It's not easy these days to find everything you want from a Local small business. Years ago, when living in Atlanta, my life partner and I would first go to an Atlanta based chain called HiFi Buys when we were interested in a new television. I cannot think of a single small business anywhere now which sells such electronics.
So much else, however, is, including so many small gifts which are perfect at Christmas. And, well, add me to the list of those who believe it's more fun to get out and check out the possibilities first hand, rather than just another "add to cart" scenario. Here's the other thing: The clock it ticking and if you are ordering anything online for Christmas at this point, especially with weather issues on the horizon, there is a good chance whatever it is won't be making an appearance under your tree!
To that I say: Get out, have some fun and find some great gifts with one of our Locally Owned Locally Operated #ILUVLOLO small businesses!
Got teens, tweens and other younger folks on your list? Then I want to make you Gasp!
Gasp is the adorable PINK gift shop opened last year by Julianna Vargas. On Canton Avenue behind Boca Kitchen on Park Avenue, it's the December I LUV Small Business of the Month and an ideal last minute stop for last minute gifts & stocking stuffers! Seriously. Christmas-oriented, pop culture, latest trend, colorful & fun, CUTE . . . . this store is such a delightful addition to our Locally owned small business landscape!
What's Gasp all about? Let's here it from the owner herself, Julianna.
Can you tell me about / introduce yourself and your LUVly shop to any & all?
Hi! My name is Julianna Vargas and I own Gasp! I have lived in Winter Park with my five siblings for pretty much my entire life (other than 4 years at FSU). When I graduated at the beginning of Covid and moved home, I began spending a lot of time shopping on Park Ave with my little sisters and realized there weren't very many stores for our ages (high school & college) so I decided to open my own! I wanted to fill a store with cute little gift-like items for young people! A gift shop is the easiest way to describe Gasp but honestly most of our customers are usually buying gifts for themselves!
Is opening such a business something you’d always wanted to do?
Opening a gift shop was never really something I thought about until a few months before I decided to do it! Through college I never had a real job & mostly stuck to side hustles like spray tanning & selling t-shirts on Etsy, so I guess I always knew I preferred working for myself rather than someone else!
Who is your most frequent customer?
This is actually such a good question! Honestly, probably my mom! Just kidding, but actually my mom buys things from Gasp like once a week! We actually have tons of regulars though, a couple of our most frequent regulars actually work at Gasp now. Grace (our manager) and Alexis (one of our holiday employees) have been frequent Gasp shoppers since the very beginning!
What do you wish others would know about your shop they may not get immediately?
I definitely wish more people knew that almost everything we sell is from small businesses! I try to source ethically produced items, mainly from small businesses, but it gets tricky because a lot of people think you're just overcharging for simple tiny items when in reality the prices are just to make sure everyone is fairly compensated for their work. A lot of what we sell is some form of artwork, whether it be actually artwork to hang on a wall or just the design used on a sticker, someone sat down and designed/made the item with their own two hands! In the times of Amazon and fast fashion, it is hard to explain that those cheap prices you see online are not at all realistic for a small business, especially one focusing on sourcing ethically produced items.
If someone is shopping for Christmas, WHY visit Gasp?
If someone is shopping for Christmas they absolutely HAVE to visit Gasp! We have gifts for everyone! You never know what you'll find in Gasp, we literally have the most random items. Just this week we got in an order of fake French baguettes that feel like stress balls! Gasp is the perfect place to find unexpected gifts & we have a very different selection than what you will find at a department store or mall.
What’s your favorite holiday movie?
Oh that's easy! The Polar Express for sure!
What’s your favorite holiday song?
Hear me out, Drummer Boy by Justin Bieber is a CLASSIC! Also if you're a Justin Bieber fan we do have Justin Bieber Car Air Fresheners in the store right now!
What’s your favorite old school holiday program? (A la Rudholph, Frosty and the like)
Oooo do you mean like the claymation ones? My mom makes us watch those every year and I kinda think some of them are a little bit scary (the characters freak me out!) But I do love Frosty the Snowman!
Why Winter Park and . . . why Park Avenue?
There was never another option other than Park Avenue in Winter Park! I have lived in Winter Park my entire life & grew up shopping on Park Ave so when I decided to open a store that was the one thing I was dead set on, it HAD to be on Park Ave.
Why PINK for your facade and signature color?
Pink has always been my favorite color! Because of the store, Pink is like my entire personality but I definitely wasn't always SO pink! I mean if I was going to choose a color for anything, it would always be pink, but now, it's like EVERYTHING is pink!
What’s behind the name Gasp?
The store is full of things that make you Gasp! During Covid I spent a lot of time online shopping from my parents couch and whenever I saw something that I LOVED I would Gasp! My parents would be like "what's wrong?" and I would be like "oh nothing, it's just so cute"! So when I decided to open the store, I didn't want to sell things that were just kind of cute, I wanted to fill a store with things so cute you Gasp when you see them! The name was a natural fit!
What is YOUR favorite item in the store?
This question stresses me out! I pick out every single item so I seriously love them all! But if I had to choose my absolute favorite I think I would go with either the croissant candle or the disco ball candle. I know that's technically two so I'm cheating but I seriously can't choose just one! I'm obsessed with everything!
What is the most popular item in the store?
Omg the Harry Styles Air Fresheners! We do a HUGE restock of them (in multiple colors & styles) every couple of weeks and they always sell out so fast! It's crazy!
If you could wish everyone one thing for Christmas what would it be?
I wish everyone a VERY Merry Christmas & hope for everyone's holiday to be filled with family, laughter, and great gifts!
With three days to shop til Christmas, hope everyone will be shopping all the way along Park Avenue and our other Local main thoroughfares. And when along Park Avenue, shop pink for things that'll make you Gasp!