Sarah Allen walks around Urban Farmhouse, the local gift shop she bought four years ago located at 5140 Wilson Blvd. Allen says she has always wanted to own a shop, and she bought it from a woman who wanted to sell it during Covid. 

Allen says her shop is actually an old farmhouse from 1900 so it has a lot of fun little rooms. “This farmhouse has seen a lot of life; it was a barbershop at one point. In this room we have baby things like these beautiful baby blankets made from recycled fabric from the Italian fashion industry.” She walks to another room where she points to a pet section which has cute toy pet gifts. “We try to sell a little bit of everything.”

Although candles are always the best seller all year long, at this time of the year the red and green MERRY sweatshirts filling a large table in front of the check out counter are the seasonal best seller. “We go kind of wild this time of the year on seasonal gifts.” As evidence of this, the table right inside the front door is crowded with jingle bell bracelets, Christmas holly plates and joyful towels. 

Allen says the shop is focused on local products, original art, handmade ceramics. She says her favorite thing in the shop is the art by local artists. “I love the art. I work with over a dozen local artists who stop by when they have a new piece. I collect it myself. I admit some of it goes home with me.”

She explains Urban Farmhouse is small and local, and she likes to have handmade gifts by local people. “These wooden bowls are handmade by a lawyer who lives down the street. He salvages the wood and hand turns the bowls and signs them on the bottom.” In another room the shelves are full of pottery made by a woman from Frederick, Maryland and a woman from Arlington. 

Gina Memmott, a regular customer, points to the small vases on the shelf above the pottery which she bought last year for seven long-time friends for a “favorite things” gifting party. “We all brought our favorite thing and gave it to the others in the group. Besides my vases, I remember someone brought face cream and someone brought chocolate babkas from New Jersey.”

Urban Farmhouse is participating in Small Business weekend organized by One More Page Bookstore on N. Westmoreland Street. Allen explains,”If you visit eight out of 21 local small businesses and get your passport stamped this weekend, you are entered into a raffle.”

Allen says people come in to look for gifts so “We try to help them. We ask a lot of questions—it’s fun to figure out what will work for someone.” Although Black Friday was a good business day, Allen says Small Business Saturday will be better. “I think people think about the large box stores on Black Friday but they like to shop in person at a small place which is relaxing. It feels good and makes you happy.” She adds, “I think it is more important more now than ever to shop small in person.”

Arlington celebrated its 15th annual Small Business Saturday, Nov. 30. Small businesses generate local jobs and offer unique products not found in large box stores as well as building community. Arlington’s 15,000 small businesses offer everything from gift shops, cleaners, pet stores, architects, ethnic restaurants from around the world to nail salons and cigar stores.