Holiday shopping is here again, and the streets are lined with garland, lights, and more retailers than you can possibly choose from. Narrow down your options and turn your shopping experience into something a little more meaningful this year. Plan ahead and focus on shopping from a veteran-owned business or purchasing products that give back to the military community.
From skincare to pup care, here’s 12 stores to help you shop for everyone on your list this year.
1. Stubble & 'Stache
Get a closer shave and soothe irritated or sensitive skin with the selection of grooming products from Stubble & 'Stache. The award-winning skincare and beard care products feature a range of moisturizers, beard oil, wash and more geared towards all things facial hair. Not sure where to start? Pick up a Beard Care Starter Kit for a veteran or soldier you love. As a veteran-owned business, Stubble & ‘Stache makes all of its products in the U.S. They also donate part of their profits to those grappling with the mental wounds of combat.
Do your holiday shopping online and save 15% with the code ‘IHG15’ or find Stubble & Stache at retailers like Birchbox in Soho during a holiday excursion around the city. Turn your New York City shopping trip into a reunion with friends and family and stay at the Holiday Inn Express® on Ft. Hamilton. But before you head out to the holiday shops and stands, start your day with a complimentary Express Start hot breakfast.
2. Liberty Socks
Even feet can honor our great American history, with a pair of colorful Liberty Socks. Gift a set themed with the U.S. Constitution, American Flag, Lone Star State, George Washington, and more to everyone on your holiday shopping list. Founded and designed by U.S. Army disabled combat veteran and Bronze Star Medal recipient, Alao Hogan, Liberty Socks are made in the U.S.
Shop for Liberty Socks online and save 10% with the discount code ‘IHG’ or from an authorized retailer like the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, Arlington National Cemetery, Intrepid Sea, Air, & Space Museum, and many others in the D.C. area and beyond. And if you’re visiting Washington, D.C. during the holidays, consider staying at Holiday Inn Express Knadle Hall on Fort Belvoir for quick access to area attractions, including any of the 13 Museums of The Smithsonian Institute, monuments, and memorials.
3. Sword & Plough
Find something for everyone on your holiday shopping list with Sword & Plough. Browse their varied selection of jewelry, bags, bathroom vanity kits, dog accessories, and more. This innovative veteran-owned business repurposes military surplus materials into durable, fashion-forward bags and accessories, and incorporates veterans into every stage of the process from sewing to sales.
Sword & Plough only works with full or partially veteran-owned American manufacturers to make their range of quality products. The company also donates 10% of their net profits to various veteran initiatives to continuously support our military service members.
Use the discount code ‘IHG20’ to save 20% on your entire order now through Dec. 24.
4. Black Rifle Coffee Company
Support a veteran-owned business and savor a richly flavored cup of coffee at the same time. The Black Rifle Coffee Company offers small batches of light to dark roast selections, gift items, a subscription coffee club, and even apparel for your shopping list. The team imports high-quality coffee beans from Colombia and Brazil, but then hand blends and roasts them from their veteran-owned facility.
Purchase coffee and gifts from Black Rifle Coffee Company online and save 20% with the discount code ‘IHG20’ or at one of their numerous partner locations and shops, like their Salt Lake City location. Stay at the nearby Holiday Inn Express Desert Lodge on Dugway Proving Ground and explore attractions like the Fort Douglas Military Museum in Salt Lake City. After browsing local boutiques and shops, enjoy your stay at a non-smoking hotel complete with a fitness center, library, bowling center, complimentary breakfast, and more.
5. Bottle Breacher
Beer lovers rejoice with Bottle Breacher’s 50 caliber bottle openers created by veterans and active duty service members. Ideal for a holiday or groomsmen gifts, the 50 caliber repurposed products extend beyond innovative bottle openers and also include koozies, keychains, and more.
Bottle Breacher even appeared on Shark Tank and is now one of the fastest-growing veteran-owned businesses in Arizona. The company also regularly donates to nonprofits focused on the military, children's foundations, first responders, and beyond.
Use the discount code ‘IHG15’ at checkout to save 15% on your entire order.
6. Curves n' Combatboots
If you have workout junkies on your holiday shopping list, empower them with gear that bridges the gap between fashion and function with Curves n' Combatboots. Take your pick from sports bras, leggings, tops, and workout bags along with customized tumblers to keep your loved ones motivated while getting fit. There are even men’s options as well!
