Welcome to The Line, a newsletter for Cary and Western Wake from The Assembly Network. The Line connects the dots for local life with timely info, relevant news, interesting people and expert guides. 

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🚉 Arriving Now

1. 6 ideas to shop local 
2. Cary hotel is best, say Triangle readers
3. See championship college soccer
4. Did you guess the coffee shop? 

–Sarah Day

6 Local Gift Shops

The holiday season is critical for many small businesses–even more so this year, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce reports, with nearly four in five small businesses who say now it is crucial to their annual success. That’s up nine percentage points over last year.

Beyond the favorable economics of shopping local, small businesses give back: 65% said they plan to donate to charitable organizations and 51% plan to volunteer, both increases from last year in that same U.S. Chamber report.

Not sure where to start your hunt for a perfect gift? Here is a sampling of six local gift shops in Cary, Apex, and Morrisville with a broad range of options. 

North Left Mercantile

Shopping for a well-traveled friend? The Downtown Apex shop might be for you. North Left curates goods from makers that are new to the region, said Alexis Jenssen, who owns the shop with husband Leif. Their best-selling item is a custom home scent, which they restock every week. North Left embroiders hats in house, and their T-shirts are made locally. 

Personal care products like facial polish or mineral bath soak, and consumables like bitters or Jacobsen Co. steak seasoning are all natural or organic. A selection of vintage art and jewelry round out the offerings. 

What else you might find: Many gift shops seem to cater to women primarily, but many of North Left’s products are unisex, featuring scents such as sandalwood, oak moss, and palo santo. 

For kids, there are STEM kits like a dinosaur robot or a young adventurers’ book for outdoor activities. For older explorers, a selection of Wildsam Field Guides tease forthcoming adventures in the Pacific Northwest or down Route 66.

Find it: 117 North Salem Street, Apex, or northleftmercantile.com.  

Gather Goods Co. 

Shopping for a hobbyist? The loved one who’s into bird watching may like to test their knowledge with a trivia game or display a “certified bird nerd” bumper sticker. An entry-level needlepoint kit, watercolor painting kit, or DIY miniature house might be right for other creative types. 

What else you might find: NC-made foods like date-sweeted Spring & Mulberry bars, Spicewalla seasoning mixes, and Big Spoon Roasters nut butters; Roen candles, cookbooks, cards, and art. A variety of glassware is also available, as is A Coupé of Thorns and Rosé, a romantasy-themed cocktail guide I purchased for my book club’s gift exchange. 

Gifts for Mahjong players include tiles and gear, and there are 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzles with artistic landscapes and holiday scenes available. 

Find it: 417 Kildaire Farm Road, Cary, or shop.gathergoodsco.com 

Ivy Cottage

Shopping for the perennial host? Ivy Cottage is decked out for Christmas, with seasonal servingware and decor for every color scheme imaginable, from traditional red and green to bright pink to sparkling white. This is a good spot to find something for an ornament exchange. 

Homewares also include boutique brand candles like Boy Smells and Illume, and servingware brands like Nora Fleming, Beatriz Ball, teapots and teas. 

What else you might find: Boutique jewelry like enewton and Capucine De Wulf, novelty socks, handbags, Mahjong tiles, cheeky needlepoint pillows, baby gifts, seasonal puzzles, and a selection of stocking stuffers for kids. 

Find it: 2017 Northwest Cary Parkway, Morrisville. 

Even more ideas: 

🛍️ Artfully Apex: An art store that goes beyond just supplies, the back half of the store is oriented toward kids, with artist-made games like auto bingo and categories, stickers of all kinds, markers, temporary tattoos, coloring books, and more. Don’t miss the Christmas stocking station. DIY kits for older kids or adults include air dry clay, stamps, printing, and paint by number. Emily Lex watercolor books are among their bestsellers, with books, paint and paintbrushes available. Find it: 111 North Salem Street in Apex, or artfullyapex.com 

🛍️ Science Safari: This science- and nature-themed toy store includes STEM toys like science experiments, Celestron telescopes, robotics, nature exploration toys, dinosaur- and vehicle-related items. Find it in Saltbox Village, 1255 Kildaire Farm Road in Cary.  

🛍️ Stylish Living: This shop stocks seasonal wares, decor, and candles; bags, jewelry, clothing, and kids gifts. It’s an easy stop to find items for many people on your list. Find it: 120 North Salem Street, Apex. 

💬 This is just a starting point–there are tons of other gift stores, specialty shops for clothes, entertaining, spices, antiques, and more in Western Wake County. 

Do you have a favorite shopping destination I missed? Email line@theassemblync.com or reply to this email! 

In Brief | What I’d Tell You While We Shop Local

🧖🏾‍♀️ The Umstead Hotel & Spa is the top hotel for INDY readers in Best of the Triangle. What makes it special? As Jane Porter writes:

“A serene lakeside setting surrounded by woods. A super-relaxing spa. A Forbes Five-Star restaurant. These are all the elements you need for a memorable stay, and you’ll find them all at the Umstead Hotel in Cary, the Triangle’s premier world-class luxury hotel. Book a massage, facial, or mani-pedi, then lounge by the pool or stroll around the hotel grounds. Chill in the meditation garden or unwind in the steam room and sauna. Enjoy a meal or two at Herons: It’s open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus brunch on the weekends and afternoon tea Wednesday through Sunday. Whether you’re traveling in from out of town or enjoying a staycation, the Umstead Hotel will always offer an unforgettable experience.”

📰 Cary Town Council: No additional details were shared about Town Manager Sean Stegall’s paid administrative leave at the work session on Tuesday, The News & Observer reports, but the council spent two hours in closed session “to discuss the “qualifications and competence” of an unnamed town employee or employees.”

🎅 The Cary Jaycees Christmas Parade is this weekend. The 46th annual event is 2-4 p.m. Saturday through Downtown Cary, starting where East Chatham Street intersects with Ward Street, winding down Chatham to Academy Street, and ending at the Cary Arts Center. More holiday events here.

⚽ The College Cup in Cary: The top four Division I college men’s soccer teams play at WakeMed Soccer Park today, including N.C. State. The winners will play for the championship on Monday. It’s not too late to get tickets. 

🍺 Attention Holiday Travelers: Raleigh Beer Garden’s RDU outpost is now open in Terminal 1. 

Did You Guess the Coffee Shop?

It’s Crema Coffee & Bakery! Reader Brendan L. was the first to guess correctly, thanks to some internet sleuthing skills, while Shariq J. guessed correctly from being in the neighborhood. He recommends the almond croissant and black and white latte. 

More about Crema: Tucked in a strip mall behind the H Mart and not far from Preston, the locally-owned shop roasts its own beans at the fresh-brewed coffee and espresso bar, which includes more than 20 flavors for lattes. 

They also bake their own pastries, with a variety of croissants, turnovers, scones, and buns, as well as castella, a Japanese sponge cake. 

Find it: 1983 High House Road, Cary, 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays. 

The Line will be back in your inbox Tuesday! 

Sarah Day Owen Wiskirchen is the head of newsletters for The Assembly Network and editor of The Line.