Five new places to shop locally in Fresno and Clovis — just in time for the holidays

Sure, you can shop at Amazon this holiday season.

Or Macy’s. Or whatever big-box store catches your eye with its expensive advertising campaign.

But every locally owned retailer in town is crossing their fingers that this will be a lucrative season for their business.

Studies have shown that shopping at independently owned stores in your community benefits the local economy. It keeps more tax dollars locally (instead of sending them elsewhere when you shop online).

And more of your money — $68 versus $43 of every $100 spent — stays in your community when you buy local.

So we figured we’d highlight a few locally owned retailers. We’re focusing on retailers that have opened within the past year or so because you might not have heard of them. But don’t forget there are so many longtime local places out there with lots of gifts and holiday decor.

eclecticHOUSE

The former Rite-Aid at Bullard and Palm has been transformed into a “community of vendors” after sitting empty for eight years.

The store, eclecticHOUSE, now has 60 sellers carrying all kinds of goods after the former owner of The Emporium (formerly the Consignment Emporium) moved the business across the street.

“I say antique mall, even though we’re not just an antique mall,” said owner Gabe Thomas. “We have antique. We have vintage. We have new. We have artisans.”

You can buy holiday decor, furniture, designer purses, jewelry and vintage clothing.

And there’s something for the fellas too, Thomas notes.

“There’s pocketknives,” he said. “We were even selling vintage fishing poles for a while there.”

The business is participating in Art Hop on the third Thursday of the month. On Small Business Saturday, Nov. 25, it will have a raffle, wine and hors d’oeuvres.

Also, there are two shop cats — Zinfandel and his “lil’ Sis” Sicily — that sometimes roam the store.

Details: eclecticHOUSE is at 750 W. Bullard Ave. Holiday hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Thursday, 11 am. to 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and noon to 6 p.m. Sundays. 559-225-9718.

Let Me Take a Look

This little gift and plant shop near Fresno State has a little bit of everything — and a lot of whimsy.

Let Me Take a Look (sometimes abbreviated to LMTAL) sells live plants, candles, jewelry, a self-care section, used books and stickers that say “Fresno.”

The store is Fresno native Suevia Vang. It opened in September in Bulldog Plaza at Cedar and Barstow avenues. You can also shop the store online.

You’ll find items here that are funny or irreverent. For example, the store was selling stickers parodying a bag of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos — except the bag says “Flamin’ Hot Fresno.”

Items like that come from Vang’s brain. She’s a digital artist. She spent 14 years in Los Angeles — most of it designing clothing — before returning to Fresno. Her first summer back inspired the Cheetos sticker.

In addition to stickers, she also makes enamel pins, canvas bags and T-shirts. The store also carries work from 10 other artists.

Details: LMTAL is at 1784 E. Barstow Ave. Regular hours: 11 a.m. to 6p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays.

R+R Vintage

If you really enjoy the thrill of the hunt, this vintage shop tucked away in a warehouse complex in Clovis is for you.

Owner Michelle Hernandez has been on the valley vintage scene under the name Rhinestones n Rust for 10 years, including selling at The Foundry and The Old Town Flea Market.

Now, she’s got her own shop, called R+R Vintage. It’s a warehouse full of holiday decor, wall art, vintage dishes and more.

But you’ve got to hunt a little to find it. It’s off Gettysburg Avenue, just east of Clovis Avenue. It’s all the way around the back of the building. (It was The Foundry’s former warehouse, and she took it over.)

Inside are three rooms that look like any store. One is full of pink decor and vintage cameras. There are vintage Santa mugs, ceramic tabletop Christmas trees and vintage holiday tablecloths. New items such as drink mixes and purses are sprinkled in among the vintage.

Vintage goblets in every color are popular seller.

In back is a warehouse chock full of antique quilts, gumball machines and other larger items.

Hernandez is a lifelong collector who replaced her dorm room furniture with an antique armoire and desk in college. She’s been collecting ever since, often bringing items from Texas, where she grew up.

Today, R+R Vintage gets most of its customers from word of mouth, Facebook and Instagram.

Details: 1030 Gettysburg #105, Clovis. Head to the back of the building. Hours: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays and by appointment during the week.

Downtown Society

The Downtown Society Small Business Collective is a little shop with lots of locally made products. It’s inside the recently remodeled Sun Stereo Warehouse on Fulton Street, across from Tioga-Sequoia Brewing Co.

There are lots of houseplants and pots to put them in for sale (you may remember this business’s predecessor was called Let It Grow on Shields Avenue).

There’s locally made pottery, along with jewelry, candles and clothing.

Details: The store is at 736 Fulton St., inside the Sun Stereo Warehouse building. Hours: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays, 1 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.

Bookish

Bookish is a relatively young used bookstore in the Tower District. It’s on Olive Avenue, just west of the heart of the entertainment district.

It sells all kinds of books. Children’s books, fiction, nonfiction, classics, coffee table books, a banned book section and Spanish language learning books for kids.

There’s also a local author shelf with new books by four area writers.

Bookish also sells other book-related items, including handmade bookmarks, paper weights, bookends, mugs, and T-shirts made by owner Vanessa Garabedian. A vintage sections features records, magazines and comics.

You can often find other vendors popping up at the store. The owner also takes her goods to various events, including the upcoming Small Business Saturday event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. inside the Root Hacker Space at 1476 N. Van Ness Ave. (The store will be closed that day.)

Details: Bookish is at 520 W. Olive Ave. Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wednesdays through Sundays.