While the memories made in Sun Valley will last a lifetime, sometimes it’s fun to bring home a little personal souvenir of your time or bring something back for friends so they can have a small taste of what you experienced. The Sun Valley area is chock-full of unique souvenirs whether it’s merch from your favorite bar or restaurant to local delicacies to just funny oddities.
photo: The Board Bin | SVPN Magazine
Clothing
There’s no easier souvenir than a t-shirt and Ketchum has plenty that will either inspire a trip down memory lane whenever it’s donned or a good laugh at the slogan on it. Head to skateboard/snowboard shop The Board Bin for any of a variety of “Idahome” shirts, a local favorite started by a Ketchum native. Also available at the Board Bin are other Ketchum-related shirts including one making fun of Ketchum’s name similarity to ketchup, complete with ketchup bottle or shirts depicting the state with the moniker “Iowa” under it.
Many of Ketchum’s favorite bars and restaurants have t-shirts for sale, some simply depicting the establishment name and logo, others with more fun slogans. Famous coffee shop Java sells t-shirts including the popular “Wake and destroy”, a pun on Thrasher magazine’s “Skate and destroy” slogan. The Cellar Pub has a rotation of funny t-shirts, including “My Life is Your Vacation” and “The Cellar Pub: Go Down More Often”, perhaps referencing the downstairs entrance to the pub, perhaps referencing something else.
Other spots for t-shirts and hats with classic logos are Grumpy’s, Silver Creek Outfitters, Elephant’s Perch, Pete Lane’s, Lost River Outfitters and more.
photo: MESH Gallery
Art
Ketchum has a world-class art scene that includes numerous galleries and artists selling photographs and paintings of Idaho’s beautiful landscape. Check out Mountain Images Gallery, Kirk Anderson’s gallery, and MESH Gallery for beautiful landscape photography of the Sun Valley area and greater Idaho.
photo: Bigwood Bread | SVPN Magazine
Food Items
The Wood River Valley is home to plenty of artisanal, locally-made food products like Bigwood Bread and Simple Kneads. Plenty of yummy options are available at grocery chain Atkinsons’ which marks which items are local. During the summer, the farmers market in Hailey and Ketchum offers an assortment of local food items that could be brought home including Sun Valley Mustard, sauerkraut, bread and cookies, granola, hand-crafted jewelry, and more. Local health-food store Nourish Me also carries lots of locally-made food goods as well as their own brand of goods including raw crackers, granola, pickles, raw honey, and more.
photo: Out West Trading Co
Other Goods
For more Idaho-specific and traditional souvenirs, gift shop Country Cousin has been the spot since 1947. Grab an array of huckleberry gifts (the state fruit) including chocolates, pancake mix and as well as funny gag gifts. Out West Trading Co!is the shop locals frequent for quality brands, and the gem visitors explore when they want to take a piece of Sun Valley home.
Photo: Independent Goods
Selling goods from independent makers in Idaho is Independent Goods. With an array of items from clothing to jewelry to books, this modern shop presents souvenirs in an up-scale setting. Some gifts scream Idaho like the Sun Valley bottle opener, “Ketchum High Life” t-shirt, or the candle that strives to smell like 1938 Ketchum, while other gifts are just fun to have like mountain shaped pillows or mistaken lyrics coasters. Whether you buy anything or not, the store is worth a look around for its museum-like quality of independent goods.
Outdoor apparel and gear shop Sturtevant’s carries a variety of products based out of Ketchum including Chums eyewear retainers, Wild Rye women’s mountain apparel, Club Ride biking apparel.
Have another favorite spot for Sun Valley souvenirs? We’d love to hear it with a comment below.
