If you are looking for locally made products in St. Thomas beware of the vast number of “fake local” (aka mass produced, generic, unoriginal, boring) products. Products that claim to be made in St. Thomas but are really made somewhere else with a label slapped on them that says in bold print: “Product of St. Thomas” or “Made in St. Thomas” or “Manufactured in St. Thomas”. And yet, most of the time these products’ only connection to St. Thomas is that they are being sold in a souvenir shop or store on island. And mostly likely, they’ve spent more time in a shipping container from China or Milwaukee then in the hands of a Virgin Islander.
Some of these “local fakes” are easier to spot than others. Sometimes, if you look carefully at the label, in small print you’ll see something like, “bottled in St. Thomas” or “manufactured in New Jersey for distribution in St. Thomas”. Which basically means the product was made somewhere else, shipped to the Virgin Islands and then sold to an unsuspecting visitor wanting to support or enjoy an authentic island product.
And the labeling is often so vague that the product’s origins are unclear or unknown.
I think the entire practice of “white labeling” is deceptive. It pisses me off when a store or company tries to pass their product off as “authentic” or “local”. And you traveled all the way to the Caribbean only to buy a product that you could have bought at a store in your hometown in Cleveland.
So, in an effort to root out “imposter products”, we scoured the shelves of local shops and public business license databases to see just who is actually making a local product. And until proved otherwise, the products listed below are the only authentic St. Thomas products you can buy here in the islands.
1. Sandals
Zora’s has been around for decades. Zora is the owner and, as of this writing, still alive and (I believe she is in her 90s but she’ll never tell) and still handmaking custom sandals. Every person I know that owns a pair of Zora’s sandals says they are the best, most comfortable they’ve ever owned.
When you come to the shop Zora and her team will sit you down in a big comfy chair and start measuring every angle of your feet. They will take those measurements and create a perfect sandal to your foot.
This is a must-do if you appreciate old-world craftmanship. You’ll get to watch her team build your sandal from a thick piece of leather.
Her shop is also filled with artwork and antiques all from St. Thomas.
2. Rum
Rock City Rum
There are only 2 distilleries in St. Thomas that make rum, or any spirits for that matter. All other supposedly “local” rums are being imported. So at best these off-island distilleries are bottling the rum on St. Thomas. Basically their “counterfeit local” rum is produced in some foreign, commercial distillery with foreign ingredients only to be shipped to St. Thomas to be sold as a Virgin Islands rum. Garbage.
Rock City Rum Distillery is a small craft distiller across from Fort Christian. This is one of the tiniest distilleries you’ll ever see. Their pot still is something you’d find in the back of a woodshed in the backwoods. This is a true micro-distillery. You can find their rum in a few retail locations. Definitely worth stopping by.
3 Queens
3 Queens Distillery is a larger craft distillery with loads of old oak barrels filled with rum and other spirits. 3 Queens is located on Back Street in downtown Charlotte Amalie. The oldest distillery in St. Thomas, they make rum, vodka and gin. When you visit you can tour the distillery, enjoy the bar, a mini-museum and private tropical gardens on site.
3 Queens only sells their spirits at the distillery. You can’t find it anywhere else on island so you must be sure to visit to taste these local flavors!
3. Tropical Creations, aka Tulip’s Place
If you want a slice of local flavor check out Tulip at her shop in Royal Dane Mall in town. Tulip makes and creates island-inspired gifts with island materials. Her skill with the calabash fruit is legend.
4. Art
Creative Native is one of my favorite places to visit when wandering the streets of Charlotte Amalie. Her photo gallery has stunning prints of island life and culture.
The artist, Ama, is a seriously intense person when it comes to preserving and celebrating St. Thomas life. Her passion is infectious. And her photos are amazing.
81C is a traditional art gallery featuring an array of visiting artists (both from St. Thomas, the wider Caribbean and world). The intimate space is beautiful and they have a wine bar for inspiration.
5. Hot Sauce
There are only a few hot sauces made here locally. But this is only partially true. Many locals make their own hot sauces and sell them at festivals and roadside stands. These are made in their home kitchens and are in non-descript bottles. So for those hot sauces you’ll have to go hunting, we won’t discuss them here.
But if you are visiting a shop, the vast majority of the sauces are white labeled and contain zero locally made ingredients or producers.
That being said, here are the few out there that are actually made here in St. Thomas:
(There is only one company that uses locally grown Scotch Bonnet Peppers.)
Made with locally grown Scotch Bonnet Peppers, these sauces come alive with bright, burning fire! On an island that has almost no farming whatsoever, this company grows the Caribbean-born, Scotch Bonnets for their sauce.
6. Coffee
There are 2 companies on island that produce roasted coffee.
Virgin Islands Coffee Roasters
The big dog on island is Virgin Island Coffee Roasters. You’ll find their roasted beans at stores, hotels and restaurants. They import beans from all over the world and roast them in their roastery on St. Thomas.
13W Coffee
This small, artisan coffee roaster ages their coffee beans in rum barrels from the on-site distillery. After they are roasted and packages weekly for some seriously fresh coffee. They only sell their coffee on-site at their shop where you can also enjoy a cup in their outdoor cafe.
7. Chocolate and Rum Balls
Belgian Chocolate Factory
We don’t grow our own Cacao here on St. Thomas so it is imported. That being said, this local chocolatier makes many unique flavors that capture the island’s traditions. We love their Bushwhacker candy.
The Rum Ball Factory
This tiny “factory” churns out some seriously good rum balls. A traditional Danish invention that includes everything you could want in a confection – chocolate and rum. You can stop by the factory and see how things are done. Nothing earth shattering, but a way to kill some time and get a sample or two. Or three.
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