Next up on the BRO gift guide, we head to Hertel Avenue. Today I’m offering up three gifts that I came across last evening after deciding that the ultimate goal was to end up sipping a glass of wine at one of my favorite North Buffalo restaurant destinations – La Tavola.
As I walked the avenue, the first brightly lit storefront that caught my eye was Hydroponics of Buffalo. I figured that they would have some sort of beginner’s plant growing startup kit, for someone looking to grow plants indoors during the winter season. I asked the guys at the front counter about the options, and they pointed me towards a rather large box sitting on a shelf. “This is what you’re looking for,” they told me. Then they pointed towards the front of the store at a beautiful display of lush plants and said, “that is what you will get.”
It turned out that what I was looking at was the Megagarden Ebb & Flow System – an out-of-the-box grower’s kit that comes with everything but a grow lamp (there are many to choose from). The eight gallon system fits right onto a countertop. It comes with a 24 seedling starter cubes, a high performance nutrient system, and Grow and Bloom formula. For $160, you can surprise your favorite green thumb with something that will keep him or her happily growing year round.
Hydroponics of Buffalo | 1469 Hertel Avenue | Buffalo, New York | (716) 838-3545 | Facebook
As I continued my walk, I came across one of my new favorite stores – Man Cave Outfitters of Buffalo. The last time that I stopped in, I couldn’t help but be fascinated with the vast collection of Shultz and Dooley lidded steins. The Utica Club collectibles date back from the 60’s. They were (mostly) made in Germany for the Matt Brewing Company in Utica, NY. All of the adorable steins have different names, such as “Officer Suds”. Man Cave Outfitter has the largest collection around, with over 40 first edition characters to choose from. The larger steins range from $75 for an individual, to $300 for a pairing of the original characters that started the trend – Shultz and Dooley (see inset photo on right). This would be a great gift for any micro brewer or beer aficionado looking to dabble in breweriana.
Man Cave Outfitters of Buffalo | 1453 Hertel Avenue | Buffalo, New York | (716) 830-3984 | Facebook
The last gift in this Hertel series comes from Daisy’s Doghouse. We can’t forget about our four legged friends during the holiday season. First off, I must say that Daisy’s Doghouse is a pleasure to browse. It looks more like a boutique than a pet store. There’s a wide array of merchandise to choose from. There’s also a cabinet display filled with incredible-looking holiday cookies for the pooches (honorable mention here).
But it was the bow tie dog collars that caught my eye immediately. They are super cute, durable, and highly fashionable. The woman behind the counter mentioned that they were the best selling item upon the store’s opening, making up 10% of the store’s sales in initial weeks. Apparently they have been having a hard time simply keeping the collars stocked on the selves, and I can see why. The collars are priced at a reasonable $28.95. They come in an assortment of patterns. There is also a flower collar for the ladies.
Daisy’s Doghouse | 1448 Hertel Avenue | Buffalo, New York | (716) 322-1931 | Facebook
Click here to see additional Gift Guide ideas – Cartographic Kicks and Hand Crafted Honey Jar