Long Island merch is ‘really trendy.’ Shop local pride at these boutiques.
From jewelry made with sand from Robert Moses State Park to cozy sweatshirts with the classic Long Island silhouette — whether you’re a lifelong Long Islander or making a summer comeback, there are plenty of local businesses selling one-of-a-kind mementos to remind you of home.
Business owners have gotten creative, incorporating ZIP codes and references to binge-worthy television shows in their Long Island-themed merchandise. And they all agree — these products are perfect as gifts for out-of-towners and residents alike.
Check out some options below from a local brand, a boutique, an art gallery and a gift shop.
The Handmade Market Co.
Four years ago, Elise Grillo was looking for a hobby to keep her busy on weeknights after work. The East Patchogue resident started painting wood signs with a Long Island map and the word “Home” and selling them on Etsy.
“It got really great reactions from people,” Grillo says. “After a few months of selling them, I decided to create an actual company and trademark my design.”
Now, The Handmade Market Co. has its own website and sells a bit of everything. Grillo works with a printer in Sound Beach on all of the apparel in the Home Collection: shirts, baby onesies, sweatshirts and joggers. She prints the logo on all of the accessories herself, and that includes hats, drinkware, car decals and tote bags.
There are all kinds of color options for the clothing, but the common thread: everything is “soft and comfortable,” which was key for Grillo.
“We live in such a beautiful place,” she says. “I love to represent that. It’s nice to be able to wear your pride on your shirt.”
In addition to her online store, her merchandise is sold in Red Barn Boutique in Bellport, The Local Market PW in Port Washington and the Long Island Welcome Center off the expressway in Dix Hills, to name a few.
Over the years, she’s been able to establish loyal and local clientele.
“Long Island-themed merchandise is really trendy,” Grillo says. “It’s definitely a really big gift for people, even people who have moved out of state.”
Thred
Opened in 2017, the boutique Thred in Patchogue boasts an entire section of Long Island-centric merchandise.
Owner Merav Shiloni says they sell clothing, candles and bags that pay homage to our island, created by artists who know it best.
“It’s all people who live in my own neighborhood,” says Shiloni, of Patchogue, “and the neighborhood of the store. Supporting small businesses is not only important for my business, but important for the community.”
The boutique carries brands including Island Rose Designs, which creates handcrafted clothing and jewelry, and apparel from The Handmade Market Co.
Thred also sells bottle openers and wood boards from 612SignWorks, a wood-engraving business based in Medford. Carved into the wood boards are illustrations of Long Island with various community names and geographic coordinates.
Shiloni says her Long Island section is the boutique’s “top-selling merchandise.”
The Catbird Seat
There’s an art gallery and store nestled among the small businesses of Sayville, filled with work by local artists.
The Catbird Seat has been in business since 2016. Owner Debi Wickliffe says there are about 40 artists who sell their work there. Along with small keepsakes, there’s plenty of art pieces for sale that’ll remind you of home wherever you display them.
“I find myself selling more artwork than anything else lately,” says Wickliffe, of Bayport.
There’s a piece created by Donna Howard, of Riverhead. The shape of Long Island is made of wood, with an embellished acrylic and resin pour technique, Wickliffe says. The top half is ocean blue and reminiscent of flowing waves, and the bottom half contains pieces of seashells and glass to symbolize sand.
Additionally, The Catbird Seat carries Dune Jewelry. The line is known for incorporating sprinkles of sand from beaches all over the world into its necklaces, bracelets and rings. On its website, each accessory notes which beach the sand came from, and includes Sag Harbor and Southampton.
In Wickliffe’s store, there are bracelets and necklaces with sand from Fire Island, Robert Moses State Park, South Jamesport and Bayport. The pendants are shaped like hearts, anchors and ocean waves.
There are also candles in the store by Hamptons Handpoured, created by Brittany Torres of East Hampton. Each candle is named after a Long Island community, with different fragrance notes. For example, the Blue Point candle smells of violet, citrus and sea salt.
“We’re a family,” Wickliffe says of the artists represented in her store. “We’re all working together to build an art community that welcomes artists from all over Long Island.”
The Codfish Cowboy
Across the island and over the Loop Parkway, Angela Skudin is uplifting local artists in her shop, too. The Codfish Cowboy was established in 2015 and is a go-to gift shop on East Park Avenue in Long Beach. If you live nearby or are just surfing through, the merchandise will make your stay memorable, Skudin says.
Handmade pillows crafted by the company 521handmade include the Long Beach ZIP code, and another version contains its geographic coordinates.
There are also drink tumblers by Driftless Studios that come in various colors and proclaim in shiny, silver letters, “The Real Housewives of Long Beach” — a playful nod to the television franchise.
And there are large tote bags with rope handles, ideal for summer activities, that say “Long Beach, New York,” created by Remember Me Green.
These standouts only skim the surface. The Codfish Cowboy is home to shelves upon shelves of art, mementos, jewelry and clothing, with new products coming in on a regular basis.
Skudin, who is originally from Oklahoma, settled in Long Beach with her family years ago.
“It’s so important to represent where you’re from nowadays,” she says. “Everyone wants a sense of belonging.”