We would never presume you need a reason to treat yourself, but if you want one, well… March is International Women's Month and Minnesota is full of women-owned businesses.

Top-of-mind businesses include the many women-owned food and drink businesses like Mojo Monkey Donuts, Crooked Water Spirits, Vegan East, Ann Ahmed's restaurants (the newest being Khâluna), and for home dinners, Quebracho Empanadas. Clothing boutiques include Queen Anna, Statement Boutique, and Golden Pearl Vintage.

The list can go on and on, but we've rounded up seven spots that can fill a need in a few different aspects of your life. And hey—worst case scenario, just go hang out at First Avenue or get a record at the co–woman-owned Electric Fetus or Fly Vintage & Vinyl.

Black Garnet Books

Dionne Sims' bookshop—the first Black-owned one in the state—is currently all online right now, but that isn't stopping her from curating 200-some titles. Some of her top picks right now are Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson, which is about a pair of siblings left with a mysterious inheritance, and Boys Come First by Aaron Foley, which comes out in May and is about three gay Black men in a gentrifying Detroit. Most exciting, by this fall, you'll be able to peruse Sims' collection at her new brick-and-mortar in St. Paul!

Also consider: Cream & Amber, where you can find books paired with beer, courtesy of co-owners Kacey Hruby Wyttenhove and Katie Terhune.

The Grand Hand Gallery

Cathy Weyerhaeuser and Mary Whitney took over the Grand Hand Gallery in 2018, and for the past four years, they haven't looked back. A quick browse of the website reveals a list of artists 150 names long, such as minimalist jewelry maker Yen Chee, ceramicist Cindy Syme, and Tradsaga, a brand of handcrafted bracelets using reindeer hide and metal embroidery by Sally Sexton and Rebecca Anderson. As for who's currently in the shop? Well, you'll just have to visit and find out. 

Repair Lair

Nancy Ford has quite a resume backing up her outdoor experience: train conductor, wilderness therapy instructor, Antarctic ice core driller, and more. Go to her Minneapolis store to get your gear repaired or, if you're not using it as much as you'd like, give it to them on consignment. Repairs include backpacks, mittens, luggage, sleeping bags, tents, and more.

The Greenery

Melissa Marcelle of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Ojibwe owns this plant shop on East Lake Street in Minneapolis. Tropical plants and other greenery are scattered throughout this clutter-free store (Marcelle particularly reminds the low-maintenance philodendron brasil), but besides visiting in person, make sure to follow the shop's social media for workshops and its second annual Mother's Day garden party.

Also consider: Bouquets by Carolyn, the first Black-owned florist shop in St. Paul by Carolyn Smaller.

Tare Market

Since Amber Haukedahl began the state's first zero-waste shop in spring 2019, the grocery, home, and wellness store in South Minneapolis has diverted more than 40,000 plastic bags from landfills, kept more than 2,000 boxes from the recycling system by reusing them for online orders, and has planted 4,500 trees with Seed the Change and Ecologi. Bestselling items include the eco sponge, compostable dental floss, and "unpaper towels," and come this Earth Day, people will have a second brick-and-mortar location to shop at in Northeast Minneapolis.

Also consider: The Zero(ish) Co., a sustainable living shop and refillery in South Minneapolis created by the previous co-owner of Tare, Kate Marnach, and Spoils of Wear, an ethical and sustainable apparel shop founded by Jill Erickson.

Furniture by DeGarmo

TiAnna DeGarmo is in the midst of a few projects right now: You can see her wooden furniture at an exhibit at the Artistry (the Chrysalis coffee table and others) and at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (Terminal 1, the Nisu coat tree). She recently moved to Lanesboro, and has just set up her workshop there. And, of course, she's beginning to work on new designs and will soon update her website (although you can still get made-to-order items like her Alan credenza).

Also consider: Petek Trading Co., the online shop by Melek Cansu Petek, which carries Turkish goods; Brooke & Lou home decor by Bria Hammel; and Susan Brouillette's Umei, which carries home items that are often Asian-inspired or Asian-sourced.

Fair Anita

Joy McBrien began Fair Anita in 2015 to build partnerships with women from around the world in order to increase their financial security and agency. The shop's artisans come from nine countries, including Peru, India, Cambodia, and South Africa, and they create bags, wallets, jewelry, scarves, and more. Visit McBrien's shop on Friday afternoons or some weekends, or stop by the Mill City Indoor Farmers Market on March 12. (If you want a two-for-one trip, sometimes you can find Fair Anita's goods at Spoils of Wear, too!)

Also consider: Locally made jewelry by Larissa Loden, who is set to move into a 12,000-square-foot St. Paul storefront this spring; folks at the monthly Minneapolis Vintage Market; and tenants in the Northrup King Building, including A Mano by Louisa Podlich.

And for those who read Sheila Regan's Minnesota makers round-up this winter, don't forget about makers such as Makwa Studio and founder Maggie Thompson's Stoll fundraiser, or about Third Daughter, Restless Daughter, whose sassy cross stitch can be found online, at the woman-owned shop I Like You, or at the Little Asian Market pop-up in June at Arbeiter Brewing Co.

This feature is part of The Current’s 89 Days of Spring series, helping you enjoy the best of the season with weekly guides to events, entertainment, and recreation in the Twin Cities.