Curves n' Combat Boots is also an active duty and veteran-owned business and understands the unique needs of the military. That’s why they offer a seamless collection of workout gear, as well as comfortable and stylist options for amputees.
7. Rumi Spice
If you have foodies and spice enthusiasts on your holiday gift list, look to Rumi Spice to deliver on flavor, beauty, and quality. Choose from a gorgeous selection of blended spices, tea kits, and gift boxes to share the gift of saffron.
Rumi Spice sources freshly grown saffron from local Afghan farms. Started by a team of U.S. military veterans, Rumi Spice also employs nearly 2,000 women in Herat, Afghanistan to hand-harvest the flowers used to help create saffron. The business reinvests part of their profits into the local agricultural and manufacturing infrastructure to bolster the Afghan economy further and empower its local women.
8. J.R. Salzman Wood Company
J.R. Salzman Wood Company creates stunning gifts, furniture, and home accessories created from urban, fallen trees. As an Iraq War veteran, amputee, and award-winning lumberjack, founder J.R. Salzman has also won 14 medals in ESPN's Great Outdoor Games. Even after losing his arm below the elbow in combat, Salzman continued to win awards at lumberjack competitions.
Today Salzman takes his love of the great outdoors, craftsmanship, and his country with gorgeous products from butcher blocks to cribbage boards. Find something for everyone on your list and walk away with a few handcrafted items of your own.
9. Puppy Mama
Share your puppy love with a selection of bags, hats, tote bags, and much more. Puppy Mama uses technology to help share and promote a dog-friendly lifestyle from the best hotels to dog-friendly workplaces and beyond. Their blog also features real-life dog stories and profiles, including how canine therapy helped a veteran beat his PTSD.
When you buy a Puppy Mama product, your purchase also gives back to the military. Five percent of the net proceeds from the Puppy “Mama Raising a Doodle” book are donated to help train service dogs for military veterans in need.
10. Alpha Outpost
Browse for unique themed gifts from the veteran-owned Alpha Outpost that provides a selection of rotating, unique gear each month ranging hiking to fishing. The business works as a subscription box model, making it easy to give your loved ones a gift that keeps showing up at your doorstep for as long as you choose. Past boxes include the Trail Box with trekking poles, water bottle, hiking waist pack, trail patch, trail top card, and more.
There are plenty of places to dive into the holiday shopping experience. But wherever you shop this year, focus on buying from companies that support what matters the most to you, whether veteran-owned or as a means to support veteran causes.
Use the discount code ‘REDNOSE’ to save 20% at checkout.
11. R. Riveter
Need bags and accessories for your holiday shopping list? Browse R. Riveter's selection of handmade bags, totes, clutches, accessories, and more this season. Military members and contractors already know that military spouses often struggle with finding meaningful employment and are required to move frequently. IHG Army Hotels knows it too – hiring military spouses at all hotels, giving them the option to relocate upon transferring.
Because of the struggle to find work, two military spouses decided to create flexible employment for themselves and other transient military spouses with R. Riveter. Today, a network of military spouses creates R. Riveter's collection of canvas and leather handbags.
Purchase bags and other products from R. Riveter online, or stop by their flagship store in Southern Pines, North Carolina. And while you’re in the area, stay at the IHG Army Hotels Moon Hall on Fort Brag, the home of the 82nd Airborne Division. Meet new friends and greet familiar faces at the common use area kitchen, free continental breakfast, and free laundry facilities.
12. TurboPUP
If your family and friends love traveling with their dogs in tow, put TurboPUP on your holiday shopping list. Their K9 meal bars are packed with nutrition and focus on providing premium products to enhance your pup's health. They’re perfect for dogs who love high-endurance activity and want to keep going from morning ‘til night.
Founded and operated by a U.S. Air Force graduate and decorated veteran, the woman-owned TurboPup believes in leading by example and being the change the world needs. The business appeared on Shark Tank and has now expanded across the country.
There are plenty of places to dive into the holiday shopping experience. But wherever you shop this year, focus on buying from companies that support what matters the most to you, whether veteran-owned or as a means to support veteran causes.
