What is the gift that keeps on giving?
How about a gift that lights up the recipient with joy, while also supporting friends and neighbors working for local manufacturers?
“Resupply” has emerged as a buzzword during the COVID-19 pandemic as companies weigh the benefits of bringing manufacturing back to the United States from abroad. This practice is expected to eventually alleviate some supply chain issues, reduce delivery times and increase the number of Americans working in local factories.
In the southern tier, it is already possible to stock up on a Christmas tree with goods entirely made by domestic manufacturers. From food to electronics, and candles to clothing, Southern Tier companies are busy creating products for everyone on your holiday shopping list.
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Here are a dozen gift ideas, all inspired by Southern tier manufacturers.
audio equipment
Can you hear me now? If you buy an audio device from McIntosh, you’ll be able to hear every nuance in music, movies, and podcasts. McIntosh moved to Binghamton in 1951 shortly after its founding, and its products are still designed and handcrafted in the Binghamton factory today.
McIntosh manufactures a variety of high-end audio equipment, including home theater systems, amplifiers, amplifiers, and media streaming devices. In addition to its premium electronics, the company also offers a variety of McIntosh-branded merchandise in its gift shop. The company has fans among some of the biggest names in music, with the Grateful Dead, the Beach Boys, Earth, Wind and Fire associated with the brand. McIntosh Speakers took over Woodstock in 1969.
belts
How many Christmas gifts come with a 100-year warranty? That’s the promise of Hanks Belts, headquartered in Endicott in Broome County. Hanks started as an Army/Navy store in 1949 and now offers locally made leather belts, wallets, and accessories.
The company says that its belts are made from the highest quality full-grain leather, and have never been treated or bonded, creating “a strong belt that will never crack, break, or over-stretch. If so, send it back and we’ll replace it with the original size requested without putting up any Questions for 100 years.”
In addition to belts and wallets, Hanks also manufactures leather keychains, watch straps, sheaths, paper, Dopp sets, dog collars and leashes. The company offers free shipping on its website.
candles
Northern Lights Candles has been lighting homes since its founding in 1978 in the Allegany County town of Wellsville. Acquired by Zippo in 2019, the company is still based in Wellsville and produces all kinds of candles for home use.
Northern Lights produces both factory and handmade candles, offering a variety of styles in toasts, tealights, molten wax, gradient, pillars, jars, scented candles and more. A free sample is provided with every online order, with free shipping on orders over $50.
The company also offers DIY candle-making supplies for hobbyists.
candies
Looking for a fun Christmas stocking? Look no further than Horseheads, where the Turtles line of chocolates are made for DeMet’s Candy Company. Turtle clusters are “filled with crunchy pecans and creamy caramel and all wrapped in delicious chocolate.”
While the Turtles were created by a Chicago candy maker in 1916, they are now manufactured in Chemung County at 1 Turtle Circle in Horseheads and shipped to retailers nationwide.
custom pens
Do you need a special pen to mark a special occasion? Hardy Penwrights produces custom pens from almost scratch in the town of Scio, Allegany County. Bodies, caps, sections, and any crowns, as well as metalwork, are handcrafted in the Scio Shop.
“In the era of ‘disposables,’ we set out to create pens that are gifts for life, either for yourself or someone else – someone who will appreciate the idea that beautiful gadgets are fun to use and encourage the creative process,” states the company.
custom woven products
Every wardrobe needs a Christmas sweater. Personalize your holiday outfit with custom clothing from Binghamton Knitting Company. Based in Broome County since 1927, the company can turn your ideas about a custom jacket into a reality. The company can also offer custom acrylic and cotton blanket designs that are great for team merchandise, promotional items, fundraising items, corporate gifts, and other custom applications.
The Binghamton Knitting Company produces items for mom and pop gift shops, Fortune 500 companies and everything in between, with 100% of production done in-house.
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glassware
Steuben County is home to the world-famous Corning Museum of Glass, which offers a variety of decorative and utilitarian glass products. The Corning Museum of Glass highlights beautiful pieces created by local artists such as Amy Schwartz, Caitlin Hyde, Cat Burns, Chris Giordano, and Claire Kelly. In addition to intricate decorative pieces, CMOG also offers glassware to entertain guests in style, as well as special holiday season ornaments.
The current exhibition on display at the museum is titled “In Sparkling Company: Glass and the Costs of Social Life in Britain during the 1700s.” It is on display until January 2, 2022 and a variety of pieces associated with the exhibition are now on sale.
At The Studio, the “Make Your Own Glass” team makes each ornament as designed. Choose the shape, base color, accent color and pattern to design your own unique creation.
