Shop Small, Support Local

This holiday season might still look different for many of us in many different ways. Where and how we celebrate, the “who” and the “why” remain the same. This is a time to show your love and support for your family and friends, as well as your community.

When shopping this season, I intend on frequenting the places that fall in line with my ideals while supporting businesses that I want to see survive and thrive. My gifts will be of things that I love, supporting industries I believe in, that employ hard-working Quad Citizens – let’s give a nod to the booze makers, the baristas, and the creative artists who bring us together. 

My father always said that if you don’t know what to buy someone, you should buy them booze. While some may see this as a shameless plug, given my day job, I pen (type) this from pride in my community. This year has not been kind to your local breweries and distillery and they make things we all absolutely need, on that I think we can all agree. 

While every brewery has to-go and merch options, these are some of my favorites. 

Mississippi River Distilling Co. - 303 N. Cody Road in LeClaire

The distillery folk have been nothing short of impressive during these trying times. They quickly pivoted from making alcohol you drink to processing alcohol to sanitize your hands. They have clever merch, cool glassware, and delicious spirits available that make great gifts – I can speak from experience.

Five Cities Brewing - 2255 Falcon Ave. in Bettendorf

FCB has really cool, colorful merchandise for all style-types. If you’re shopping for a dog-lover or a fan of their Bikini Bottom Pineapple Wheat, they’ve got the goods for you.

Crawford Brew Works – 3659 Devils Glen Rd. in Bettendorf

CBW is a great place to pic up swag for those who love brewing and the industry. They have the usual suspects of hoodies and t-shirts, but also tap handles and tin tackers for your home lounge.

Coffee is one of my top three favorite beverages of all time. We are very lucky to have a lot of great bean water makers in the area. These are my top three favorite:

Redband Coffee Co. – Davenport – Two Locations: 329 E. 4th Street + 110 W. 13th Street

Redband has held my heart for over a decade now, their place being the shape of their New Orleans Style Coffee. Their menu is sweet, simple, and never changing because it is perfect as is. You can see your coffee being roasted at the 13th Street location, but you can buy beans, drinks, and accouterment at both locations. If you have a coffee lover on your list, they will love whatever you buy from here. 

392 Caffe – 502 W. 3rd Street in Davenport

If you’re looking for an eclectic and hip coffee experience, 392 is your jam. They have a rotating seasonal menu that is always fun and their wide menu has something for everyone. Their smoothies and toast bar are some of my often re-orders and they have a very cool selection of home good for making your own concoctions. 

Iron + Grain Coffee House – 585 12th Avenue in East Moline

Iron + Grain never ceases to amaze me. Their drinks are so flavorful and complex, their baristas always know exactly what you’re craving after a quick chat, and they keep growing in incredible ways.  When I stopped in this visit, I discovered the Iron + Grain Holiday Pop Up Shop. It is a retail spot with over 30 different local vendors, most of them women, creating a space for local artists to go and sell their wares.

While this location is new, this local phenomenon is not. The creative women of the Quad Cities have been bringing together artists for years. If you are looking for other businesses that co-op with multiple artists under one roof, go check out Abernathy’s and QC Crafted in downtown Davenport.  

Abernathy’s – 432 W. 3rd Street in Davenport

This is one of my favorite shops in all of the Quad Cities – so much so I wrote a whole article about it. Read more about it here. 

While this season may look different, those and that which we love do not. Give gifts bought from your favorite places to not only show love for those getting the gift, but also those making it too. 

Cheers and Happy Holidays!

Written by: Deborah Davis

Deborah Davis, otherwise known as QCAlegirl, was born and raised in Davenport, Iowa, where she currently resides. A self-proclaimed craft beer fanatic, she spends her days managing one of the biggest craft breweries in the Quad Cities with a passion for fostering the brewing community. In her free time, she enjoys traveling within and outside of her own backyard, spending time with friends and family, and exploring the finer things in life when time and money allow.