Every year we swear it won’t happen again, yet we find ourselves in a familiar predicament — we’ve procrastinated on our holiday shopping. The gift-giving season may already be upon us, but we’ve got your back.
Give your Amazon account a break and check out these great ideas for last-minute gifts that you can buy right here in Round Rock:
New music for their collection
Vinyl has made a serious comeback — or did it ever really leave? — and makes for a great present for the audiophile in your life. Support your local independent record store by grabbing a copy of your loved one’s favorite album from Piranha Records. The shop carries records, CDs, DVDs and more.
Read more: Piranha Records celebrates 15 years in Round Rock
Round Rock-themed goodies
Downtown Round Rock is home to amazing restaurants, lively nightlife and unique retail. Check out Main Street’s headquarters for Round Rock-themed swag at Mercantile on Main. Jewelry, home decor and fun t-shirts are just a few of the goodies you’ll find here. The store will also host Santa from 4-8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 20, with a Christmas glitter bar and sweet treats available while you wait.
A DIY project that they’ll actually want to keep
The only thing better than a gift is a personalized present that comes with unforgettable memories. A gift certificate to Board & Brush Creative Studio in Round Rock will make for a perfect girls’ night out and leave you feeling like a DIY master. Each class comes with materials and assistance to create a personalized wood sign to adorn your walls.
A sweet surprise courtesy of local bees
We are buzzing over Round Rock Honey’s gifts made with batches of locally-made honey. Pull together a local gift basket with oatmeal honey soap, cuticle butter, body scrub, salve and lip balm. For the true honey lover, the “Honey Trifecta!” is the perfect gift, featuring a trio of classic honey, orange cinnamon honey and bourbon barrel honey.
Texas-sourced brand names
The gifts at Mays Street Boutique are sure to check at least one item off your list, with familiar Texas brands like Kendra Scott, Jon Hart Design and YETI Coolers. From jewelry to olive oil, candles and men’s skin care, this local retail shop has endless options to make a gift basket that will make your loved one feel spoiled.
Gear that’s built to last
Duluth Trading Company, perhaps best known for its cheeky marketing, is now serving up durable clothing for both men and women at its new store in Round Rock. The store also carries soaps and dog accessories (we love the seat savers for protecting your car seats on long trips with Fido!), as well as a ton of unique stocking stuffers.
Visit Duluth Trading Company’s website
Not sure what you need?
Bass Pro Shop, IKEA and the Round Rock Premium Outlets are the big box trifecta of your dreams, and they’re all located in Round Rock! Their close proximity allows you to hit multiple stores within a short time frame to help dig you out of your shopping list rut. Bass Pro Shop offers all kinds of outdoor sporting goods, and it’s impossible not to find something in IKEA or at the Round Rock Premium Outlets that wouldn’t check at least one item off for each person on your list.
Why Shop the Rock?
Not only does shopping locally save you the nail biting of waiting for your packages to arrive — it also benefits your community!
When you purchase taxable goods and services in Round Rock, you pay 8.25 percent in sales taxes. 6.25 percent goes straight to the state of Texas, and the other 2 percent stays here in Round Rock.
Here’s the breakdown:
1 percent goes into the general fund to pay for basic local government services like police, fire protection, parks and the library. This covers more than one-third of the cost of these essential services.
A half-percent of Round Rock’s sales tax directly works to reduce your property tax rates, thanks to a measure passed by Round Rock voters in 1987.
The last half-percent of sales tax is for economic development – primarily in the form of major road projects.
There are plenty of great shopping centers and retailers in town, so what are you waiting for? Shop local — it’s the gift that keeps on giving!
