Massachusetts Town is a Shopper's Nirvana
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Northampton
is a funky little college town in west central Massachusetts' Pioneer Valley
that is a shopper's nirvana. Much like Woodstock, New York, though a tad less
psychedelic, Northampton is home to dozens of galleries, boutiques, and gift
shops, all within an easily walkable expanse centered along Main Street.
Northampton is the perfect destination for
New England... |
... travelers looking to spend an afternoon drifting in and out of clever shops discovering the work and wares of New England artisans and entrepreneurs. Here are my nine picks for the neatest shops in Northampton. Don't miss these, and enjoy hunting for favorites of your own, too.
9. Deerfield WoodWorks
271 Main Street, (413) 584-0481
You'll wish you had a pick-up truck parked outside when you see the lustrous wood furnishings featuring in this store. Fortunately, Deerfield WoodWorks also offers smaller items fashioned by local woodworkers that make perfect accessories for your home or office and great gifts, too.
8. Good Dog
18 Center Street, (413) 586-5242
Your favorite canine will slobber on you even more than usual when you bring home a treat or a toy from Good Dog. This is a great place to shop for the dog lovers in your life, as well.
7. Magic Circle
12 Main Street, (413) 584-5016
The black business card with silver foil lettering I picked up at this Northampton shop reads, "Magic Circle - Wild Fashion - Occult Supplies." That pretty much sums up the wares within this tiny shop that drew me in with its window display of long, luxurious royal purple velvet cloaks. Even though I own a black cat, I couldn't see myself wearing one often enough to justify the purchase price, but I did buy a bottle of the shop's own Psychic Sludge-Be-Gone! bubble bath. The label said this potion, "Effectively removes the psychic 'sludge' which adheres to the etheric body in dealings with negative people and situations." Who can't use that?
6.
Don Muller Gallery
40 Main Street, (413) 586-1119
Featuring fine jewelry and decorative pieces made of blown glass, porcelain, ceramic, wood, and other media, this vibrant gallery would've earned an even higher spot on my "neatest list" if I hadn't been worried I'd break something the entire time I was in there! This is definitely the place to shop for those on your list for whom only a one-of-a-kind treasure will do.
5.
Aurora Borealis
263 Main Street, (413) 585-9533
Eclectic is such an overused word, but how else can I describe a shop that features New England gourmet goodies, cards and stationery, decorative clocks, and a walk-in cigar humidor within its confines? I couldn't resist the Wild Cranberry Pancake Mix from Cook·In·The·Kitchen in Vermont and silver foil packets of Gilly's Hot Vanilla, a hot chocolate alternative made in Massachusetts.
4.
Ten Thousand Villages
82 Main Street, (413) 582-9338
This Canada-based chain of stores has as its mission providing vital, fair income to Third World peoples by selling their handicrafts in North America. This income helps pay for food, education, health care, and housing. I almost left with a giant giraffe but settled instead for some fairly traded gourmet coffee. The organic Mind Body & Soul whole bean coffee from indigenous Mexican cooperatives was reasonably priced at $4.95 for 8 oz. And it was delicious, too!
3. Gypsy Heart
122 Main Street, (413) 585-1075
This vintage clothing shop could consume a shopper's attention for hours. Tight-packed racks of clothing from the past make browsing tricky, though intriguing, in this attic-like, upstairs shop. I must confess, though, that the real charm of Gypsy Heart is its extensive selection of bellydancing attire and paraphernalia.
2.
Silverscape Designs
11 King Street, (413) 584-3324
You can't miss the imposing art deco building that houses my favorite Northampton jeweler. Once inside, you'll be lulled by the sounds of tinkling, hand-crafted copper fountains and mesmerized by the selection of designer jewelry. Silverscape Designs represents the work of more than 300 jewelry and craft artisans. Whatever your jewelry tastes, you're bound to fall in love with at least one item here. And if you're not terribly discriminating, leave your credit cards in the car!
1.
Faces
175 Main Street, (413) 584-4081
A Northampton brochure calls Faces, "The nicest tourist trap you'll ever find," and to that all I can add is, "Go get yourself trapped!" I think I was trapped for at least 45 minutes in the greeting card department alone on my last Northampton trip. You'll be hard-pressed to find a larger, more bizarre selection of cards ever, anywhere. Don't miss the wall of hilarious T-shirts, and if you feel you must buy a bag of Death Rain potato chips, don't say I didn't warn you to have ample supplies of cold liquids on hand when you consume them!
Getting to Northampton: From the East or West, take exit 4 off the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) in West Springfield and follow I-91 North to exit 18 for Route 5 North. From the North or South, take exit 18 off I-91 for Route 5 North.
For Northampton Travel information: Call toll free 800 A-FUN-TOWN, or visit Northampton online at northamptonuncommon.com.
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All photos (c) 2000 Kim Knox, licensed to About.com, Inc.
