Things are tough for everyone right now – whether you’re working remotely under a “stay at home” order, suddenly homeschooling due to school closings or trying to keep your small business afloat. In times like these, we need to support each other however we can.
So today I’m highlighting Duck Soup client stores with great products to help you through the coming weeks and months. We can make our new lives a little more comfortable while helping small businesses who need orders to stay open. I hope you will give them your support, shop their stores and share them with friends – you might just find a new favorite brand.
Don’t forget, all of these e-commerce stores are run out of local communities, maybe yours! Many of them have brick and mortar stores that they’ve had to close or reduce hours, leaving online as their primary sales channel. By supporting them, you’re supporting jobs and businesses in cities and towns around the United States.
Stores included below were open and accepting orders as of the time of writing.
Stay Healthy
Boost your immune system with health supplements from top brands at Long Natural Health (Boulder, CO). Shop liquid herbal formulas for all types of conditions at Trilight Health (Morning View, KY). Or find the highest quality herbs for immunity, healthy lungs and more from the “Betty Crocker of Herbs” at MyHerbs.net (Live Oak, FL).
Hand washing doesn’t have to be a chore or tough on your skin. Try luscious handmade soaps from Comfort & Joy Apothecary (Stony Point, NY) or Chasworth Farm (Saint Albans, VT). Both shops also offer a variety of other body care products and even soap samplers to keep things interesting!
Treat Yourself or Loved Ones
Need something to snack on while you’re working from home? Try gourmet popcorn from Cornucopia Popcorn (Austin, TX) or My Popcorn Junkie (Orlando, FL). Both offer multiple size bags of unique popcorn flavors and large gift tins if you want to stock up.
Craving something sweet for breakfast or dessert? Grab a batch of World Famous Chipsticks or other fabulous cookies at Ricki’s Cookie Corner (Memphis, TN). Or shop The Challah Connection (Norwalk, CT) for delicious breads, bagels and other Kosher treats. They’re also both great places to shop for Passover foods if your local stores are closed or low on inventory.
Cheer someone up with a delightful gift basket from Thoughtful Presence (Niles, IL). Choose from gourmet foods to spa products to toys and activity kits for kids. Or surprise kids feeling lonely with a new friend in the form of an adorable plush toy or teddy bear from Cuddle Bug Toy Factory (Titusville, NJ).
Even if we can’t be there in person, we can be there in spirit with a piece of jewelry from Heart on Your Wrist (Menlo Park, CA). Using your artwork or handwriting, they’ll create a truly personalized item that will keep you close to your loved ones while we’re all physically apart.
Eat Well
Everyone is doing a lot more cooking with many restaurants being closed. Why not try out some new recipes and cuisines? Shop Spices for Less (Roselle, NJ) for a huge assortment of spices and seasonings that will bring amazing flavor to any meal.
With grocery stores running low on some basics, why not make your own instead? The Cheesemaker (Mequon, WI) offers everything you need to make your own cheese, yogurt, kefir and kombucha. They also offer a wealth of recipes and tips so you can get started in no time. Cheesemaking is also a great activity for kids home for school!
Speaking of kids – they’ll love making their own cake pops! Just visit My Little Cake Pop (Dana Point, CA) for all the supplies, edible paint and adorably cute molds. Check out their Pinterest boards for creative inspiration.
Keep your kitchen clean and organized with plastic, foil and parchment paper dispensers from ChicWrap (Valencia, CA). Used by professional chefs like The Pioneer Woman, their dispensers make any cooking or baking project easier and more enjoyable.
Get Creative
Now is the perfect time to pick up a new hobby! Whether it’s a solo activity or something fun for the whole family, there are plenty of choices. Plus, you can always sell your handmade items on Etsy to pick up some extra cash.
Have a sewing machine at home? Shop Fabric Carolina (High Point, NC) for every type of fabric and trim you’ll need to make clothing, quilts, pillows, curtains and more. If you’re missing sports, keep you your team spirit with officially licensed fabrics from College Fabric Store or Fantastic Sports Store (Edgewood, NY).
If traditional sewing isn’t your thing, give knitting or crocheting a try! Expression Fiber Arts (Charlotte, NC) offers gorgeous yarns, supplies and patterns to get you started. They also have lots of video tutorials and tips on their blog for beginners to advanced knitters.
Make your own jewelry or add some sparkle to your clothing with beautiful Swarovski beads, buttons and stones from Rainbows of Light (Fort Collins, CO). You’ll find a huge selection of colors, shapes and sizes for any project plus resources like design ideas, video tutorials and more.
Looking for fun family activities? Pick up some rubber stamps from Prickley Pear Rubber Stamps (Science Hill, KY) to make stamp-based artwork or create greeting cards to send to family and friends. Shop Woodpeckers Crafts (Lakewood, NJ) for a diverse selection of wood craft products like balls, blocks, dowels, cut-outs and more. Check their blog for creative project ideas. Or host some family magic shows – Rock Ridge Magic (Brandon, SD) has cards, coins, balls, silks and instruction books to learn amazing tricks!
For the adults in the family, why not take this extra time to start home brewing? Pursuit Supply (Chicago, IL) has all the equipment, ingredients and hardware you’ll need to start making your own beer, wine and distilled spirits at home. They also have photography gear if you’ve been meaning to put that old 35mm camera to use.
Make Life More Comfortable
We’re all spending more time at home these days, so there’s never been a better time to invest in things that will make our living spaces comfortable.
If you’re working from home, you may have discovered you don’t have enough lounge clothes to avoid doing laundry every few days. Stock up on fun tees for the whole family at Nerd Kung Fu (Oakland, CA)! From superheroes to music to your favorite classic TV shows, you’re guaranteed find a shirt for your inner nerd. Then keep your feet warm and toasty with fun and colorful socks from PocketSocks (San Diego, CA).
Stay cozy during those binge watch sessions with throw pillows and blankets from Adirondack Country Store (Northville, NY). We also love Marcel Miller’s (Atlanta, GA) collection of luxurious handcrafted cotton and cashmere throw blankets.
Doing some renovations with your new-found free time? Give cabinets or vanities a fresh new look with new knobs, pulls and hinges hardware from Complete Home Hardware (Franklin, TN). Or replace that dated medicine cabinet with a new concealed cabinet – the world’s only medicine cabinet with a picture frame door – from Fox Hollow Furnishings (Los Angeles, CA). They also offer wall niches to transform your closed medicine cabinet into open recessed shelves. If you’re finally tackling that refinishing project in your garage, check out Earth Pigments (Cortaro, AZ) for non-toxic pigments and decorative mica products for paints and coatings.
With hair salons closed, you might be worried about those roots starting to show. Try natural henna hair and beard dyes from Henna King (Las Vegas, NV). They’re organic, vegan and easy to use for covering gray and giving your hair a healthy shine.
Finally, for all those couples cooped up at home, with or without kids, stay connected with a little inspiration from Evernight Publishing (Barrie, ON). Their smart and sexy romance novel ebooks are great for keeping the flame alive during these stressful times. But to prevent your own baby boom, pick up a pack of organic, vegan condoms from Glyde America (Marina del Rey, CA) first!
Stay safe and healthy, everyone.
*If you’re a BigCommerce business owner but not a Duck Soup client, I want to support you too! Email me or use the comments below to let me know about your company and what products you’d like highlighted.