Written by 2020 Midwest Shop Local Gift Guide
Thank you for using EntryPoint’s 2020 Midwest Shop Local Gift Guide! We at EntryPoint created this guide to help you support small businesses in the Midwest by providing you with information about these companies and the products they would like to promote as gift ideas – all in one place. On this page, you will find information about gifts under $50 that are created and sold by small businesses in the Midwest. If you’re looking for gifts in this price range, start here!
Watch the special holiday edition of our weekly livestream series The Cackle to learn more about these companies’ stories, products and services, and what gifts they can offer you ahead of the 2020 holiday season!
For gifts in other price ranges, like gifts under $30, check out the other categories in the guide!
SHOP GIFTS UNDER $50
Black Girl MATHgic • Detroit, Michigan
Black Girl MATHgic Box – $39.95
Black Girl MATHgic is an educational monthly subscription founded by Brittany Rhodes and located in Detroit, MI. This company offers the first and only subscription box designed to increase math confidence and decrease math anxiety in girls on a 3rd-8th grade math level. Each box is curated to address the phenomena that contribute to low math confidence and high math anxiety, especially in girls.
Constructive Eating • Ann Arbor, Michigan
Construction Fan Bundle – $37.95
Constructive Eating is a dining ware company that is led by Owners and Founders Jackie and Carter Malcolm, and is located in Ann Arbor, MI. This company develops plate and utensil sets designed to help kids gain their independence, build fine motor skills, and makes mealtime feel like playtime. The plate and utensils have gone on to win multiple awards and have been praised by parents, speech pathologists, and occupational therapists alike. Constructive Eating sells to independent shops all over the world.
Dribble Stick Training • Flint, Michigan
Dribble Stick Training is a basketball training system created by Luke Lloyd and based in Flint, MI. The training system is designed to help basketball players of all ages perfect the fundamentals of the game. The Dribble Strick Training package consists of Michigan-made hardware in the form of the dribble stick itself, access to one-of-a-kind mobile app technology with video guided workouts, and a basketball workbook with coaching tips to hold players accountable.
Easy Mobile Advertising of Detroit • Detroit, Michigan
Easy Mobile Advertising of Detroit is an advertising service that is led by Owner and Founder Jamal “JB” Wheeler and is located in Detroit, MI. The company helps local small businesses, organizations, and campaigns save money by sending ads through cellphones. They utilize text ads, location ads, and augmented image ads.
Estella’s Vegan Cuisine & Desserts • Detroit, Michigan
Estella’s Vegan Cuisine & Desserts is a pop-up restaurant and bakery owned by Chantele Jones and located in Detroit. The restaurant is dedicated to offering its customers a wide range of plant-based dishes that are both healthy and flavorful.
EZ DOH • Mentor, Ohio
EZ DOH Bread Dough Mixer – $49.95
EZ DOH is a kitchen device company that is owned and operated by John Dmytriw and is located in Mentor, OH. The company designs, manufactures, and markets a hand-crank dough mixer. This mixer makes the job of making dough (for bread, pizza, tortillas, pretzels, pastries, etc.) easier, quicker, and cleaner. Because the mixer is lightweight and manual, it enables people of any age and ability level to make their own healthy foods (or anything that requires dough). It enables baking to be a fun family activity, and is also used by serious home bakers who like to make everything from sourdough bread to pizza and tortillas.
GingeRx • Hart, Michigan
GingeRx is a wellness company led by CEO Stacy Orosz and located in Hart, MI. The company has a mission of making living healthier, easier, and more delicious. To that end, GingeRX creates organic energy wellness shots made from 100% juice. Their products are shelf-stable for convenient on-the-go lifestyles.
Good Cakes and Bakes • Detroit, Michigan
Good Cakes and Bakes is a bakery that is led by Co-Owner and Pastry Chef April Anderson and is located in Detroit, MI. The bakery specializes in producing quality baked goods made with organic ingredients. Good Cakes and Bakes also identifies itself as a triple bottom line company, as they are also committed to providing jobs to the community and returning citizens.
Halo-Heart Designs • Cleveland, Ohio
Halo-Heart Designs is a jewelry company that is owned by Lindsay Flack and Amanda Foley and is located in Cleveland, OH. The owners believe that, sometimes, the right words at the right time can have the power to unlock a person’s best self. As such, the business focuses on designing jewelry that means something, such as a personal commitment, an inspirational message, a reminder of intent, or an empowering mantra. Halo-Heart Designs is committed to manufacturing their products in the United States of America through a handmade process, and also sells their products all around the world. They also believe in giving back to the community, and have partnered with celebrities and nonprofits to provide handmade, personalized jewelry gifts that highlight and amplify their message.
Hoots Woodworks • Ann Arbor, Michigan
Hoots Woodworks is a woodworking company owned by Martin V. Hueter and located in Ann Arbor, MI. The company, based out of Hueter’s own basement, builds small items like cutting boards, boxes, cribbage boards, and stools. Hoots Woodworks has a passion for building items that are both functional and beautiful.
Hudson Music Center • Dexter, Michigan
The Hudson Music Center is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is led by President and Founder Gordon Darr and is located in Dexter, Michigan. The long-term vision of the center is to provide “Music. For Everybody.” The Hudson Music Center prepares people of all ages to enjoy the expression and appreciation of music. Their highly-qualified teachers are professional educators and musicians in their own right. Many of them operate their own music studios. The Center offers private lessons, group classes, ensembles, and is the producer of the Dexter Community Choir. The Hudson Music Center also engages in fundraising activities to expand music opportunities to all people everywhere.
