It has been a booming year for Jacksonville’s small business scene, with multiple shops opening around the city to add to an already vibrant local business landscape. From a vintage boutique in Springfield to multiple new bookstores in Jacksonville’s urban core, 2023 has seen an uptick in business openings similar to the number of new shops that also opened ahead of holiday shopping last year.
Floridians have been spending big, with brand names high on the list for Jacksonville shoppers. Major retailers are also set to open at Gateway Town Center, potentially signaling a positive trend for the future. Additionally, Jacksonville’s Regency Square Mall is set to change ownership as it sells to a Lake City developer in 2024.
As small businesses prepare for their first holiday shopping season and the promotional weekend of Small Business Saturday, there are a few new shops to check out and patronize while searching for gifts for friends and family.
Books and gifts have been a focus of the new small businesses opening in Jacksonville. Independent bookstores have had a busy year, with two opening and another hitting the one-year milestone of having a physical location. Happy Medium Books Cafe and the Literary Lounge both offer a selection of books and other items for shoppers to peruse.
Local boutiques have also seen growth, with Purple Mangrove offering pre-owned and vintage clothing, as well as beverages and plants. Meanwhile, Sunhoney, which started as an online-only shop, now has a physical storefront at Jacksonville Beach and sells “modern, bohemian items” for both men and women.
For those in search of miscellaneous items, Planet Circle in Riverside and Greenhouse in Brooklyn offer unique gifts, home decor, and plants. These shops provide a variety of products, from neighborhood-themed stickers to pots and trinkets for those with a green thumb.