Super Cool Father's Day Ideas That Struck a Chord with This Dad
- Jill Stoodley
- May 30
- 6 min read
Updated: Jun 10
I definitely don't pretend to corner the market on the world's best gift ideas. In fact, some have been downright losers... like the time I bought my husband a horrible crockpot he absolutely did not want. But some gifts have hit the mark. So, in the spirit of providing inspiration for those who struggle for ideas, I'm sharing some of our best Father's Day gift suggestions from our favorite places.
Greg's Favorite Vinyl Haunts
An album or gift card from any of these stores never disappoints!
Our Top Suggestions:
Mystic Disc
10 Steamboat Wharf
Mystic, CT 06355
(860) 536-1312
Déjà Vu Records
154 East Central Street
Natick, MA, 01760
508 653 6921
The Vinyl Vault
482 King St.
Littleton, MA 01460
(978) 486-0804
Music & Mixology
All under $40 and available in many stores!
Our Top Suggestions:
Booze & Vinyl Cocktail Book (2nd edition)
Brisked Whiskey Ice Wedge Set
Woodford Reserve Bourbon Barrel-Aged Bitters Sampler Set
Vinylux Recycled Record Coasters
Expand to Learn What's So Cool About These Gifts
My husband isn't a particularly big drinker, but he loves music, creative mixed drinks, and entertaining our friends and family. The Booze & Vinyl cocktail book by André & Tenaya Darlington is a really cool mix of music and craft cocktails — each entry features an album suggestion (with liner notes) and two cocktail recipes that complement the music. Artists include Jimmi Hendrix, The Police, The B52s, John Coltrane, and Depeche Mode (family and friends will immediately know their Violator album is why I chose the 2nd edition).
The ice wedge is a funky way to enjoy a cold drink, and my husband loved the bitters sampler — spiced cherry and orange are his favorites, but chocolate was also an interesting option.
Vinylux record coasters are made from authentic vintage records and are available in themed sets of 6 mixed titles. Each coaster features a record label from an assortment of musical genres and time periods!
Gifts So Unique They Don't Have a Category
Spotlight on Trove Men's Provisions
15 W Main St, Mystic, CT 06355
(860) 415-8484
Our Top Suggestions:
Super cool vintage concert posters (in-store only)
Awesome nautical & steampunk gifts for Dad's office
Trendy sweaters, humorous fashion & accessories
Collins cocktail cherries, paired with upscale barware
Trove in Mystic has some of the most unique lifestyle and fashion gifts for men. We're obsessed with their frequently changing collection of vintage 70s, 80s, and 90s concert posters (in-store only).
Expand to See More About Why Trove Is So Cool!
Visiting Trove is an experience. With one-of-a-kind art pieces from local artists and unique pop culture items, the store is so much fun to browse. Their beautiful spinning globes have fascinated us for years.
With everything from luxurious grooming products and trendy barware, to stylish clothing, thoughtful keepsakes, and humorous accessories, their carefully curated collection features products for every dad at all price ranges.
Trove's vintage concert posters became an adventure for us. We spent an entire spring with multiple visits to the store searching through their bins for the perfect concert posters for our music room — The Eagles, Blondie, Nirvana, Queen, and Crosby, Stills & Nash made the final cut!
While the selection of items in the store is much wider, their website has fantastic items if you can't make the trip.
Poker Themed Gifts
Items range from $17-$240 and are available in many stores!
Our Top Suggestions:
SereneLife 8-Player Poker Table
Zazzle Personalized Poker Chips
HIPIYA Poker Dice LED Light
You don't have to actually play poker to enjoy these game-related gifts. We use the table for family game nights and parties, and the light and personalized chips add a little fun.
Expand to See What's So Cool About These Gifts!
