As the holiday season approaches, you may want to get something extra special for the special people in your life. All around the Merrimack Valley area, you’ll be able to find local shops where you can explore and find a handmade or one-of-a-kind treasures as well as support our wonderful small business community.
Today, let’s explore just a few of the local shops that you should visit while checking off your long holiday shopping list.
1. The Consignment Corner
The Consignment Corner, is one of the biggest consignment stops in the Greater Lowell area, boasting an over 8,000 square foot shop across three buildings. The shop features a vast inventory of unique items that would make excellent gifts, such as furniture, home decor, collectables, shabby chic, vintage items, jewelry, seasonal collections, and much more.
2. The Crafty Yankee
The Craft Yankee in Lexington, MA, is a regional favorite for many across the area. Here, there is just so much to discover, making it an incredible shopping experience. Here, shoppers can find everything from jewelry to accessories, such as socks, handbags, wallets, and scarves. You can also find plenty of homeware, bath & body items, and wonderful items made for children. Best of all, the Craft Yankee focuses on American-made items and responsibly-sourced global products.
3. Western Avenue
When it comes to purchasing truly one-of-a-kind items, you’ll want to visit the Western Avenue mill in Lowell, MA. Here, not only can you take in the beautiful art created by a community of local artists and artisans, but you can also purchase and bring home some of these works as well. Studio spaces include paintings, drawings, jewelry, wood and clay sculptures, ceramics, hand-carved wood items, and much more.
And, all of these small businesses and galleries are home within a vast space that inspires creativity, togetherness, and positivity, and isn’t that what the holidays are all about?
4. Historic Sites & Museum Gift Shops
If you have a local history buff in your life, then the Greater Merrimack Valley historic sites and museums are a great place to visit, especially since most of them feature great gift shops. Historical locations, such as the Boott Cotton Mills Museum, The New England Quilt Museum, The Concord Museum, and The Thoreau Society Shop at Walden Pond, each feature their own shops.
Throughout each, you can find one-of-a-kind gifts, such as handcrafted items, novels, journals, memoirs, historical guides, and much more that throw you into the past, experiencing the Greater Merrimack Valley’s rich local history.
