Source: Word in Black
Thanksgiving host gifts from Black-owned shops in Philadelphia include sweet potato pies from Sweet T’s Bakery in Reading Terminal Market, hand-poured candles from Mount Airy Candle Co. in West Mount Airy, and loose-leaf teas from Rise and Ritual in West Philadelphia. The same shops and their neighbors also sell books, houseplants, flowers, table linens and wine, which gives a guest heading to a Thanksgiving 2026 dinner on Thursday, November 26, a wide field of host gifts to choose from.
A host gift tends to be a small thing, yet it carries a message to the person who spent days preparing a table, and the message lands harder when the object has a maker with a name and a story. Several of the Black-owned shops in Philadelphia that sell gifts suited to a host began with exactly that kind of story, a recipe handed down from a grandmother or a candle poured as a present for family.
1. Sweet T’s Bakery & Snack Shop
Sweet T’s Bakery & Snack Shop is the natural first stop for anyone looking to build a host gift around dessert. The stall sits inside Reading Terminal Market at 1136 Arch Street in Center City, and its owners, Tia and Mark El, describe it on their own site as the first Black-owned bakery in the market. Tia El grew up baking sweet potato desserts from recipes used by her grandmother, Delores Truitt, and the graham cracker crust she added is the detail that made customers take notice. The bakery’s menu lists a 9-inch sweet potato pie with a traditional crust at $22 and the graham cracker version at $24, a twin pack of 3-inch pies at $7 and a whole sweet potato pound cake at $45. The site’s footer reads 2023, so those prices may have moved since. Large pies need 48 hours for baking, and the menu page mentions Sunday and Monday closings while the contact page lists daily hours, so a call to 267-319-1819 settles both questions before an order goes in.
Read also: 8 Black-Owned Vegan Bakeries To Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth
2. Mitchell & Mitchell Wines
A bottle is the other classic offering, and Mitchell & Mitchell Wines has a connection to hosting that few wineries can claim. The winery operates in Elkins Park at 7909 High School Road, just outside the Philadelphia line. Frank and Kenya Mitchell began making wine in 2012 after noticing that wine took up the largest share of the budget for the dinner parties they hosted and attended. Current stock, prices and holiday hours are best confirmed with the winery, and online ordering with scheduled pickup has been offered in the past.
Read also: 7 Black-owned Wines To Add To Your Collection
3. Mount Airy Candle Co.
Mount Airy Candle Co. supplies something for the room once the plates are cleared. Its studio and retail lounge are at 633 W. Rittenhouse Street, Suite 3, in West Mount Airy. Founder Marques Davis began making candles as holiday gifts for loved ones in 2018, and the line has grown to include home fragrance and perfumes. Candles can be bought online, and an earlier holiday feature described the retail lounge as open by appointment only, so a message ahead is wise before a visit.
Read also: 6 Black-Owned Candle Companies to Support & Make Your Home Smell Good
4. Kellijane
Kellijane dresses the table itself. The shop is at 1415 S. Broad Street, #1, in South Philadelphia, and owner Kelly Monk comes from a line of women who taught her that every room has a purpose. Her offerings include luxe table fabrics, colorful throw pillows, cozy blankets and a new bedding line, and visits work by appointment or by stopping in. Prices are best confirmed with the shop.
Read also: 5 Black-Owned Home Decor Brands to Upgrade Your Space
Source: Etsy
5. Paul Beale’s Florist
Flowers carry their own history in the city. Paul Beale’s Florist at 7220 Ogontz Avenue has been a go-to for every occasion since Altermese Beale and her late husband Paul opened it in 1971, and their daughters, grandson and great-grandson now run it. The family handles ordering and floral design, so a custom arrangement for a host’s table is a straightforward request. Pricing and holiday order deadlines are best confirmed with the shop.
Read also: 8 Black-Owned Florists
6. Vault + Vine
Vault + Vine in East Falls offers a gentler option for a host who prefers something green. The shop is at 3507 Midvale Avenue, and owners Diana Baye and Breana Pettiford run it as a greenhouse, flower shop, retail space and coffee shop. It sells plants and pots, custom floral arrangements, candles, mugs and jewelry. Current prices should be confirmed with the shop.
7. Plant and People
North 52nd Street in West Philadelphia holds two of the most giftable stops on the list. Plant and People, at 1431 N. 52nd Street, is run by mother and daughter Cherron Perry-Thomas and Amma Thomas, who treat plants as a means of stress management, self-care and community restoration. The shop stocks houseplants, including low-light and pet-safe varieties, along with books, natural supplements and handcrafted accessories. Prices and holiday hours are best confirmed directly.
8. Rise and Ritual
Rise and Ritual sits on the same stretch of the avenue at 1439 N. 52nd Street. Owner Taylor Nickens, a Philadelphia native, built the tea house and apothecary around a daily ritual of tea and journaling. Its loose-leaf herbal blends include Ginger Boost, an immunity-minded mix, and Get Lifted, which pairs sencha with peppermint, and the apothecary shelves hold items such as herbal foot baths. A tin of tea suits a host who will want something warm after the guests leave. Pricing is best confirmed with the shop.
9. Hakim’s Bookstore & Gift Shop
Books close out a good host gift, and the same neighborhood leads to one of the oldest Black-owned bookstores in the country. Hakim’s Bookstore & Gift Shop, at 210 S. 52nd Street, has stood at the same West Philadelphia address for more than 60 years and is now an official historic site. Dawud Hakim founded it, and his daughter Yvonne Blake owns it today. The shelves carry African American studies, philosophy, history, memoirs and children’s books, and a children’s title is an easy gift for a host with young relatives at the table.
10. Black and Nobel
Black and Nobel on South Street offers a wider mix for the same purpose. The shop is at 422 South Street and is owned by Hakim Hopkins. Beyond adult and children’s books, it sells jewelry and body care products such as lotions and sea moss, and it ships books to people in prison. Prices vary by item and are best confirmed with the shop.
11. Harriett’s Bookshop
Harriett’s Bookshop in Fishtown is where the story of a Black-owned shop in the city turns into a story about ownership. Jeannine A. Cook opened it at 258 E. Girard Avenue in 2020, named it after Harriet Tubman and later bought the building that houses it, which settled the shop’s future on its own block. The shop also has a second location at 921 Market Street, and its shelves lean toward women authors and Black writers. Prices vary by title.
Read also: Black-Owned Bookstores in Philadelphia
For anyone short on time, the order of operations is plain. The pie from Sweet T’s needs 48 hours, so that order goes in first. Mitchell & Mitchell and Mount Airy Candle Co. both take online orders, which makes them workable for the week itself. The walk-in shops on 52nd Street, South Street and Girard Avenue work best for a quick trip, with a phone call or message first, since Thanksgiving-week hours were not confirmed for any of these shops at the time of writing. Readers who want more Black-owned shops across the city’s neighborhoods can find them in the Black 2026 Philadelphia Guide on this site.
