The pandemic has changed many things about our lives, including the ways we shop. As people continue to spend more time at home and also avoid shopping at brick-and-mortar stores and in public places, we are spending more money online than ever before. Since more of us aren't going into physical stores, shopping online has become even more of a pastime in addition to an essential way to get food and consumables. There are several fun and quirky stores online that are enjoyable to peruse, and offer unique and special items that may not be available at larger retailers. It's also a good way to support local and independent businesses.

As you begin to prepare for what will be a different kind of holiday season, we have rounded up ten interesting online shops. While Etsy is a good bet for handmade and unique items, here we have included smaller and less well-known online stores to help you find special gifts for anyone in your life, including yourself.

Fossils and more
Find all kinds of cool nature and natural history items at The Evolution Store. There are fossils, minerals, mounted specimens and taxidermy, skulls (real and fake), and interesting jewelry pieces such as beetle-wing earrings and a meteorite necklace.

Items for book lovers

The site Out of Print sells appealing book-themed apparel and merchandise, including mugs, face masks, scarves, and tote bags. Some of our favorite items here are mugs with vintage library card designs and tote bags featuring the names of banned books. Each purchase helps to fund literacy programs and book donations to communities in need.

Gifts for foodies
Just in the time for the holidays, specialty food marketplace Mouth has an array of gift boxes featuring small-batch items. Among the many appealing gift box offerings are a spice jerky trio featuring three types of spicy meats, a vegan snack box, and an iced coffee kit.

The joy of socks
Check out some of the many fun, novelty styles available at Joy of Socks. There are pop culture offerings, such as socks featuring images of John Lennon, as well as styles with images of animals, flowers, food, and drinks.

Shark-themed goods
Despite their fierce demeanor, sharks are beloved by many people. The non-profit Shark Angels works to protect these ocean predators, and sells different kinds of shark-themed merchandise. Among the items for sale are face masks, shirts, and hats. Proceeds are used to aid conservation efforts.

Pencils of all kinds
Stationary fans will enjoy the array of interesting pencil styles from CW Pencils, as will others who appreciate the functionality and simple beauty of this classic writing tool. The site sells vintage pencils, mechanical pencils, and different kinds of pencils sets, as well as some sharpeners and erasers.

Old-fashioned candy
Fans of vintage candy styles such as Astro pops and Fun Dip will love a gift from The Old Time Candy Company, whose site is chock full of different kinds of treats. You can buy candy in bulk or as individual items, and there are also gift boxes available, including decade gift boxes, which feature popular sweets from different eras.

Pull a prank
For funny and weird prank gifts, check out Off The Wagon, which sells gag items such as bacon air freshener and fried chicken candy. There are also gadgets and games, as well as greeting cards and a selection of home décor.

Keith Haring merchandise
Artist Keith Haring is having a revival as a new generation discovers his bold art and creative spirit. While Haring's Pop Shop store in Manhattan closed a while ago, it still lives on online at pop-shop.com. You can scoop up magnets, T-shirts, sweatshirts and socks and more, all featuring the distinctive images Haring is known for.

Cool kid's stuff
One thing that hasn't changed in the pandemic is that kids still want toys. Norman & Jules features a selection of unique handcrafted toys and kid's products from around the world. There are wooden dollhouses, colored blocks, weaving frames, kaleidoscopes, robot kits, and more.