Chattanooga has become a hub for all kinds of makers and artisans, and creativity and inspiration are everywhere you look in this vibrant mountain city. Through the enthusiastic support of residents and visitors alike, the local craft scene is thriving and offers everything from unique art to delicious snacks. Whether you’re shopping for yourself or someone else, these are just a few of the best things that are made right here in Chattanooga.
Hoff Sauce
Ask Chattanoogans to name their favorite condiment, and the response is bound to be “Hoff Sauce.” Hoff & Pepper is owned and operated by the Hoffmans, a husband-and-wife team who first began making hot sauce as gifts for their friends and family. Now, you’ll find this tastes-good-on-everything sauce on shop shelves and restaurant tables all over the city. Sample each of the three flavors and then stock up on your favorite.
Lost Art Stationery
A few years ago, Christopher Lykins was working in a local stationery shop that ran out of Mother’s Day cards before the holiday. To fill the shortage, he stayed up all night printing his own designs onto cards to sell in the shop, which ultimately led him to co-found Lost Art. Lykins creates delightfully witty cards for all occasions, and his designs can be found at the Chattanooga Market and in stationery shops across the country.
Barley Bones
Treat your pup to some gourmet snacks from Barley Bones, an all-natural dog bakery that makes craft dog treats from spent malt grain barley. The treats are packed with protein, digestible fiber and healthy minerals, and they come in yummy flavors like peanut butter, sweet potato pie, and even chicken and waffles. Barley Bones is careful to use organic ingredients whenever possible and sources 80 percent of them within 100 miles of Chattanooga.
Divine Purity Naturals
Cassandra Tucker first began making her own hair-care supplies when she realized the power of natural remedies while caring for her ailing grandmother. Soon her friends were asking to purchase her organic concoctions, and Tucker founded Divine Purity as a way to share her chemical-free products with everyone. Today, Tucker offers a line of aromatic self-care essentials like lip balms, sugar scrubs, lotions, soaps, and candles that can be purchased all around town.
Positiffitea
Tiffany Malapanes (also known as Tiff) believes that drinking tea every day is essential to maintaining a healthy mind and body, and she shares that belief through her hand-blended, loose-leaf teas. Each of Positiffitea’s herbal blends is carefully created using organic fair-trade ingredients, resulting in some of the highest quality tea in Chattanooga. You can find Positiffitea blends at the Stone Cup Cafe and the Chattanooga Market.
The Board Man
These beautiful handmade cutting boards are made by Signal Mountain’s Jerry Schickel, who began the craft as a way to stay busy in his retirement. Schickel imports wood from around the world and then hand-carves it into gorgeous, one-of-a-kind cutting boards of all shapes and sizes. The Board Man can only be found at the Chattanooga Market, where he displays about 100 boards each week.
Noke’s Granola
Chattanooga is an outdoorsy town, so it’s only fitting that one of our favorite local crafts is this gourmet granola. Brothers Luther and Ryan “Noke” Cutchins began making granola as a healthy dessert option for their catering business, and its popularity led Luther to continue making and selling Noke’s granola after Ryan died unexpectedly. You can sample and purchase flavors like Apple Nut, Banana Help, and Power Blend at the Chattanooga Market.
Alchemy Spice Company
Once you try one of these fresh, all-natural spice blends, you’ll want to try them all. Alchemy Spice makes micro-batches of seasoning blends, cooking and dipping oils, gourmet salts, and individual spices that are guaranteed to be less than two weeks old when you take them home. The delicious spice blends take the guesswork out of seasoning, and they can be found at the Chattanooga Market, Olive Chattanooga, and Whole Foods.
Where to Shop
As you can see, the best place to find a high concentration of local crafts is at the weekly Chattanooga Market at the First Horizon (formerly First Tennessee) Pavilion. The market is open every Sunday from April through November, and it moves to the Chattanooga Convention Center for the holidays. If the handmade crafts aren’t inviting enough, the market also features local food trucks, live music, and kids activities.
Locals Only is a Chattanooga shop devoted entirely to selling products from the city’s many artisans and offers everything from greeting cards and magnets to candles and T-shirts. Whether you’re on the hunt for a personal souvenir or a gift for someone back home, you’re guaranteed to find something totally Chattanoogan here. On the Northshore, Blue Skies is an eclectic gift shop that features jewelry and crafts from many regional artists. This little store is always bustling with people shopping for gifts or just admiring the more laugh-worthy products like silly socks and dish towels with sassy sayings.