Barbecue Basics
It’s never too early to think about barbecue season. Lupo’s, based in Broome County, offers various gift sets through its website. It includes a grill starter set, a designer grill gift set and a cool grill gift set, which has been hailed as the “ultimate gift set for the king or queen of the grill”. Comes with two 16 oz. Bottles of Lupo’s favorite marinade, two Lupo Coke liqueurs, a four-piece metal skewer set, pot holder, sub sauce and your choice of Char Pit apron or shirt, all folded into a reusable gold case featuring Char Pit Charlie.
Lupo’s was established as an Endicott-area meat market in 1951. Lupo’s famous spy marinade was made into the meat market, and today, the third-generation family business operates restaurants, a USDA meat factory and its own packing facility with Lupo products distributed locally, regionally, and nationally. .
The neighboring town of Johnson is home to the Rob Salamida Co. , which is also built on the spy sandwich. Salameda began perfecting his recipes as a teenager, and his hometown sauce with a homemade flavor has now sold millions of bottles, 16 ounces at a time. Salamida also offers barbecue combos with a choice of pickles and local seasonings.
Typical Engines
While many holiday gifts are centered around the latest and greatest technological advancements, one Southern tier company is listening for a simpler time. Wellsville-based PM Research produces typical engine and accessory kits for hobbyists and mechanics looking for a project to tinker with over the long winter months.
The company offers models of steam engines, solar engines, gas engines, boilers and machine tools, as well as related accessories, all locally made since 1973. A free online catalog is available on the company’s website.
train set model
The majority of Hornell’s manufacturing centers around the transportation industry, a legacy of the proud railroad history of the county town of Steuben. Today, Alstom’s Hornell stores manufacture the next generation of Amtrak’s high-speed train kits. While it may be difficult to place a locomotive under a Christmas tree, one company makes it possible to offer pride in local manufacturing.
Bachmann Industries is the official Amtrak licensee for the Acela Express. Bachmann offers a ready-to-run electric train set that features an Acela miniature train, a first-class passenger car, a business-class passenger car and a café car. The locomotive can reach gauge speeds of 150 mph or more on an EZ elliptical track that comes with a power pack and cruise control.
personalized wooden products
Add a personal touch to your gifts this year with the help of Paint the Town, based in Elmira. Paint the Town offers a variety of wood products that can be built to specification. Pictures of unique wood signs for your home or cabin. The company also offers custom wood panels, magnets, and shelves. Or design tile or marble mugs, mugs, or hand towels.
Paint the Town is a family business founded by Liz, Charlie, and Marty Fennell in 1999. The company serves the wholesale and retail markets in Chemung County and across the southern tier, and its products are in stores worldwide. Offers free shipping on website orders over $50.
Fishing equipment
Precision Armament promises gifts that will be on target this holiday season. Manufacturer Wellsville produces muzzle devices, muzzle attachments, and firearms accessories for hunters and hobbyists dedicated to recreational shooting sports. Items produced by the company are designed to enhance accuracy, including scope rails and muzzle brakes. All of the company’s products are manufactured by mechanics at its Wellsville manufacturing facility. The Precision Armament website also features branded hats and T-shirts.
Soaps and skin care products
Craft Farm was founded in 2016 by Alison Duncan, a Corning native who has “extreme tendencies in craftsmanship.” Duncan’s exploration of creative and sustainable living focuses on artfully crafted products for everyday life. They are certified by the Handmade Soaps and Cosmetics Association and specialize in vegan, palm-free soaps and skin care products.
Craft Farm production studio and artisan shop opened on South Main Street in Elmira in 2020, and now offers a variety of natural soaps and skin care products, as well as sustainable home goods and artisan gifts from across New York State. The company offers free shipping on orders over $65 and free delivery in the Corning/Elmira area.
Some cheese with this wine (or an adult drink)
Buying from Golden Age Cheese of Woodhull will be a gift in more ways than one. Steuben County Inc. is recovering from the devastating floods that hit the area on August 18. Like most businesses and homes in town, Golden Age Cheese was hit hard by water damage that led to a federal declaration of disaster. The company quickly worked to restore operations and returned to producing its signature, handcrafted cheese. The company offers a number of gift box options that are perfect for the holiday season.
In the neighboring province of Allegany, this popular Cuban cheese shop sells a variety of cheese, bread and maple syrup products sourced from local manufacturers. The company ships anywhere in the United States.
Want some wine (or another adult drink) with this cheese? The southern tier is home to a growing number of breweries, distilleries, and wineries offering local flavors. Consider gifting a bottle, six-pack, or growler made by your local establishment.
Chris Potter can be reached at cpotter@gannett.com or on Twitter ReNgo_Sport Hold your tongue. To get unlimited access to the latest news, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
