Shop Local, Shop Small: Brandon Businesses Gear Up for Holiday Sales

Whether it's a hot cup of coffee before hitting the road for your morning commute, a fantastic massage or a dry cleaner who always manages to resurrect your favorite suit, there are products and services in almost everyone's routine that boost the quality (and ease) of life in the Greater Brandon area.

In recognition of Small Business Saturday on Nov. 26, we’re asking readers to post the products, businesses and practitioners in the Greater Brandon area that they find most necessary, relevant, interesting, affordable and unique, and especially so this holiday season.

We’ve been scouting the area ourselves, which in turn will lead to postings of stories in the days and weeks ahead about great places to get the best gift for the right price for the person expecting either the ordinary or the not-so-ordinary this holiday season.

Is it a bottle of handmade wine or home-brewed beer from ? A pair of angle earrings from ? A set of cutlery, cookware or electrics, at 10 percent off, or cooking classes, from ? Or, some antique, retro, jewelry, furniture or home décor piece from , a 40-year-old antique store housed in one of Eastern Hillsborough County’s most historic buildings?

Shop for a gift, gain an experience, keep it local and keep in mind the heart and soul of the community as the struggle to survive tough economic hardships endures.

"We need that hometown feeling," said Kim Tice, owner of Breezy's Beads. "The spirit is keeping us alive."

Below is a list of local small businesses and we invite you to add your favorite shopping spots in the comment box below.

We plan to cover small businesses in earnest in the days and weeks ahead, so give us a heads-up about what you’d like to read more about.