Are you in search of a new, one-of-a-kind shopping experience? If so, we highly recommend heading down to Philly’s favorite gift shop, The Little Apple. Nestled in the heart of Manayunk, this charming boutique sells home décor, local art, jewelry, unique baby gifts, and greeting cards for every occasion and gifts for all the hard-to-shop-for people in your life. The shops’ signature is the manner in which it caters to overly specific interests such as “the aspiring chef” or “the bike enthusiast.” If you have someone in your life with a very particular set of interests and tastes, this may be your new go-to spot to shop for them!
We recently had the opportunity to speak with Brandy Deieso, owner of The Little Apple, and we were extremely inspired by the fun, positive and creative attitude that she channels into her work. Although Brandy is not the founder of The Little Apple, she was one of their first customers and biggest fans. She admired the “welcoming vibe and the eclectic mix of sweet, funny, new and vintage items that [the store] carried” so much that she jumped at the opportunity to take it over after learning the store was closing. In the years since, Brandy has “worked to keep that same charm and feel of the store” while also striving to ensure The Little Apple is a place “where you can always find the perfect gift for anyone you are looking for and hopefully find something amazing that you can’t resist getting for yourself too!”
In order to provide customers with the wide range of items sold in The Little Apple, Brandy is constantly attending markets, craft fairs and art festivals. A lot of her products are discovered through customer recommendations and Brandy regularly searches Etsy and Instagram for hot new vendors. Brandy also attends the New York Gift Show each year and welcomes visits from sales reps. Some of the top products right now include art prints and greeting cards by Manayunk Calligraphy, candles by Capri Blue, wine bags by Maptote Philadelphia and earrings by Joey Five Cents.
One of Brandy’s most endearing qualities is how much she truly loves running The Little Apple- and not just because she can bring her dog, Bettie, to work with her every day! She values her customers and respects the way that they “embrace the small businesses in their neighborhoods” and their interest in “finding locally made and designed goods and art.” She also loves her customer’s excellent sense of humor, which never fails to light her mood and improve her day. Brandy also raved about the Philadelphia and Manayunk communities, praising the “tight community of small business owners” and their ability to “work together to cross-promote and support each other’s events.”
Brandy is extremely grateful for the success of The Little Apple and demonstrates this gratitude by enthusiastically promoting her community and the phenomenal festivals and events held in Manayunk each year. She contributes to the success of the many artists that she works with and shares in the excitement of their achievements. Each year for her dog’s birthday, Brandy hosts a party at The Little Apple that raises funds and collects goods to be donated to the PSPCA. The Little Apple also donates baskets and gift certificates to local charities as often as possible and chooses vendors that support charitable and humanitarian causes.
Brandy states that she is “very proud that the store was recently voted as one of USA Today’s Top 10 Shopping Destinations in Philadelphia and voted as the #1 Gift Shop by the 2014 Philly Hot List.” She plans on “hosting a lot more fun events and parties this year!” We were very inspired by Brandy’s upbeat attitude and admired her dedication to serving her customers and community. Make sure you stop in and see Brandy and Bettie at The Little Apple, and treat yourself to one of her amazing products.
