Support your local Irish stores in the US this Christmas

It's been a year like no other and the holiday season 2020 is fast approaching! Here are some great Irish stores and vendors in the United States you can support this Christmas. 

Fáilte Irish Imports, Celtic Aer, Tipperary Stores, Lee Valley, The James Trading Group, Crafters of Ireland! These are just some of the wonderful Irish stores and vendors around the United States that you can support this holiday season!

This year, 2020, has been literally like no other. We've all been separated by our loved ones by lockdowns and quarantine and some of us have suffered an immense loss. In tough times like these, we take solace in our family, roots, and community.

This holiday season we invite you to support your local Irish stores and Irish vendors. You can find your closest Irish stores, stocking great Irish vendors right here on IrishCentral's Irish store locator in association with the North American Celtic Trade Association. 

Find your local Irish store with our NACTA store locator

Fáilte Irish Imports

A wonderful place if you're in Kentucky. Fáilte Irish Imports is located in Lexington, KY, where there is a high population of "off the boat Irish" due to the horse industry.

Fáilte Irish imports stock a lot of food Irish and British locations and have a wonderful multicultural customer base. They have lots of Irish, British, Scottish, Indians, Kenyans, and lots of other nationalities. You never know who will walk through our doors and we have a lot of fun in our shop. 

They have been open for almost 19 years and have a huge variety of products that their Kentucky-based Irish Americans just love: like Hanna hats, Mucros weavers scarves, hats, bags, and wallets. They also have a fragrance of Ireland products, Belleek pottery, fun t-shirts, Aran woolen mills sweaters, ponchos, and scarves.

Check out our website lexirish.com or email us with any questions you might have [email protected].

Find Liza's bricks and mortar store at 113 South Upper St, Lexington, KY 40507. Follow Failte Irish Imports on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

Celtic Aer

Celtic Aer gift shop is owned and run by Ashley Rooney in a house that's well over 100 years old, in Shrub Oak, New York, a town that's remained unchanged for almost that long. The store stocks everything Irish you could possibly need from Aran sweaters to brown bread mix and sausages.

While Ashley picks up a lot of her stock at trade shows in the United States and Ireland and from visiting sales reps and online, her favorite was to find new Irish gifts is to shop in Ireland. Ashley said, "Traveling to Ireland to shop is my favorite, there's nothing like being immersed in the culture and scenery to really get a connection with the products."

Celtic Aer just recently moved to their new location in Shrub Oak, so the COVID-19 pandemic couldn't have come at a worse time, as the virus saw many St. Patrick's Day parade's called off. 

In these strange times, it's important to support small local businesses. You can shop online at CelticAer.com. Follow them on Facebook or Instagram. You can contact Ashley via [email protected] or visit the store at 1137 E Main St, Shrub Oak, NY 10588.

Tipperary Stores

A selection of fine Irish Imports that is unrivaled. Tipperary Stores has their gif for Christmas gift store awaiting any customer! Of course, their friendly service awaits you in-store and at ShopTipperary.com. And they offer free shipping too!

Tipperary is a Celtic jeweler and Irish store with locations in Brunswick, New York, and, Newport, Rhode Island,  and, Clifton Park, NY, serving New York, New England, and beyond.

Our Brunswick location has been operated in the same spot since the 70s although the McGrath family's operations began in 1839, with O’Day Brothers Livery and Grocery, still fondly remembered by many. O’Day Bros Groceries are now inside all Tipperary stores. 

Our well-known Basic Irish Luxury store, in Newport Rhode Island, serves the Greater Boston, Southcoast, and CT area. Our customers can see our tradition of service is unmatched.

Tipperary is a full-service jeweler. Certified and accredited by the Federation of Irish Jewelry Manufacturers and Jewelers of America, Tipperary carries a very large selection of finely crafted Irish jewelry in sterling, 14K gold, platinum, and costume.

Let their certified jewelry professionals help you choose the perfect gift for all life’s occasions. They stock a wide variety of famous Irish brands like Shanore, Waterford Crystal, Hanna Hats, Branigan Weavers, Belleek China, Colm Di Ris, Inis, and others along with the works of individual Irish and Celtic jewelry designers, craftsman, weavers, artisans, and lots of other really cool stuff. And don’t forget the groceries! Tons of your favorite foods and sweets from Ireland and the UK. 

Tipperary is often imitated but never equaled in bringing you the best selection of Irish goods at the most affordable prices in our stores and at ShopTipperary.com.

Tipperary, 3956 State Highway 2, Brunswick NY 12180.

Tipperary, 22 Clifton Country Rd, Clifton Park NY 12065.

Basic Irish Luxury, 127 Swinburne Row On Thames Street Newport RI 02840.

Lee Valley

Lee Valley Ireland is a family run business based in County Cork, established by Denis Hurley, in 1986. Loved the world over, the traditional Irish clothing brand never forgets its roots.

What started out as a simple cottage industry harnessing the sewing skills of local women in Inchigeela, West Cork has become a worldwide success. Over 30 years on from cutting the first grandfather shirt, Lee Valley Ireland now offers a wide range of Irish country clothing and gifts including traditional Irish nightwear, classic outerwear, tweed clothing, their famous grandfather shirts, and much more.

Ahead of the holiday season, their collection of quality flannel sleepwear proves extremely popular. Available in a range of traditional colors and patterns, Lee Valley Ireland produces flannel pajamas, night robes, nightshirts, and nightcaps all made from 100% cotton flannel, making it the perfect option for winter wear and the ideal gift for family and friends this Christmas.

For more information, visit www.leevalleyireland.com or email [email protected].

Stockists in the USA and Canada can be viewed at IrishCentral's store locator

The James Trading Group

The James Trading Group has been a distributor of Irish goods in the US and Canada since 1989. Based in New York they provide a wide range of products. The James Trading Group specializes in high-quality products and is the official licensee of the Guinness Official Merchandise, Waltons Irish Instruments, Neiphin Peaks, Official Queer Eye Merchandise, Olann, Simply Birch, and more. 

James Trading Group has continued to adapt to its environment and during the current COVIDI pandemic. They initialized an innovative Dropship Programme for their wholesale customers. Wholesale customers can add the products to their own site and James Trading will ship directly to the customer for you. 

They also offer the hugely successful Guinness Webstore across North America. Guinnesswebstore.com is a state of the art e-commerce platform carrying a wide range of Guinness merchandise from a wide range of Guinness Licensees. 

For more information or to speak to someone in James Trading Group call 914 345 1550 or email [email protected] 

Crafters of Ireland

While COVID-19 has affected the livelihoods of many of Ireland’s artists, Crafters of Ireland designed a new, unique, and bespoke service for crafters and designers who produce exquisite, handcrafted goods with the aim of redressing the balance.

A unique collaboration has been formed in CraftersOfIreland.com to allow the crafters to sell their products to the European, UK, and US markets, which they hope will allow those who wish to buy beautifully designed handmade in Ireland products to browse the variety on offer.

Crafters of Ireland was founded by Bernadette Clancy, who worked for many years, designing, and delivering workshops for business development. It was through her mentoring sessions and business advisory clinics that she met a multitude of crafters, artists, and designers who made one-of-a-kind, bespoke items. 

Find your local Irish store with IrishCentral's NACTA store locator

* Originally published on Nov 17, 2020.