Top ten: New gift shops

By Brooklyn
Brooklyn is home to more DIY mavens than we can count, and Gaia DiLoreto's borough-specific haunt is solely dedicated to selling local designer wares. Proud Brooklynites will delight in Andy Pratt multicolored cityscape notebooks ($22) and Build Your Block Brooklyn Bridge pillowcases (two for $30), but anyone can appreciate Lola Falk color-block leather handbags ($218) and Bittermens grapefruit-flavored cocktail bitters ($20). For busy gift givers, DiLoreto also puts together personalized holiday baskets ($25--$175) filled with goods from her store, which can be grouped in categories like skin-care or grub. 261 Smith St between DeGraw and Douglass Sts, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn (718-643-0606, bybrooklyn.com)

C. Wonder
There are two key attributes that make this preppy lifestyle boutique ideal for gift-giving: affordable prices and personalization. Wool blankets ($99) and nylon totes ($58) are just a small sampling of items that can be monogrammed in-store for a flat fee of $8. Though you'll find women's clothing and accessories, such as foldable ballet flats with a travel-friendly pouch ($68), we recommend hitting the home-decor section for mini cupcake makers ($38), brightly colored lacquer boxes ($18) and pig-shaped iPhone/iPod docks ($150). Each sales associate is equipped with a portable point-of-sale machine to process purchases on the spot. 72 Spring St between Crosby and Lafayette Sts (212-219-3500, cwonder.com)

Condor
At first glance, this sleek space, decorated with white wood floors and posh marble details, looks like gifting central for rich blokes with hip, stylish girlfriends. But owner Loriann Smoak kept every budget in mind when filling her shop with women's clothing, accessories and home items from beloved brands such as Theory, Veda and Vivienne Westwood. Treat a fashion fiend to her new wardrobe staples, including 80%20 suede wedge hiking boots ($178), brightly patterned Juma silk scarves ($174) and TomTom gold stud earrings ($178). Chic tech geeks will appreciate Lodis snakeskin-embossed iPad holders ($118), while interior-design buffs will adore a one-of-a-kind gold sequin pillow from Southeast Asia ($118) or Voluspa candles ($24) in delicious scents like goji berry and huckleberry. 259 Elizabeth St between W Houston and Prince Sts (212-966-4280, shopcondor.com)

Considerosity
When they tired of buying impersonal gift certificates for loved ones, husband and wife Bobby Leklerson and Jitkanda Yongsuwankul opened this warm, nonintimidating store, stocked with affordable, thoughtful handmade jewelry ($30--$150), home accents ($15--$50) and handbags ($40--$220). For the special lady in your life, choose By Boe gold horseshoe earrings ($45), Illume initial candles ($10) and Imm Living stackable totem mugs (set of four for $72). For a more festive option, go for Roost feather ornaments encased in glass (set of seven for $36). 191 W 4th St between Barrow and Jones Sts (646-397-4438)

Hickoree's Hard Goods
Brothers Emil and Sandy Corsillo, who also run accessories brand the Hill-Side, expanded their popular e-commerce site and created this retail space that's chock-full of practical, nostalgic and cool goods for guys. Expect to find the Hill-Side's popular rectangular ties ($76--$90) fashioned from Japanese fabrics, alongside Epperson Mountaineering color-blocked backpacks ($175), Solmate patterned socks made from recycled cotton ($19) and Leather Man cotton-webbed belts ($30). A table near the cash register teems with edible merch and toys, such as old-time sling shots ($21) and Lemon Ball leather baseballs ($30--$35). 109 South 6th St at Bedford Ave, suite one, Williamsburg, Brooklyn (347-294-0005, hickorees.com)

