12 Can’t Miss Tacoma Stops on Small Business Saturday

We’ve had Small Business Saturday circled on our calendar since last year’s Tacoma blowout. But as 2020 has crept closer to Nov. 28, it’s clear that this will not be an ordinary year.

Many of our beloved shops, restaurants and boutiques still have their doors closed because of the pandemic. The ones who have reopened are doing what they can to keep R City safe through social distancing and limiting the number of patrons in their stores. This past weekend, Gov. Jay Inslee announced new restrictions for businesses, so our favorite restaurants are back to takeout and delivery for now.

Needless to say, Small Business Saturday 2020 will be unlike any other. With that, we won’t let the annual celebration in the South Sound go by without shouting out some of our favorite Tacoma spots, in a year when shopping local has been so crucial.

Here are 12 cool places, presented by Commencement Bank, to visit safely or hit up online before this Small Business Saturday.

All business hours may continue to be affected by state and local COVID-19 restrictions. Please visit store websites or contact the stores directly for more information.

Campfire Coffee Co.

We love these newcomers in the 253 coffee scene for a multitude of reasons. First, their whole vibe makes us proud to be from the PNW, the music’s always on point, and their roasts are deep, rich, and…fiery. Their Toasted Marshmallow Latte is the talk of Tacoma.

Read more about Campfire Coffee Co.

Savoy Special Vintage

This rock star/vintage clothing enthusiast’s paradise is garnering national attention for a reason. All those dusty American Picker style barns you imagine are full of rare artifacts across the country? This place is proof they exist. Prepare to spend some coin, because this place has unique and stylish outfits for days.

Fish House Café

Tacoma’s got few hole in the wall, down home, fried delights quite like Fish House Café. The fish and chips are outstanding, the customer service rocks, and the prices are reasonable. Take your pick from the can’t miss menu and pair your dish with fried okra. You don’t even have to thank us later.

*All Washington restaurants are currently closed for dine-in. Follow Fish House Cafe on Facebook or Instagram for more information on takeout and delivery options.

Cooks Tavern

A Tacoma institution before the world turned upside down, and even with everything being the way it is, that designation remains. A temporary cure and reprieve from our pandemic blues.

Read more about Cooks Tavern.

*All Washington restaurants are currently closed for dine-in. Visit the Cooks Tavern website or follow them on Instagram for more information on takeout and delivery options.

Pao’s Donuts & Coffee Shop

Tacoma’s donut game is on point. It seems like you can find fluffy, sugary, decadent pastries on every corner in R City, and Pao’s Donuts & Coffee Shop on 6^th Ave does donuts with the best of them. The buttermilk bar or raspberry scone are the perfect way to start any day, but you can’t go wrong with any of the grab n’ go dunkers from their sweet selection.

Janku Land & Destiny City Comics

If you’re near Stadium District and looking for some chill at-home entertainment, you’ll find yourself in some welcomed double trouble with Destiny City Comics and Janku Land. Hit up Ethan HD’s comic book shop for a heroic read, and then hop next door for a vinyl record to spin from Janku Land. Taiga Dinger’s record store paired with an affordable vintage shop is also inside the King’s Books building. They offer throwback clothing and trinkets to add a bit of character to the place you’ve spent most of your time in 2020…your house.

Read more about Janku Land and Destiny City Comics.

Pacific Northwest Shop & The Proctor Mercantile

Next door to each other on Proctor, this pair of boutiques offers soaps, candles, wines, chocolates and so much more. The Proctor Mercantile is stacked with elegant pottery and kitchenware that’ll make great gifts this holiday season, or rifle through shelves of specialty foods, unique bath and body options, and accessories at the Pacific Northwest Shop.

Field Bar & Bottle Shop

We can’t remember a new Tacoma face and place coming into our lives with such a wrecking ball’s impact as Brian Hibbard and his enchanting Field Bar. Every visit to his wall of magic wines, beers, ciders and cocktail fixings is a hilarious and heartfelt education on tannins, pairings, and more. If we were handing out R City awards, this new haunt would be our unanimous pick for Rookie of the Year.

Read more about Field Bar & Bottle Shop.

Playback Sports

So you didn’t get as much exercise as you promised yourself you would this year. Even with all that time and no reason to stay inside, you couldn’t muster up the energy. Well, you’re not alone. But it’s not too late. Playback Sports in Proctor has everything for the ambitious athlete in all of us. Watersports, golf, hunting and fishing? They’ve got the gear. Snow sports and hockey for a winter workout? Here’s your one-stop shop. They also won a Washington State Recycling Association Award last year, so you’ll be doing the environment a favor as well as your body and mind.

Park Avenue Books

If you want to cozy up with a new novel this holiday season but don’t know what you’re jonesing for, head to Park Avenue Books. They’ve got a massive selection of used books and they’ve stacked them in just about every square inch of their Fern Hill storefront. If you’re like us and get excited about digging through hundreds of classics to find the perfect title to fit your mood, head to Fern Hill and inch your way through this awesome outlet, ya bookworm.

BONUS: We R Tacoma Team Store

We hope Cheney Stadium is on your list of must-stops for holiday shopping, but if not, let’s change that. The We R Tacoma Team Store (currently open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 11 AM to 5 PM) has racks on racks on racks of Tacoma Rainiers and Tacoma Defiance hats, shirts, outwear and novelties. We’ll also have a wide selection of holiday gift packages that will go on sale Wednesday Nov. 25, with discounts for days through the holiday weekend and Cyber Monday.

Follow the Team Store on Twitter and Instagram for more.

We promised 12 and we gave you a baker’s dozen. Now you can start mapping out your go-to destinations for Small Business Saturday on November 28th.

If you just can’t help but spoil family and friends during the holidays, we can’t stress enough how important it is to support your favorite Tacoma stores, especially in a year where many mom-and-pop shops are struggling to keep their doors open.

This Is R City, so let’s take care of each other, and shop local.

Submit a nomination HERE for the Commencement Bank Small Business of the Month for December.