With the end of Thanksgiving comes the frantic search for the perfect gifts for your family and/or significant other. However, instead of fighting the Black Friday crowds, take part in the annual Small Business Saturday. Many of your favorite local shops will be displaying their best wares for you to purchase. You can also give the gift of experiencing the best of Denton’s art.  

Want to experience the local music scene? Wristbands for the first Band Together go on sale Saturday, November 26th only. Gathering the talents of sixty local bands from DFW, the festival will include performances at ten house venues throughout the city. All-access passes will run for $20 dollars, while One Day Passes will be $10. To purchase, click on www.bandtogetherdenton.com/tickets.

For a cultural and visual experience you don’t want to miss, passes for the upcoming 2017 Denton Black Film Festival will go on sale November 25th, offering all access for the festivities and screenings featuring aspiring African American filmmakers at the Campus Theatre. For more information, check out http://dentonbff.com.

Recycled Books 
200 North Locust
Local bookstores are hard to come by in the digital age. However, if you’re looking to satisfy the bibliophile in your family, you can never go wrong with Recycled Books. This opera house-turned-bookstore will be holding its annual Black Friday sale all weekend, with 20% off everything. Have a sibling in graduate school with a serious coffee addiction? Recycled carries its own brand of mugs for your beverage needs. Seeking out a vintage record for your parents’ collection? Check out the vast rows dedicated to the classics and even featuring some newer titles, including the Stranger Things soundtrack from the popular Netflix series. Of course, you can never go wrong with books. For the contemporary reader, you may find a copy of Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams, a collection of short stories, prose, and diary excerpts from the late poet Sylvia Plath hidden among the array of shelves. One of the novelties of Recycled Books is that you never know how many books you may end leaving with for yourself, let alone for the book lover in your life.
-Katie Olson

DIME Store
510 South Locust
The DIME store, short for The Denton Independent Maker Exchange, is a local shop that sells homemade gifts. The shop stocks products from vendors such as Resoycled Candles, Archer + Hare, These Things Plush, and even coasters made by students in the Commercial Photography at the ATC. A bonus part about shopping at the DIME Store is that all gifts can be wrapped for you, for free. Have a bearded man in your life? Austin St. Apothecary sells Beard Tonics for beard conditioner, facial moisturizer, and personal fragrance. Austin St. Apothecary has a seasonal menu that includes a beard conditioning oil and body oil, with scent options Spruce & Vanilla Bourbon, Rose & Tonka Bean, Scotch Pine & Clove. The limited seasonal products range from $28-$20 for a full bottle, and $6-$4 for a sample bottle. These products are 100% natural and plant-based.
-Jackie Thompson

Denton Camera Exchange
117 Piner Street
Your loved one wants a film camera, and also film with which to fill their camera. Trust us. Polaroid, 35mm, large or medium format, whatever their forte, Denton Camera Exchange can take care of them this holiday season. Locally-owned and operated, DCE has been a staple to the community for 3 years. Conveniently located right off the square in downtown Denton, Denton Camera Exchange is an analog photographer's dream come true. After you’re done hitting up the Community Market, swing by Denton Camera Exchange and talk to owner Armand Kohandani, who is a walking film camera dictionary.
-Sara Button

Freaks & Geeks
1629 North Elm
Nestled away on Elm St. just north of the square, Freaks and Geeks has developed a following among Denton’s geek population as the place to go to buy and sell all things gaming, comics, and collectibles. Known for its laid-back vibe, the shop is a great stop for Black Friday, when you can snag a bunch a great deals including 10% off your total purchase when you pay with store credit. And if you aren’t able to make it out on Friday, Freaks and Geeks remains a must-shop stop all weekend (and throughout the holiday season) with regularly low prices and a great selection. While you’re there, make sure to check out the prints for sale from local artist Matthew Sallack and maybe pick up that extra N64 controller you’ve been meaning to get for approximately forever. And while specialty shops may seem intimidating if you’re shopping for someone else, the knowledgeable staff is fully prepared to assist you in making just the right selection. And, if all else fails, you can never go wrong with a gift card.
-Emily Cline

Juliet’s Jewels
315 West Sycamore
Containing a number of intricate tapestries, elegant scarves, pants, and exotic jewelry within its fragranced walls, the atmosphere of this store conveys a sense that you’ve stepped into another world. Many of the wares have been hand-selected by the owner on her travels to various countries including Thailand, India, Nepal, and Tibet. Searching for an item that’s traveled halfway around the world as potential holiday present? Look no further than Juliet’s Jewels.
-Katie Olson

Denton Community Market
317 West Mulberry Street
Honestly, why look any further? Denton Community Market is one of the best places to get your local gift shopping on in Denton. This Saturday, December 26 will be the Market’s last day of the season, too. From 9am-3pm, you can shop dozens of different booths, grab delicious bites from food trucks and other food tents, and spend some quality time crossing items off of your shopping list. There will be a silent auction with items from Salted Sanctuary, Brigid Brammer Bags, JW LeatherCrafters, and more.
-Sara Button

Bearded Monk
122 West McKinney
Beer is the gift that never fails to bring a smile to anyone's face. Bearded Monk is the place to go when you're thinking about what to give to that craft beer lover you know. Not sure what the right beer to get is? Trust the Bearded Monk staff, who were voted Best of Denton bar staff this year, to make a quality recommendation. While you could buy a six pack or bomber, you can also buy 32 oz growler for prices ranging from $4.99 up to $15 and have it filled onsite with any of the beers that are available on tap (filling costs extra, depending on which beer is selected). For an extra touch, growler bottle sweaters by Sisi's Scraps are available for sale. For anyone who could use a stronger beer vibe, we recommend purchasing candles made from re-purposed beer bottles crafted by Brittany Hale of Cultural Capital. What's Christmas shopping without buying a few things for yourself? Might as well get a six-pack to celebrate getting all your Christmas shopping done through local businesses.
-Mateo Granados

Header image design by Brittany Keeton