If you’re anything like I am, this point in December usually brings a confusing mix of emotions.
The unlimited, no-questions-asked excuse to eat an irresponsible amount of sugar and the 24/7 holiday movie marathons can be burdened by a seriously long list of seasonal errands, the foremost of which is always gift shopping. Even on the years when I’ve been stealthily plotting the gifts for my closest friends and family members in the back of my mind for months, it’s only in this handful of weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas that I start to realize just how little time I have left to put off the actual shopping part.
For all of us who are too much of a procrastinator to knock out our whole list on Cyber Monday (the pro move for those who are way more organized than I am) and too haunted by last-minute mall holiday mall trips of seasons past (can you get PTSD from trying to navigate the outlets the week before Christmas?), the solution might just be to go local.
One of our top picks in Gainesville for the perfect present is Pop-a-Top convenience store on University Avenue.
With nothing typically “convenience store” about it, downtown Gainesville’s version of a hip, urban bodega has grown a devoted following of regulars who come to perch at the counter and chat over a bagel, enjoy a brew on the patio or just pass through to grab a quick and healthy bite in the middle of a workday. Even better, Pop-a-Top has recently stocked the store with plenty of gift options just in time for the holiday season. Without further ado, here are our favorites:
Gift baskets
From your one friend that always brings champagne to all of your get-togethers to the serious Gator fan whom you wouldn’t recognize if they weren’t decked out in orange and blue, Pop-a-Top has you covered with their gift baskets, ranging in price between $15 and $55. And the saying is that the best gifts come in pre-wrapped packages, right?
I’m personally partial to the “The Gin Lover,” which comes stocked with sparkling water, Jack Rudy Small Batch Tonic, Uncle Val’s Botanical gin, a lime and a “Gin & Titonic” ice tray. (Yes, the ice cubes are shaped like ships and I’m a shameless sucker for puns.) Though these themed baskets cover Gator fans, bourbon lovers and coffee addicts alike, Pop-a-Top will make you your own custom basket out of anything else in the store if nothing quite suits your fancy or your friends are just extra high-maintenance.
The Pop-A-Top gift card
For some people, the gift of an experience trumps anything tangible you could come up with. Go for one of Pop-a-Top’s gift cards, which can be used in-store as well as at The Top, The Atlantic, The Dime and the Arcade Bar. If they like you, they might even let you tag along for a night of dancing or a good meal. Keep it personal by pairing it with one of Pop-a-Top’s sassy and fun scratch-off greeting cards.
Build-Your-Own six-pack
Attention – there is officially a solution for all of your last-minute host and hostess gift dilemmas. With the build-your-own mixed six-pack, the beer fridge is your oyster. Fully stocked with everything from local ales brewed at Swamp Head and First Magnitude to favorites like Funky Buddha, Cigar City and a wide variety of domestic choices, you can mix and match to your heart’s content. For those who don’t enjoy beer, make it a specialty soda combo and choose from a selection of root beers, sparkling juices and other craft beverages.
Bar accessories
Give the gift of all the drinking accessories your friend never knew they needed but definitely, definitely do. Pop-a-Top has festive flasks, whiskey rocks, decorative wine stoppers and fun bottle openers like this magnetic parrot, all of which are perfect for a Secret Santa or white elephant-style gift exchange. Go the extra mile and pair it with a bottle of wine – notecards from the staff with flavor descriptions and background on the wine make it easy even if you’re not quite a sommelier.
Though we can’t guarantee that the rest of your holiday preparation will go this smoothly, you can now make your next lunchtime sandwich run at Pop-a-Top a little more productive and cross a few more gifts off of your master list. We won’t tell if you snag one of the six-packs for yourself.