I'd thought about getting my husband a poker table for many years — we love to play cards with friends (not just poker). But I hesitated because we didn't have the space, it was so hard to tell if the quality was decent, and because of the few-hundred-dollar price tag. A few years ago, I took a chance and ordered the Serenelife table, and it was perfect. It has a nice brown leather surface, it wasn't rickety like an old card table, the legs fold up, and the table fits in our walk-in closet easily (though it's definitely a large, heavy piece of furniture). We use it on special occasions, and we really enjoy it. And this bigger ticket item made up for the disastrous crock pot fiasco.
The personalized poker chips were also a hit. I was able to easily upload photos for the front and back, and my daughter and I chose a funny picture for the back and a nicer one for the front. The site was one of the only stores that would allow me to purchase only 10 chips as a novelty.
The LED light was also a sort of silly option, but it adds a little ambiance for parties.
Vinyl & Sweatshirts!
Spotlight on Mystic Disc
10 Steamboat Wharf
Mystic, CT 06355
(860) 536-1312
Our Top Suggestions:
Day Trip to Mystic Disc for Vinyl
Gift Card/Ship Dad's Fav Album
Mystic Disc Sweatshirt
Expand to See What's So Cool About Mystic Disc & Their Sweatshirts!
There's no place quite like Mystic Disc. Take a little day trip, get music suggestions from legendary record store owner Dan Curland, and let Dad pick his favorite vintage album. Or, if a trip's not on the table, order a store gift card or have Dad's favorite rare vinyl tracked down and shipped!
Either way, be sure to order an oversized Mystic Disc sweatshirt. I get no commission for this, I swear! They're so comfortable, the three of us practically live in them. And we've literally been stopped in public by curious people who want to know what they're all about — including a team of young Starbucks employees in the Florida airport! No joke!
Music & Art
Spotlight on Fireseed Art Studios
Framingham, MA
(774) 257-887
**In-Studio Visits by Appointment Only**
Our Top Suggestions:
Guitar-shaped wooden serving tray
Custom coasters, desk decor & LED lights
Custom art (use your imagination!)
Indescribably cool custom guitars
Expand to See More About Fireseed Art!
Fireseed Art Studios is one of the coolest hidden spots (right here in Framingham) and they make incredible art from re-purposed materials, ranging from small-scale wooden coasters and desk decor to amazing hand-crafted pieces and off-the-chain custom guitars. Patiño and Fred also laser print personalized items, including high-quality tumblers with intricate graphics and logos. It's totally worth a call or scheduling a visit to see all the options for customized gifts you'd never find anywhere else.
Plus, their jaw-dropping venue is beyond words. Fireseed hosted my husband's 50th birthday party this January and it was among the best nights of our lives.
Admittedly, these custom guitars are a bit less practical for a typical Father's Day gift, but I couldn't resist including these insanely beautiful works of art as an option for the best Father's Day gift ever.
Food-Related Items
Under $30 and available in many stores!
Our Top Suggestions:
Caravel Sea Salt Sampler
Dean Jacob's Bread Dipping Set
Runamok Gourmet Maple Syrup Sampler
The Rustic S'mores Skillet at Liv Creative Cuisine, Marshfield, MA
These are a few items that my husband has loved over the years. And Liv Cuisine is one of our favorite day trips, not just for their amazing dessert but for all their food!
Expand to See What's So Cool About These Gifts!
The sea salt sampler has become a staple in our house (particularly the smoked garlic salt on scrambled eggs), and the Sicilian blend of the bread-dipping spices was a huge hit. I paired it with a bread & olive oil serving tray, little olive oil dipping dishes, olive oil, and a delicious baguette for a more themed gift.
The cinnamon vanilla-infused and bourbon barrel-aged syrups are my husband's favorites from the Vermont maple syrup sampler, especially with French toast!
And finally, the pièce de résistance is the rustic peanut butter s'mores skillet from Liv Cuisine in Marshfield, MA. Their food is beyond delicious — each meal is literally a work of art — and definitely worth the trip!
Please let me know if you go with any of these suggestions! And always feel free to share your own ideas on my Instagram page or my blog site!
Have a fantastic Father's Day!
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Jill Hodgson Stoodley
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