The holidays are a time for giving thanks, for seasoning everything you consume with pumpkin spice, and for stampeding into Target for a Nintendo Switch. It’s truly the most magical time of the year. Amidst the grateful gluttony of Thanksgiving and the absolute mayhem that is Black Friday, Small Business Saturday is a more modest occasion to encourage patrons to spend their dollars at independent neighborhood businesses—ya know, rather than crowd surf your way through a big box department store.

In Chicago, small businesses are a pivotal part of the city’s vibrant neighborhood patchwork. They may not command the big, ritzy real estate of a downtown conglomerate, but what they lack on Magnificent Mile frontage, they more than make up for in character, charm, and unique maker-made products you won’t be able to find in the tourist-trod byways downtown. From Bronzeville to Rogers Park, these are the types of heartfelt—and often family-owned—businesses that deserve emphasis year-round, but if ever there’s an excuse to patronize an indie artisan or timeworn company, Small Business Saturday is it. Here are 10 great places to shop this holiday season in Chicago.

Bronzeville
“If you can shop big box, you can shop essential.” That’s the tagline of the Absolutely Anything Essential Gift Shop, a Black-owned store and venue in Bronzeville stacked with local artisans slinging everything from body scrubs and beard care to mugs, candles, and keepsakes. Like the store…