Shopping
Shops in Bossier Where You Can Also Buy Hidden Gem Souvenirs
Are you tired of buying Louisiana souvenirs for friends and family at the same gift shops? We have found 3 hidden gem gift shops in Bossier! They are stores that also have a gift shop section even if they primarily sell other products. So whether you want to send your visitors home with some Louisiana lagniappe or get yourself something that embraces and celebrates our rich and varied culture, here are the best shops in Bossier where you can also buy fabulous souvenirs:
The Gift Shop at Office Furniture Source
“We truly have everything Louisiana—any day, any season, all year long,” said Chad James, owner/founder of The Gift Shop at Office Furniture Source and The Painted Edge, which offers art classes and parties.
James collaborates with Bossier artist Melissa O’Con to offer four to eight painting, crafts and beading classes each month. The fun, popular classes sometimes overflow the artists’ studio that holds twenty and moves to the lounge area. Preregister for a discount or walk in and make new friends and learn new painting techniques. “Our fee covers everything you need, and you walk away with a beautiful piece of art with fun and memories.”
The Gift Shop’s huge selection of children’s books, games and toys make it a favorite shopping destination for grands and parents.
“One of my favorite things are our Louisiana-themed children’s books. Whether it is a baby book with Louisiana firsts or a book about potholes or Mardi Gras, they are truly unique and set us apart from other gift shops,” said James.
Tubb’s Hardware
Around 42,000 Louisiana-themed items can be found at the Bossier Tubb’s Hardware, said Don Tubbs. Fans of the LSU Tigers, the New Orleans Saints, Cajun and Creole foods and spices, Zydeco and Cajun music, Louisiana art and garden items, and especially Mardi Gras will need hours to see everything Tubb’s has to offer.
“A lady that lives in the New Orleans Garden District sends her driver up here to walk around the store while she does her shopping over Facebook,” said Tubbs. “She buys 40 King Cakes every year.”
Tubb’s “Extreme King Cakes” come in five flavors and are available from early November through Mardi Gras. Tubbs developed the recipe 25 years ago and oversees the entire production of 10,000 a year.
“I support local crafts people and businesses” and the store’s huge selection of Louisiana art, food products, spice mixes, rubs, salsas, sodas and condiments are available all year.
Clothing for children and adults, gifts, jewelry, garden art and more display our state’s most recognizable symbols, and the bling, masks, beads and colors that celebrate Fat Tuesday.
Ellis Home & Garden
Ellis Home & Garden carries useful and fun items featuring the state’s famous freshwater crustacean, the crawfish, including towels, dishes and gift bags. Looking for a large black alligator with very realistic eyes or a beautiful fleur-de-lis fountain? They have those too.
Known for their holiday and Mardi Gras floral decorations, as well as seasonal wreaths, swags and flower arrangements, Ellis’s blog has step-by-step instructions for crafters making wreaths, garlands, door swags, and flower arrangements. Magnolias, cotton, crawfish, Mardi Gras and many other designs unique to Louisiana are featured.
A Magnolia wreath features a plaque that says, “Cotton Pickin’ Blessed.” There are several wreaths with crawfish art and crawfish ribbon for bows, some in the colors of Mardi Gras and others that can be used all year. They are a beautiful representation of Louisiana culture.
Looking for something for friends or family visiting from out of town? Nothing says “reviens vite” (“Come back soon!”) like these distinctive Louisiana keepsakes from these shops in Bossier with hidden gem souvenirs.