The 2025 Rochester Startup and Small Business Holiday Gift Guide: The Hottest Local Companies
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Rochester’s startup and small-business community continues to shape how the region shops, celebrates, and invests in local founders. This year’s Connected Know Holiday Gift Guide brings together six Rochester-born companies making meaningful contributions to retail, culture, and community each offering something thoughtful, original, and unmistakably local.
Second Look Boutique
Category: Fashion & Lifestyle
Where to Shop: In-store + Online
One of Rochester’s most thoughtful retail concepts, Second Look Boutique blends sustainability with style through a curated selection of secondhand clothing. While the boutique opened its first storefront earlier this year in the South Wedge, founder Sarah Pavia has been building the brand’s online presence since 2016.
A Second Look focuses on high-quality resale, size inclusivity, and modern, trend-aligned curation giving Rochester shoppers a way to look great while supporting a circular fashion economy. A smart pick for anyone who loves unique finds, sustainable shopping, and supporting local entrepreneurship.
Emerson Street
Category: Women’s Licensed Collegiate Apparel
Where to Shop: Online, College Book Stores Across the Country, Fanatics, Rally House and more
Rochester-based Emerson Street has evolved into a national player in collegiate women’s apparel. With 70+ collegiate licenses and thousands of retail partners including Fanatics, Rally House, and Dillard’s, the brand delivers elevated game-day style far beyond Upstate New York. You’ll also find their collections at local school bookstores like RIT, Cornell, and Mercy.
Shop your school online at: https://emersonstreetclothing.com/
Team USA & South Carolina Women's Basketball Coach Dawn Staley Wears Emerson Street Sweater While Coaching
WeTheHobby
Category: Sports Cards, Collectibles, Hobby, Live Shopping
Where to Shop: In-store, WhatNot, FanaticsLive
Named Rochester’s Fastest Growing Company by the Greater Rochester Chamber, WeTheHobby continues to redefine the region’s hobby and collectibles scene. Founder Zach Stanley has built a high-energy community hub where collectors gather for trading, breaking, and hard-to-find drops. A top pick for holiday gifting especially for sports fans or anyone rediscovering the hobby.
Bruno’s Books & Beans
Category: Bookstore
Where to Shop: In-store and Online
Brighton’s newest independent bookstore, founded by Amey Nolan, has quickly become a neighborhood favorite. Bruno’s Books & Beans balances thoughtful curation with a welcoming, community-first atmosphere designed for readers, thinkers, and the beautifully bookish.
Black Friday Promo: 10% off new books when paying with cash, in-store only.
Flower City Union Team Shop
Category: Sports
Where to Shop: Online
For the Rochester soccer fan on your holiday list, the Flower City Union Team Shop delivers bold, community-centric merchandise tied to the city’s most talked-about local club. From scarves and jerseys to supporter gear and match-day essentials, the Union’s merch captures the spirit of Rochester’s growing soccer culture.
Whether you’re outfitting a diehard fan or introducing someone to the club, the team shop offers gifts that celebrate both local sports and local pride.
The new Karma 6 packs make a great stocking stuffer
Karma Water
Category: Functional Beverages
Where to Shop: Grocery retailers, convenience stores & online, local workout studios
Holiday shopping counts as cardio and Karma Water is Rochester’s homegrown hydration fix. With its patented vitamin-preserving push cap, Karma is perfect for staying energized during long shopping days, recovering from the “holiday hustle,” or addressing more… festive hangovers. A smart grab-and-go stocking stuffer.
Why Shop Rochester This Season
Every brand in this guide represents a founder’s vision, a local job, and a contribution to the region’s economic momentum. Shopping small doesn’t just make the holidays meaningful—it fuels Rochester’s next chapter of growth.
Shop local. Shop thoughtfully. Shop the innovators shaping Rochester’s future.