Hypno-Energize • Ypsilanti, Michigan
Hypno-Energize is a wellness service founded by Misha Lanith Tuesday and located in Ypsilanti, MI. Hypno-Energize provides hypnosis and energy work to individuals and groups. Using a blend of left and right brain techniques, their services help clients change behaviors and create their best possible futures. By blending the psychological principles of hypnosis and traditional coaching with the more intuitive methods of energy healing and even Tarot, Hypno-Energize represents a whole brain approach to personal excellence that works on many levels.
Kudo Box • Cleveland, Ohio
Kudo Box is an online retail store founded by Scott Himmel and located in Cleveland, OH. This company was designed to help managers recognize and thank their remote team members during the COVID-19 quarantine. It’s powered by the HarvestOwl team. HarvestOwl delivers fresh and energizing meals to offices and residential buildings.
LearnTools, Inc. • Westlake, Ohio
LearnTools, Inc. is an education company that is led by Owner and Product Developer Ray Herrman and is located in Westlake, OH. The company produces supplementary educational materials to help young kids understand math and science. For example, LearnTools, Inc. offers a curriculum package called Mac’s Abacus Basic. This curriculum is meant to supplement math education across grades from Pre-K to Fifth Grade. Mac’s Abacus Basic is unique in that it melds a special Abacus with a carefully designed series of wordless Picture Lessons to present each small concept needed to understand counting, addition, subtraction, the decimal system, and money. LearnTools, Inc.’s curriculum is not just a compilation of activities; it is a sequence of colorful, appealing Lessons carefully designed to impart an understanding of each concept. Applications such as lengths, time and budgeting are also presented.
Max Out Fitness • Pontiac, Michigan
Max Out Fitness is a health company owned by Jermaine Branner and located in Pontiac, MI. The company specializes in helping clients achieve wellness. Their goal is to educate and serve urban communities that are considered food deserts and are lacking in financial literacy.
Motor City Woman Studios • Southfield, Michigan
Digital Course: Podcast with Purpose – $49.99
Motor City Woman Studios is a recording studio led by President Robin Kinnie and with locations in both Detroit and Southfield, MI. The studio is focused on changing how underrepresented groups are portrayed in the media. Motor City Woman Studies are intentional in the way they provide resources, collaborating with organizations and creating a platform that amplifies those voices. They produce voiceovers, audiobook, podcasts and digital media for everyone from individuals to brands.
Poisera • Ann Arbor, Michigan
Poisera is a counseling service that is led by Founder and CEO Marianna Kerppoloa and is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Their serviced aim to help postpartum mothers cultivate resilience. Through daily, personalized check-in conversations, Poisera helps mothers navigate the highs and lows of motherhood.
Rachel Fisher Creative • Chicago, Illinois
Rachel Fisher Creative is a brand design service that is led by Owner and Designer Rachel Fisher, and is located in Chicago, IL. The service specializes in developing strategic, thoughtfully-crafted brands for entrepreneurs who believe in their businesses.
Rebel Nell • Detroit, Michigan
Rebel Nell is a jewelry company led by CEO Amy Peterson and located in Detroit, MI. The company began in 2013 as a social enterprise with the mission to employ women facing barriers to employment in Detroit, educate them on financial management, life wellness and entrepreneurship, and empower them to transition to a life of independence. These women are hired as Creative Designers and are taught to craft unique, wearable art from fallen layers of graffiti, while providing services to support on their way to self-sufficiency.
SuperLove • Ann Arbor, Michigan
ILY Patch Supima Cotton Tee – $36
SuperLove is a clothing and accessory design company that was founded by Katy Lind and Nate Stevens, and is located in Ann Arbor, MI. The company’s unique “ILY” design and logo can be used for a variety of accessories, including t-shirts, hats, pins, water bottles, baby clothes, and stickers. SuperLove shares this iconic design with people and organizations all over the world.
The Butters Hygienics Co. • Ypsilanti, Michigan
Cozy Comforts – Autumnal Body Moisturizer Collection 2020 – $34
The Butters Hygienics Co. is a personal care company led by Jerome Stuart Nichols and located in Ypsilanti, MI. The company offers a full line of 100% vegan personal care products for skin, hair, mind, body, and soul to solve unique hygienic problems.
The Little Seedling • Ann Arbor, Michigan
Zoo Bark-Ista Cafe Pretend Playset – $44
The Little Seedling is retail store owned by Molly Ging and located in Ann Arbor, MI. The shop specializes in products for children in the age range of newborn to early elementary. The Little Seedling offers a full range of goods from car seats and strollers to clothing to toys and games.
VADE Nutrition • Lansing, Michigan
100% Whey Isolate Protein Combo Pack – $39.99
VADE Nutrition is a nutritional supplement company that is led by President, Founder, and CEO Joe Johnson and is located in Lansing, Michigan. In an effort to streamline customers’ supplement practices before and after workouts, the company invented the world’s first and only portable protein powder in the form of Dissolvable Protein Scoops. VADE Nutrition’s mission is not only to help make people’s lives easier with their product, but also to give back to their community through creating jobs and donating VADE’s products to feed the hungry.
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