Early Bird Holiday Shopping Guide

Victoria’s merchants are powered by local producers, showcasing the best gifts and confections the Pacific Northwest has to offer. From funky to formal, hand-crafted to haute couture, there’s something exceptional waiting to be discovered in Victoria’s local shopping scene. 

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If there’s one thing you can say about the Vancouver Island, it’s that we’re home to a wide range of colourful and charming characters. Self-expression is integral to the laidback lifestyle we are lucky to live on the Westcoast. With our diverse array of local retailers, you’re sure to find something as unique as you are.

Gracing the streets (and homes) of Victoria for over 110 years, the Irish Linen Stores offers a huge selection of tablecloths, runners, doilies, and napkins in 100% Irish linen. This internationally renowned and locally owned store also features traditional pieces from the Madeiras in Italy, as well as contemporary pieces from France and Sweden that are bound to add colour to any collection. Known for their meticulous commitment to quality, the Irish Linen Stores will provide you with beautiful linens that lifetimes. 

Image: The Irish Linens Store Shop Window – @irishlinenvictoria (Instagram)

Fashioned from the early general merchants stores of the 1800’s, the Victorian legacy lives on at Merchant Quarters General Store. The early merchant stores dealt in everything from horse harnesses to flannel shirts and cheddar cheese. In that same spirit, Merchant Quarters offers a wide range of goods from clothing to accessories, beauty, house & home, and more!

Insider Tip: Burdened with choice? Pick up a Merchant Quarters Gift Card and let your “nice list” shop for their favourite items.

Goldilocks Goods is a Victoria-based eco-friendly goods company, making products that are both practical and beautiful, to empower people to reduce their plastic consumption. From handmade beeswax wraps made with wax from local honey farm, Country Bee, to a plastic-free haircare line, gift a piece of the Island this holiday season and feel good about shopping small and supporting local.

Image: Hair Care Products at Goldilocks – @goldilocksgoods (Instagram)

Purveyors of finely made hand-crafted indigenous arts, crafts, jewellery, and moccasins, Cowichan Trading specializes in gifts that are made of this land. Having served Victoria for over 50 years, Cowichan Trading has a legacy of being one of the cities oldest and most unique shopping experiences.

Insider Tip: Looking to take the bite off the Canadian winter? Grab a Cowichan Sweater from Cowichan Trading. These handmade sweaters offer unrivaled warmth and comfort. These iconic sweaters have come to represent the beauty of indigenous craftsmanship alongside the nostalgic vibes of Canadiana.

Deck the Malls

No shopping trip is complete without a visit to one of Victoria’s glamorous malls. Combining big box brands with local flare is what Victoria’s malls are famous for. Accommodating every price range, our malls are the one stop shop for all your Christmas needs.

Fresh off a recent expansion, Mayfair Shopping Centre now boasts over 120 retailers! Mayfair’s many shops allow you to explore everything from outdoor outfitters to record shops, boutique jewelers, and more! Fun for the whole family, Mayfair makes Christmas unforgettable with a visit to Santa’s Ho Ho Hollow beginning November 19th.

Image: Holiday Gems – @pandoramayfairvictoria (Instagram)

The Bay Centre Shopping Centre is Victoria’s “must shop” mall in the heart of downtown Victoria. Famed for its Christmas spirit, The Bay Centre charmingly decks the halls with beautiful yule displays (Winter Wonderland launches November 16th) and the famous Festival of Trees (November 18th). On top of its bedazzling Christmas energy, The Bay Centre offers a second to none shopping experience featuring over 90 shops and dining options.

Image: Couple Admires Christmas Decorations – One Lion Photography

Insider Tip: If you’re looking for something as distinctive as the person you love, check out Market Collective at the Bay Centre. This beautiful store features a carefully curated collection of one of a kind hand-made goods from Canadian artisans.

Image: Market Collective – @thebaycentre (Instagram)

Take advantage of our famous mild climate during your holiday shopping spree at Uptown. Blending international brands and local boutiques, Uptown is sure to have something for that hard to shop for person on your list. This expansive outdoor shopping mall offers a terrific selection of dining options (let’s face it, it’s never good to shop on an empty stomach!). It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of Uptown, but ensure you take the time to enjoy the sparkling lights of their humungous Christmas tree at The Cottage in the main plaza starting November 24th.

Staying Fresh

Fashion trends come and go quicker than ever in the age of Instagram. Fortunately, Greater Victoria is home to a chic fashion culture that can help you navigate the latest trends, all while keeping your prepared for whatever our coastal environment may throw at you.

