Downtown Orillia is such a great place to shop, and when it comes to finding Christmas gifts for the outdoor enthusiast in your life, our local shops have lots to offer.
Shopping downtown is appealing to me because I get to enjoy being outdoors while meeting friendly shop owners who are typically happy to share their expertise and advice. I always discover something that’s a bit different or surprises me.
This year, it was a new store, just opened in August of this year, called Pocket Skate & Vintage.
It’s a great place to check out if you (or those on your gift list) are into snowboarding and skateboarding. But this shop is a lot more – it features a collection of vintage clothing, custom-curated by co-owner, Grace Scholfield. And the shop serves as an art gallery for part-time staffer, Dylan Court, who is also an avid boarder. I bought one of his custom-designed t-shirts for someone on my list.
“This is what I’ve always wanted to have since I started skateboarding back when I was 10 or 11 years old,” said co-owner Mark Watson, who opened the store, along with Scholfield.
With over 30 years of experience as a snowboarder, snowboard instructor, sales rep and then general manager at Kahuna Surf Shop in Orillia, Watson hopes the shop will act as a resource and meeting place for the skateboard community. It serves as the headquarters for the current Orillia Skateparkers campaign to support a new skateboard park in Orillia.
And speaking of boarding, if you’re looking for something a bit different for the boarder in your life, consider a “snowskate.” Both Pocket Skate & Vintage and Kahuna Surf Shop carry this fun version of a snowboard – an alternative to sledding that requires a combination of skill and balance.
For those who like the challenge of building a snow fort, Jack & Maddy – A Kids’ Store sells a “Snow Castle Kit,” which looks like it would help guarantee a successful building experience. It can also be used on the beach in the summer.
Cycling is not typically considered a winter activity, but recently there has been more interest with the introduction of the “fat bike” and special accessories for cold weather riding.
Both The Bike Stop and the Crank & Sprocket Bicycle Company sell all kinds of gear and clothing to keep riders safe and warm into the winter. The Bike Stop carries a locally produced reflective “Tail-Lite” that increases visibility whether walking, running or cycling. They also have a handy “Cyclist Case” that is popular with cyclists for protecting, carrying or storing gear (such as helmet, shoes, etc.).
If you are buying for those with more passive outdoor interests, such as bird watchers, you should know about the highly recommended “Squirrel Buster” bird feeders, carried by The Bird House Nature Co.
Owner Patricia Cousineau suggests using the feeders with black oil sunflower seeds. “This bird feed is economical; all birds like it, and it provides the oils birds need during the winter,” she says.
There are always cool gadgets to be found in The Kitchen Shop, even for the outdoor enthusiast. I found a beautiful boxed set of cycling motif coffee mugs and a super versatile “Multi-use Five Bottles in One” from Canadian company, Purehydration. You can even pick out a matching carrying case to go with it.
Another eco-friendly product that is a perfect gift for those on the go is a handy reusable utensil set from the Refillery District. Designed to help you “toss the habit of tossing out plastic,” it comes with a useful carabiner clip and includes a fork, spoon, knife, and chopsticks! This is just one of the many practical products carried at the Refillery District to support the elimination of single-use plastics.
And if the weather is just too awful to get outside, or you are stumped for a gift idea, a book is the perfect solution. The manager at Manticore Books has a great list of suggestions (see “Get Outdoors” at manticore.ca), including adventure stories, biographies and memoirs, guidebooks and picture books.
