If there was ever a time to knock out holiday shopping early, it's the year with supply chain disruption.
And following a rough 2020 for many businesses, there's no better time to support local.
Tampa Bay Inno has made it easy for you and rounded up 14 startups with products bound to check every person off your holiday list — yes, even the person who says they don't want anything. Check them out below.
For those wanting to up their wardrobe
If you have a child in your life going through shoes left and right, Hannah’s Shoebox might have your fix. The Tampa company came to be after its founder, Collette Glover-Hannah, could not find any age-appropriate shoes for her young daughter with adult-sized feet. The site caters to tween girls, ages 8 to 14, with shoe sizes up to adult 11s. Read our profile on the company here.
Consider it the local version of Rent the Runway: Valhalla takes it one step further with its own resale store right in Tampa, starting off with the ability to rent three items a month for $39 and unlimited exchanges.
The company launched in Tampa after two former HSN employees wanted to find a bra with some extra flexibility. Enter Wherewithal, which has patent-pending tech that can go up or down four inches within one bra, or three traditional bra sizes. See our full story on them here.
While other states may have to worry about buying clothes that will keep them warm throughout the frigid winter, Floridians have a different need: beating the humidity. Tampa-based Humid Outside apparel offers long-sleeve shirts for men and women that take a blend of fibers to provide breathability, hold their shape and wick moisture and dissipate it quickly — all made in America. Check out our story on them.
For the one with the full bar cart
Have someone who loves nice wine but not the price tag? Tampa-based Vino Novo offers a device that produces an electric field inside a bottle of wine to simulate aging of the wine. It's available for pre-order and you can learn more about its local launch here.
Now you can feel good about your drinking: This Safety Harbor-based wine club donates half its proceeds to Humanity Del Sol, a nonprofit that helps Argentinian orphans that suffer from trauma, poverty and lack of education.
If 2020 taught us anything, it's that sometimes drinking a cocktail at home beats out a nice restaurant. BarBox, which is produced by St. Petersburg-based Kozuba & Sons distillery, helps bring the fancy drinks without the hassle. It offers cocktails in 175 ml boxes, equating to 14, 4 oz. drinks, with offerings like cosmopolitans, vodka sours and Negronis.
For the foodie
Yummi Foods, based in Tampa, offers treats with a nutritious twist: all the products are gluten free, low carb, low sugar, diabetic, keto and paleo friendly. But their name holds true, with muffins, pancakes, cookies and more available to purchase online and stores throughout the region. Learn their origin story here.
Chances are the people on your to-buy-for list have already tried a meal kit service. But Tampa-based Chef Ami wants to turn the offering on its head, instead focusing on goods from local farmers. Even better: For each meal someone buys, a meal is donated to Feeding Tampa Bay. Learn more about their story here.
Give the most to the hostess
With the holidays bringing many people back together under one roof for the first time in a year, you want to make sure it smells fresh. Oldsmar-based Scent Fill can deliver, with a tagline that sums it up: 100% natural air freshener with 0% of weird chemicals. The scents are plant-based, never tested on animals and harvested responsibly, according to the company.
Speaking of family get togethers, there's nothing quite like busting out a game to get the party started. Skip the Monopoly or gin rummy this year for Sarasota-based Socially Twisted card games, which its founders say is a mix between Mad Libs and improv. Check out our profile on them here.
For the one who has everything
Is there truly any better gift than the gift of sleep? If you've got a new parent in your life, an overworked boss, or anyone that could use a little R&R, consider a subscription to Tampa-based Nap Pod. Beyond the pod, users will enter rooms with specific scents, scenes and music for relaxation. Learn more here.
Earth's Ally gardening products
If you know someone with a green thumb, Sarasota-based Earth's Ally offers natural gardening products that's still effective at keeping your plants alive or your weeds dead. Check out the company's story here.
Consider it a stocking stuffer you can feel good about giving your niece. NightCap, co-founded by University of Tampa freshman Shirah Benarde, recently won a deal on Shark Tank for her drink-spiking prevention invention. It comes either in a scrunchie form or a newly launched keychain version, to ensure your loved ones are staying safe while out. Check out the Shark Tank story here.
Editor's note: Tampa Bay Inno independently selects gift guide recommendations based on its continuous reporting on the Tampa Bay startup ecosystem and other research. It doesn't receive any affiliate link compensation or other considerations.