Stay ahead of the pack this winter with Frontrunners. Victoria’s favourite running store since 1988, Frontrunners is deeply connected to our local running scene. This is the perfect store for that runner on your list, whether they’re huffing and puffing through a 5k or are a seasoned ultra-runner taking on their next hundred miler. Offering a large variety of shoes, gear, nutrition and more, it’s easy to check everything off your list. 

Need a new pair of steps? Check out the undisputed kings of Converse at Baggins Shoes. Home to the largest selection of Converse and Vans in the world, you’re sure to find the perfect set of kicks for your favourite sneakerhead. With their in-shop custom printing, you can even design your own one-of-a-kind pair of shoes. 50 years in the game, and Baggins are still the hippest kids on the block when it comes to footwear. 

Image: Blue Doc Martin’s at Baggins Shoes – @bagginsshoes(Instagram)

With over 100 years serving Victoria, Kane Straith Clothing is still purveying the finest quality men’s clothing in this historic city. Kane Straith offers personalized custom-fit clothing made of the finest cloth from Italy and England, all of which is made-to-measure by your individual specifications and carried out by their master tailors. To ensure every customer leaves looking dapper, Kane and Straith offers in-house alterations with every purchase.

Image: Tailor-made Menswear at Kane Straith Clothing – @kanstraithclothing(Instagram)

Let’s be honest, the coastal nature of Vancouver Island can lead to some unpredictable weather. Don’t get caught in the rain, thrive in it! Treck Wear is Victoria’s exclusive retailer for Stormtech. Famous for its technical performance, Stormtech is an industry leader in waterproof/breathable clothing, keeping you drier longer. All Stormtech products are warrantied against defect for three years. If there’s an outdoors person on your list, send them out in safety and style with Stormtech gear from Treck Wear.

Sparkle in the Eye

Are you looking for that unforgettable gift? The one they’ll be talking about for years to come. Our local jewellers will leave you speechless as you peer upon finely crafted jewellrey, jade, and gemstones. A gift that keeps on giving, these magnificently designed pieces can be passed from generation to generation.

Artina’s Jewellery showcases the world’s largest selection of handcrafted Canadian Jewellery from over 100 of Canada’s top West Coast First Nations and Contemporary Canadian designers. Owing to the imaginative nature of the creations, Artina’s proudly refers to their jewellery as “wearable art”. Locally owned, and serving Greater Victoria for over 30 years, be sure to include a visit to their Government Street location on your next Victoria shopping excursion.

Image: A Model Showcases a Necklace for Artina’s Jewellery – @kaylakerrone(Instagram)

Looking for that perfect gift to bring back to your loved ones? Jade Victoria offers one the world’s largest selections of beautifully carved Jade. Presenting a wide range of shapes and sizes, Jade Victoria offers items that fit every budget, including locally carved sculptures that are sure to turn heads.

If you’re shopping for that one-of-a-kind person, get them a one-of-a-kind gift. Bamboo Beads and Bling connects you with talented local artisans. Shop their extensive gallery of gemstones, metaphysical-crystals, and treasures the world over, or work one on one with their talented in-house team to build something truly special. Located in the heart of Chinatown, it’s just a stone’s throw from a network of remarkable local businesses to continue your shopping spree.

Image: Selection of Beads at Bamboo Beads and Bling – @bamboo_beads_and_bling (Instagram)

Book Worms

There’s no better gift to give than the gift of reading. Discover far away worlds, mythic princesses, curious detectives, and more, between the covers of your next favourite book. Whether mastering the A,B,Cs or powering through an epic fantasy series, Victoria’s local bookstores continue to fuel the imaginations of readers young and old.

Did you know Victoria is home to Canada’s largest independent bookstore? That’s right, Russell Books been calling Victoria home since 1991 and offers a wide array of new, used, and antiquarian books to enjoy. Their expansive library encompasses every genre you can imagine, often featuring new and used copies of trending favourites to help every budget shopper. Immerse yourself in literature as you navigate the cozy aisles of this local institution.

Get transported away into a literary world like no other at Munro’s Books. Situated in an iconic heritage building complimented by striking artwork, Munro’s frequently features on lists of the world’s most beautiful bookstores. Simply stepping into this marvelous building is part of the experience that continues to draw guests back 55 years after it first opened. Couple that with an extensive selection of new books and what you have is a booklovers dream come true. 

Image: Munro’s Books – @munrosbooks (Instagram)

Do you have a thing for bookstores? Fascinated by these fabulous fortresses of fiction? Then Sidney Booktown is exactly what you have been waiting for. Home to five unique bookshops all within walking distance of one another, Sidney Booktown is a wonderful way to explore the coastal charm of Sidney by the Sea while searching out the perfect novel for that special someone. With each shop offering its own distinctive spin on the bookstore experience, you’re sure to find the perfect book for even the most stubborn of readers, and maybe even a couple for yourself too!