

At the Marilyn Horne Museum, manager Matthew Hileman said the facility carries a limited supply of handmade jewelry of former Bradford resident Donna Williams, who recently moved from the area. Williams’ work, which has a nature theme, includes jewelry made from sea glass, copper and even peacock feathers.

Hileman said he would be interested in reviewing the work of other artisans to sell at the museum, located at 2 Marilyn Horne Way, given the positive response by the community to

last weekend’s “A Dickens Christmas.” The celebration, which featured the sale of craft items by local artisans, was well-received by the community.

“In the long run we’re trying to find (crafts or handmade items) that would integrate well into what we do in the store,” Hileman explained. “If someone approaches us, I’d love to see what they have.”

Markita Lambert, University of Pittsburgh at Bradford student ambassador at the museum, noted the shop also sells Bradford Christmas ornaments, for those who want a holiday memento of the community.

In the Fluffy Baby Boutique at 17 Kennedy St., owner Michele Panek said she sells various knit and crocheted baby items, as well as baby quilts, handmade by a number of fiber artists.

Panek said crocheted and knitted blankets, hats and booties are made by Becky Cook of Kane, while Panek makes ribbon blankets. Bibs and cotton blankets are made by Pam Snyder of Kane, while colorful, creative quilts for babies are made and designed by Barb Haas.

“She is an artist, to say the least,” Panek said of Haas.

“It’s been my hope that over time I would meet some different (artisans) locally, but these ladies have all been wonderful,” she said of her core group of artists.

A shop that offers a different type of handmade, local items is the Team Minard business at 90 Main St. Owner Jim Minard said the business makes, on site, custom prints and embroidered  T-shirts that range from high school team logos to family reunions and benefits.

Minard said the shop also makes T-shirts that match topics of local interest, such as the recent mention of Songbird Road in Bradford on the hit NBC show, “This Is Us.”

“I just decided to make these,” he said of the Songbird Road T-shirts as he held one up.

Minard still has several of the shirts in supply for those who want to give the unusual gift for fans of the show.

A variety of crafts can also be found in the Eldred area at Olde Schoolhouse Village Shoppes at 109 Indian Creek Road.

The rural facility, owned by Tammy Ireland, carries numerous locally made crafts and gift items in the former Eldred Township Elementary School. The building was repurposed several years ago and now comprises several shops throughout the two-story structure.