The current pandemic is taking its toll on many small businesses. With your support, local businesses can continue to create employment, support local causes, and support other small businesses right here at home, says Jason Janes, chief scraper maker for Juniper BBQ Scraper Ltd. in Humber Valley Resort, N.L.
Purchasing Father's Day gifts locally could mean the difference of a small business staying open or not, adds Janes.
Here are some gift ideas for this Father’s Day that can be ordered online to support small businesses from across Atlantic Canada:
1. Juniper BBQ Scraper, Humber Valley Resort, N.L.
Looking for a Father's Day gift? Juniper BBQ Scraper is spicing things up for Father’s Day.
The Juniper BBQ Scraper is the safe, natural solution for keeping your grill clean and your family safe. The scraper is made from juniper (taramack), a wood that is known for being tough and durable without splintering. The long handle allows you to keep your hands away from the hot grill. Over time, grooves will form, creating a custom scraper, molded to your own grill.
Order a three-pack of scrapers and a two-pack of spice mixes for $68.97, a special offered for Father's Day that includes free shipping.
2. The Cape Breton Fudge Co., Sydney, N.S.
The Cape Breton Fudge Co. specializes in handmade fudge of the butter cream variety, and generally have over two dozen flavours available online in two sizes: cubes (approximately one-third of a pound) and bars (approximately half a pound), says co-owner and main fudge maker, Wade Langham. Cubes retail for $7 (including tax), while the bars go for $10 (including tax).
People usually like to pick a few flavours of each and add some saltwater taffy or Cape Breton rocks (chocolate covered candies) to a gift box, says Langham.
“We also have some fun mugs with our logo and some cheeky sayings,” he says.
“And of course, if there is an oatcake fan, we have some of the finest available in Rita’s Tea Room Oatcakes (still baked by Rita’s Tea Room’s original baker of the last 20 years, Janet).”
For Father’s Day in particular, the company is offering a $40 sweet tin package: three bars of fudge, one saltwater taffy and one Cape Breton rocks, all packaged in a new silver paint can that makes a great storage container for later on.
3. Nick’s Customized Apparel: Father’s Day T-shirts, Kentville, N.S.
In time for Father’s Day, Lloyd Boutilier of Nick’s Customized Apparel in Kentville, N.S. has created two comical Father’s Day shirts for $20. One, in particular, is for guitar-loving dads who will know this spells out D-A-D!
T-shirts come in a variety of sizes and can be mailed anywhere.
https://nicks-customized-apparel.myshopify.com/
4. Gift Sets, PEI Preserve Company, New Glasgow, P.E.I.
The PEI Preserve Company offers several ideas for Father’s Day, including several gift sets and individual items.
If you think your dad is hot stuff, consider this gift box which includes a canvas barbecue apron, the well-loved habanero mango sauce, peach salsa, curry powder, hot antipasto, red pepper potato pizzazz and two bottles of locally-made hot sauce. This gift set retails for $100.
The Grill Master set, also for $100, includes heavy-duty leather mitts to remove hot grills, pots, etc. from the barbecue or oven; a great grill brush; three premium bottles of woodchips for barbecue smokers in apple, mesquite, and hickory; a bottle of smoked hickory barbecue sauce; and steak spice.
The Dad Loves Chocolate set, $94, includes locally-made chocolate, roasted Receiver coffee, a handcrafted Nova Scotian mug, homemade fudge, Preserve Company chocolate chip shortbread, homemade brittle, and organic hot chocolate.
5. Drawbridge Creative: Customized Prints, Halifax, NS
Colleen O’Dea of Drawbridge Creative is a graphic designer who creates a series of customized prints featuring, “Things I Love About You.”
To create your own piece, send a list of words and phrases to [email protected] in any format. Then, O’Dea will create the piece basing the final size on how much content you've gathered, making sure to use standard frame sizes so you won't have to spend extra money on a custom frame. Most finished pieces are about a 16x20, which is about 1,000 words.
The finished piece is sent as a PDF file with very specific instructions for your printer. It will typically cost just a few dollars to have it printed professionally and is less expensive having O’Dea ship it. Plus, she says, you get it right away.
O’Dea says it takes 48 to 72 hours to have a draft version emailed to you.
Prints are on sale for $75.
https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/DrawbridgeCreative
6. Jumping Bean Coffee, Mount Pearl, N.L.
If your father-figure is a coffee lover, you can’t go wrong with Jumping Bean. The fairtrade coffee is organic and Jumping Bean’s unique roasting process eliminates 85 per cent of its carbon footprint to create a truly guilt-free cup of coffee for Dad and the environment, says Nick Halfyard, the sales and digital marketing coordinator with Jumping Bean Coffee in Mount Pearl, N.L.
The company’s signature blends - East Coast Roast, Lighthouse Roast, Deep Water Dark and Newfoundland Screech - are a must have this Father’s Day, he adds.
“We also just launched brand new Jumping Bean merchandise, Caffeinate Don’t Hibernate t-shirts and hoodies,” said Halfyard.
Shipping is available.
