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For Last-Minute Mother’s Day Gifts, Turn To Your Local Businesses

For Last-Minute Mother’s Day Gifts, Turn To Your Local Businesses
Mother’s Day cards from Awesome Brooklyn. Courtesy of Vanessa Raptopoulos.

You forgot Mother’s Day. It’s fine – there’s a lot to worry about right now. Happily, however, we live in Brooklyn, rife with some of the city’s coolest independent shops, owned and curated by talented and creative individuals, many of whom are still open in one way or another – and would be really happy to have your business. Many of these businesses are doing their best to adapt, by offering curbside pickup or setting up miniature pop-up shops. So this year, take the opportunity to show support for both your mom and for small local business owners.

Gift Shops

Exit9 Gift Emporium, which has locations in the East Village and Boerum Hill, is offering curbside pickup for online orders and is even giving customers a chance to window shop this Thursday: come up to the door and ask a store associate to select your items for you. They’re also happy to offer recommendations. The staff has also spent extra time putting together curated gift baskets, since customers aren’t able to browse for their own right now, co-owner Charles Branstool explained.

Baskets consist of items like candles, bath bombs, and essential oils. Design-forward cards curated by co-owner Christy Davis are also available. The store has also partnered with Dumbo restaurant Superfine to create a pop-up shop, where customers can browse a selection of gifts, including a few Mother’s Day options, while they wait to pick up their orders.

Vanessa Raptopoulos, owner of Awesome Brooklyn in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, is doing her best to serve her clientele by offering a two-day-a-week pickup schedule for online orders — customers who purchase items online by 1pm tomorrow can pick up at 2pm. All orders are shipped out within a day with USPS priority, which takes 2-3 days to arrive. Along with handmade masks, puzzles, and Mother’s Day cards, Raptopoulos also stocks items like plushie versions of historical figures like Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Frida Kahlo, and Rosie the Riveter.

In Park Slope, Annie’s Blue Ribbon General Store will offer a contactless curbside pickup option on Saturday, from 3 to 5 pm. Place an order online and email owner Ann at Ann@blueribbongeneralstore.com to set up a pickup time. The store offers curated bundles of items like skincare products, candles, and mugs.

Brooklyn Artery in Ditmas Park is currently offering “virtual shopping.” Check out their inventory on Facebook or their Instagram, and email owner Meredith at meredith.brooklynartery@gmail.com or send her a direct message on Facebook to place an order. No-contact pickup is also available at the door on Thursdays from 3 to 6pm, and Meredith herself is providing no-contact delivery for locals. Customers can also take a virtual shop tour on Thursdays from 3-6 pm. The shop offers a selection of cards, handmade ceramics, small housewares, skin and body care products, and other items, all made by independent artists and craftspeople.

Chocolate

Family-owned chocolate shop JoMart in Marine Park is currently offering all of their handmade chocolates, including specialty Mother’s Day chocolate bars, bundles, and bonbon gift boxes for both USPS shipping and curbside pickup. Call 718-375-1277, or email hello@jomartchocolates.com, for more information on shipping and pickup. Check out their selection online.

East Williamsburg bean-to-bar chocolate company FINE & RAW, whose products are sold in retail locations around the city, also offers a selection of Mother’s Day bundles containing bars, truffles, and homemade spreads. While customers must order by 11am on Thursday and select overnight shipping to guarantee delivery by Friday, they can order by midnight on Friday for curbside pickup on Saturday. Options for pickup will be limited to a select range of products. Official details will be posted soon on their Instagram.

Depending on order size and type of product, Not Just Chocolate in Park Slope will hand deliver your purchase if you live locally, co-owner Sergei Potekhin said. Check out their selection of handmade animal-shaped treats on their website, then call them at 347-749-3642 to place your order.

Spas/Salons

Sadly, spa treatments aren’t an option right now. That being said, a gift certificate for a spa treatment will give your mom something to look forward to when these businesses start opening back up Grab one from d’mai Urban Spa in Park Slope, which offers everything from massages to acupuncture. D’mai also sells Mother’s Day gift baskets filled with body oils, candles, and face and body care products, as well as smaller kits.

Fort Green’s Cynergy Spa is offering gift certificates for their Mother’s Day packages online, including a two-hour “Pamper Mummy” package, which includes treatments like a full body aromatherapy massage, facial, and hydrating mask. All gift certificates will be honored within an 18 month period from purchase date. PRESS Modern Massage is also offering gift cards for services at their Williamsburg and Greenpoint locations.