Story and photos by Allison Munder Contributor
On the last Saturday of every month, The Pike Outlets hosts Shop Small Saturdays, where local businesses come out to display and sell their products from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Attendees can buy anything from natural, handmade skincare products to liquor-infused cake pops.
Make sure to go on an empty stomach. Shop Small Saturdays brings out vendors like BrewWings, a pub-style food truck that serves chicken, waffles, sandwiches, tater tots, and craft brews. Their most popular dish is the wings and waffles. The wings have just the right amount of heat and complement the soft, warm waffles and sweet syrup spilling over on top. It is practically nirvana if you have a sweet tooth.
If you’ve had a long day, you might need some coffee. Check out Tisomora, a family company that owns three farms in Colombia and has grown their own coffee beans for over 100 years. Perfect for the coffee connoisseur who wants an authentic cup of rich Colombian coffee.
Need some dessert to finish off your cravings? KML Events offers delicious cupcakes like their French Toast cupcake, made with the breakfast lover in mind. If you’re feeling a little naughty, grab a liquor-infused cake pop from Drunken Cake Pops, but make sure you get there early—they sold out less than two hours into the event.
Chocolate lovers can head over to Wallflower Chocolate, where you can find different types of chocolate bars made with raw cocoa beans from around the world.
As soon as you have filled up your stomach - and trust me, you will - stop by Hippie Roots for a wide range of all-natural skincare products like face and skin scrubs. Who needs to go to overpriced stores when local merchants sell products that are just as good or even better?
If you have kids or your friends have kids, or you just have baby fever in general, check out Paisley and Eloise. Created by two Long Beach moms, this boutique is filled with the cutest baby clothes, and perfect for a baby Instagram shoot.
Need to treat yourself to a new outfit? Wild Ride is a mobile shopping experience filled with trendy outer and casual wear; you’re going to want to just hand them your credit card and go nuts. After that, you’ll need to bling-out your outfit, right? Misty Jane is a store that specializes in handmade crochet and wire jewelry designed by Danyele Thomas, perfect for a night out or to surprise that special someone. Their jewelry is made by Misty Jane herself, Thomas’s mother.
Misty Jane is the eponymous store of jewelry maker Misty Jane, who specializes in handmade crochet and wire jewelry, perfect for a night out or to surprise that special someone. Misty Jane’s jewelry is designed by her daughter, Danyele Thomas.
If you want to go out with your friends, partner or family, Shop Small Saturdays is a perfect outing. You can check out high quality, locally made goods and food. There’s no better feeling than having a mini shopping spree and supporting local businesses at the same time.
