Gift Tennessee
We know! By the time we printed there were only four whole days remanning until Santa Claus come to Tennessee. But it’s always a good time to shop with local artists, artisans, makers, and small businesses, especially for the proud Tennessean on your list.
Hound Dog Apparel
Windjammer t-shirt ($25)
Memphis
Credit: Hound Dog Apparel
Hound Dog Apparel
Windjammer t-shirt ($25)
Memphis
Oh no! I picked my Mempho-phile friend in the Secret Santa and he has everything! No. 1: No, he doesn’t. No: 2 Hound Dog Apparel’s got your back.
If he’s nostalgic for days of yore, click over to Hound Dog’s “Vintage Memphis” section for some tasty wayback treats. Do you miss Bookstar? Check. Jonesing for some Pho Binh, Anderton’s, or a patty melt from C.K.’s? Check. Our pick here, though, is the Windjammer tee. A classic style for times you don’t remember.
Maybe they’re into sports? Look no further than a throwback Grizzlies shirt or a “Go, Tigers, Go” shirt featuring a dancing Tiger (a la Grateful Dead’s dancing bears.)
Rachel Ford is Hound Dog’s founder, creator, and everything else. Her designs artfully capture sepia-toned memories of the past. But Ford also kept up to the second. Consider a Huey’s-themed shirt called “First Date” for proof.
As a special treat to readers of State and Beale, use code 'STATEBEALE' for free shipping on any order placed through March 2025.
Credit: Handup
Handup
Rocky Top glove ($29)
Chattanooga
Handup’s apparel is equal parts bold, laid back, and sturdy enough for miles of ”grabbing [handle] bars and beers.”
The company was founded in Chattanooga in 2014 by husband-and-wife team, Cody and Jamie Wallis. Both avid cyclists, they were disappointed by the lack of fun and durable cycling gloves in the market and began crafting gloves in of their spare bedroom. Ten years later, Handup is still going strong.
The company now also offers a ton of great gear for everyone. Handup has hats, t-shirts, flannels, shorts, jorts, pants, jeans, socks, mugs, cookies, and a whole line of golf gloves and apparel.
Our pick is the Rocky Top glove featuring the Tri-Star on the back and “Rocky Top” on the palm. Here’s how Handup describes them:
“Humidity you can swim through, sweet, slow-smoked BBQ, and some of the best whiskey distilleries in the country comprise just a few things we love about this state,” Handup says on its website. “If you've ever seen the sun rise across the Smokies or set in the west just over the mighty Mississippi, don't miss the opportunity to tell that story on every bike ride.”
Credit: Emil Erwin
Emil Erwin
112 Signature Leather Belt ($150)
Nashville
This classic belt from Nashville’s Emil Erwin is built to stand the test of time, both in style and in materials. Each is crafted one at a time and comes together in buckle designed by the company that’s distinctive, timeless, and hardworking.
Emil Congdon began sewing and creating bags (and almost anything else) while in college at Middle Tennessee State University. He began making leather bags for his wife, Leslie, who convinced him to sell his bags at craft shows.
After winning one of Garden & Gun’s Made in the South Awards, Congdon could hardly keep up with demand and work his day job. So, he picked leather work and founded his Nashville studio, Emil Erwin. The name is a nod to Congdon’s hometown, Erwin, in East Tennessee.
Here’s how the company describe tshe 112 Signature Belt.
“We've spent years designing our proprietary buckle, perfecting the fit, and sourcing the highest quality leather and hardware from U.S. based companies for our Signature Belt,” Emil Erwin says. “Practical and timeless, each belt is hand-sewn and finished in our Nashville studio using traditional techniques.”
