Cassie McGrath
masslive.com
WWR Article Summary (tl;dr) “With the holiday season in full swing, many shoppers are out looking for the perfect gift for their loved ones. If you’re feeling stuck, the Foundation for Business Equity put together a holiday gift guide rounding up items from Massachusetts businesses of color.”
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The Foundation for Business Equity is an organization dedicated to removing structural barriers to growth for Black and Latinx business owners and supports entrepreneurs reach their full potential, the group said. The gift guide is part of its signature program, the Business Equity Initiative which supports the unique needs of businesses while uplifting the overall entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The gift guide includes something for everyone, from food and beverages to beauty and hardware.
A bottle of wine can make the perfect gift and The Urban Grape in Boston is one of the best places to shop for it. Named the Small Business Of The Year award from the United States Chamber of Commerce in October, this Black-owned and woman-owned company, is known for making excellent wine accessible. The BEI list highlights the Urban Grape 2021 Holiday Gift Guide, which includes Holiday Wine Kits.
Looking for liquor rather than wine? BEI suggests Omze Authentic Tequila, which can be purchased at several stores around Massachusetts including Boston and Worcester.
“Founded by Oscar Zepeda Sr. and Oscar Zepeda Jr in 2019, Real Zepeda is a family-owned tequila brand that crafts traditional tequila. Real Zepeda is known for its signature smooth and smoky flavor, which derives from a unique five-step process,” BEI wrote.
For retail items, the holiday gift guide highlighted a business called Ardent which is a biotech and medical cannabis device company based in Boston. BEI specifically noted the Ardent FX for a gift idea, which is a portable cannabis kitchen device that can make at-home cannabis-infused products. Buyers can use the coupon code “BEI25″ at checkout for 25% off storewide.
If you’re looking to create a one-in-a-kind gift, Elegant Stitches in Pittsfield may be for you. This family-owned custom embroidered and screen-printing company can customize products from tote bags to sweaters to sweatpants.
Family Hardware Corp in Dorchester was listed as a stop for hardware supplies, appliances and gardening tools this holiday season. Meanwhile, Intriguing Hair in Boston can give the gift of haircare. This store sells hair argumentation and non-surgical hair replacements from wigs to hairpieces.
Have a knitter in the family? Lady Dye Yarns in Boston sells one-of-a-kind hand-dyed yarns and accessories, according to the gift guide, which specifically noted their “Ready-To-Ship: The Fabulous Holiday Box.”
One Gig, a skate shop in Boston, sells decks, cruisers, longboards, carvers, wheels, bearings, grip, skate tools and more to skaters with ranging levels of skill, making it accessible for gift-buying as well.
Food was also all over the BEI gift guide, with restaurants including Darryl’s Corner Bar and Kitchen, Fresh Food Generation, Jamaica Mi Hungry, Juice’d Café, Las Palmas, Soleil and Tres Islas Group — which includes three spots, Merengue, Vejigantes, and Doña Habana — on the list.
Supermarkets also made the gift guide. Stop and Compare, with locations in Lynn and Chelsea and Vicente’s Supermarket with locations in Brockton were both featured.
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