Shopping LOCAL in Oakwood: Far Hills, Park Avenue and the shops in between

Oakwood is small enough that a shopping trip can be a walk. The city describes itself as a place where schools, shops, parks and houses of worship all sit within blocks of one another, and where merchants know their customers by name. For anyone who lives here, that means a birthday present, a bouquet, a box of pastries and a new outfit can all come from independent shops a short stroll apart.

In the fall of 2026 the city put fresh attention on those shops. On November 2, the City of Oakwood invited local business owners to a Business Roundtable at the City Building on Park Avenue to share ideas and look for ways to strengthen Oakwood's business districts, with leaders from neighboring communities and a small business development adviser joining the conversation. Here is where those districts are, and what you will find in them.

Far Hills Avenue: the Shops of Oakwood

The city's main shopping street is the Far Hills Business District, the stretch of Far Hills Avenue that several merchants still call the Shops of Oakwood. It is lined with storefronts on both sides, and most of what a household needs is here, alongside a good number of shops you will not find anywhere else.

Blue Turtle Toys has been selling toys, books, games, puzzles and dolls from around the world to Dayton-area families since 1999. It also carries Charlie Bears, the collectible plush bears from England. The staff will help you choose a gift and wrap it before you leave.

Nearby, The Oakwood Florist has been arranging flowers since 1950. It builds bouquets, plants and gift baskets for birthdays, anniversaries, sympathy and the holidays, and it delivers around the Dayton area the same day.

Get Dressed! Boutique describes itself as an upscale clothing boutique in the Shops of Oakwood, stocking dresses, sweaters, hats, handbags and the kind of pieces that travel well. It is a shop that rewards trying things on in person.

Jaffe Jewelers is a veteran-owned jeweller with more than four decades of experience behind it. Besides new jewelry, loose diamonds and gemstones and watches, it buys and sells vintage and estate pieces, repairs jewelry and watches, does appraisals and designs custom pieces.

The Spicy Olive's Oakwood store is the place to taste before you buy. Shoppers sample olive oils and aged balsamic vinegars from the tasting bar, then have their choices bottled and sealed on the spot. The business began in West Chester in 2012 and runs three stores in southwest Ohio, Oakwood among them, and it also offers tastings and cooking classes.

Park Avenue: cards, books and pastries

Turn off Far Hills onto Park Avenue and the pace slows. This short street, home to the Tudor-style City Building, holds four independent businesses worth the detour.

Lula Bell Whimsical Cards and Gifts is run by a mother-daughter team. It sells greeting cards and calendars featuring original artwork by artist Amy Gantt, along with women's boutique clothing, candles, home accents and seasonal gifts. Gifts leave in a pretty bag with tissue, so there is no wrapping to do at home.

Kubik Fine Books is an antiquarian bookseller whose logos show membership in the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America and the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers. Alongside its shop and online catalogue, it offers appraisals and buys books, with a particular interest in Catholic books.

Ashley's Pastry Shop, a family-owned bakery in business since 1982, sits just off Far Hills on Park Avenue. Its cases hold coffee cakes, cookies, donuts, breads and dinner rolls, and it takes orders for custom cakes and pies, with gluten-free items too. A box from Ashley's is an easy thing to bring to a neighbour's holiday party.

Farther along at 45 Park Avenue, The Little Exchange is a gift shop with gifts for children, women and men, a holiday shop and wedding and baby registries. Its proceeds go to Dayton Children's Hospital, to which it says it has given more than $2 million since 1950.

Oakwood Avenue, at the north end of town

At Oakwood's northern edge, a small cluster of businesses gathers at 6 Oakwood Avenue. Tastefully Roasted Coffee opened there in June 2017 with help from local baristas. It serves classic coffee drinks, rotating specials, pastries and breakfast and lunch, and it describes its approach as transparent, responsible and inclusive, sourcing locally when it can. Its motto is Local Tastes Better, which is a fair summary of this whole article.

Markets, makers and dates to note

The Oakwood Farmers' Market is a nonprofit market of local produce, food, arts and crafts that runs on Saturday mornings at 22 Orchard Drive. Its season runs from early May into October; in 2026 it opened on May 2 and closed on October 10. Watch the market's website for next year's opening day.

Lula Bell keeps a calendar of its own. The shop runs card-making classes with seasonal designs and has hosted Meet the Makers afternoons, a chance to talk with the people behind some of what is on its shelves. Dates and sign-ups are on the shop's events page.

Why it matters here

Oakwood's shops are part of how the city works. The city points newcomers to the Far Hills Business District for dining and shopping, and its own roundtable in November 2026 was about keeping those districts strong. Every gift bought on Far Hills or Park Avenue is a small vote for a walkable main street, for the owners who greet you by name, and for storefronts that stay lit through the winter. This season, try starting your list a few blocks from home.