Maxiga
On first glance, this whimsical gift store (named after owner Mark Szlendak's young son and daughter, Max and Iga) might appear to be kitsch central. But the cheerful, orange-accented displays of local and international products are actually ideal for scooping up quirky stocking stuffers, such as Pantone toothbrushes (set of five for $15), Wanted mug-shot frames ($22) and Kikkerland four-port flower-shaped USB hubs ($20). Enliven loved ones' commutes home with Funky Fonic ladybug headphones ($45) and Wanted Tokyo-themed airline bags ($36--$48). 2233 Broadway between 79th and 80th Sts (212-362-3828, maxiga.com)

Owl and Thistle General Store
If you want to practice responsible consumption this holiday season, Keri Cavanaugh's eco-friendly spot is the place to go. A diverse selection of environmentally sustainable and direct- or fair trade products that are perfect for your green-minded comrades fill the quaint store's wooden shelves. Anna Built houndstooth earrings made from vintage tin cans ($28) and Webbedware reversible geometric pendant necklaces ($48) will satisfy the green-minded jewelry lover. Foodies will appreciate McClure's Bloody Mary mix ($9), organic Taza Mexican chocolate discs ($5), or salt and pepper shakers affixed to old Matchbox cars ($14). Impress your dad with a Paradise Body Shop wooden shave set ($35), and make sure to grab a roll of Elum driftwood-patterned gift wrap ($8) to prettify all of your holiday offerings. 720 Franklin Ave between Park and Sterling Pls, Crown Heights, Brooklyn (347-469-0432, owlandthistlegeneral.com)

Still House
Urte Tylaite's serene boutique feels like a pricey design gallery, with its black steel fixtures juxtaposed against white walls. But Tylaite, who graduated from Pratt with a fine-arts degree, wanted to fill her jewelry and home-goods store with well-made items that are also wallet-friendly. On our wish lists: Iacoli & McAllister leather necklaces strung with brass tubes ($58--$98), Bailey Doesn't Bark plates scattered with painted black ants ($32 each), and colorful printed Hammocks and High Tea cosmetic bags ($50). Crowd-pleasing Roost terrariums ($12--$16), Swallow decorative branchlike letters ($12 each) and sparkly pyrite rocks from Peru ($34), said to bring good luck and fortune, are bound to fit within anyone's decor. 117 E 7th St between First Ave and Ave A (212-539-0200, bystillhouse.com)

Top Hat
Stop by this minimalist boutique for a wide range of international gifts; it's owner Nina Allen's job to globe-trot for her wholesale business, Sweet Bella, and she stocks Top Hat with the playfully designed presents she discovers. Nab Tanabata multicolored star dominos from Japan (set of 100 for $65), Petites Productions steel trunks from India ($115--$165) and Suck UK glow-in-the-dark lightbulbs encased in a clear resin brick ($42). If you have a scribe in your life, both Kaweco pens ($22--$111) and L.M. Kartenvertrieb floral hologram postcards ($5) are sure to get creative juices flowing. The newly opened back room houses curiosities such as Maison Martin Margiela magnifying glasses ($85), modeled after black-rimmed spectacles, and S Bella laser-cut leather wallets ($200) made just outside of Florence, Italy. 245 Broome St between Ludlow and Orchard Sts (212-677-4240, sweetbellausa.com)

Treasure and Bond
Boost your karma by hitting this bi-level store, where all profits are donated to select New York City charities (through January, they go toward the Children's Health Fund and the Coalition for the Homeless). The first floor is stocked with small goods that appeal to varied interests, and that you won't find in major department stores. For pet-lovers, nab all-natural Harry Barker toy bones woven with cotton rope ($10), while 21 Drops aromatherapy cold-and-flu-fighter sets (three fragrance tubes for $74) are ideal for frequent travelers. Help out your favorite party hostess with a cube of Americana TableTopics conversation-starter cards ($25). Upstairs, contemporary men's, women's and children's clothing predominates, but one-size-fits-all goods such as Nooka rubber watches ($130) and Kikkerland yellow submarine shower curtains ($22) are better bets. 350 West Broadway between Broome and Grand Sts (646-669-9049, treasureandbond.com)

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