Shop Local this holiday season, find High Fashion - Pick #3

Do you dream of walking into a store that has everything you have dreamed of without the outrageous price. Not an outlet. A real store with variety in brand names and size. A store that offers something of extremely high quality for everyone in the family. Well, I think I found it. It is Evans On the Common in Townsend MA. They have been in business at this location for over 30 years.

Photo credit Evans webpage
As you enter the store you are usually greeted with sales of one type or another. Whether it is in the parking lot under a tent, as it is in summer, or in the foyer when the weather cools down there is something for the bargain hunter in all of us. Accessories are also on the front lines.
Photo credit Evans webpage

From socks , mittens, scarves, throws and hats to purses and toys the name brands cover Deerfield Leather, Vera Bradley purses and clutches and wallets and Ty stuffed critters.

The women's clothing section is stocked well with Tribal, Snow Angel, Woolrich, Isis, Smartwool and more. With coats and sweaters, pants and tops, dresses and robes.

photo credit Yelp's Arelia B.

The men's clothing section is featuring KUHL , Bergans, Woolrich, Rab and Dale Norway. etc.

The footwear section is like a store within a store. The whole back room is reserved for shoes from casual comfort to athletic to boots. The name brands include Birkenstock, Earth, UGG, ecco, Muck, Jambu, Solomon, Sorel and so much more.

Photo credit Evans webpage

Bring your Christmas list! Support your local small business at Evans in Townsend MA.

Shop Local this Holiday - Pick # 2

Kringle Candle Company in Bernardston MA was started by the former owners of Yankee Candle. Yankee Candle was sold in 1998. Kringle Candle was started in 2009 by the father and son, both named Mike Kittredge. From the humble beginnings of one building in 2009 which supported production, packing and shipping as well as showroom and retail space, it has grown to a multi-building complex beyond the production facility, featuring the main retail building, a separate Christmas holiday and specials (food and toys) retail store,a chocolate shop, a bakery, a restaurant.
If you are shopping for candles, you can not find more variety in color and fragrance as well as style.
Their seasonal fragrances and styles rival any other candle maker you might be accustomed to and everything is brought to you by a wholly American owned and operated business. Another important point to make is that Kringle Candle is green. Kringle produces paraffin not soy candles which is both natural and domestically produced. 

The Farm Table, a subsidiary of Kringle Candle and part of the complex is a full service restaurant that is also one of the most green restaurants in America. In addition to the indoor dining, there is an outdoor dining area featuring a fireplace which is quite unique and allows for fall days on the veranda.

 It is in the specialty store you are greeted on the main floor with comfortable surroundings.

Featured inside  you will find that Kringle Candle is a good neighbor and supports many local and regional businesses that compliment their offerings. For example, you will find BBQ sauces from  Wild Thymes in the Hudson Valley of NY , sauce and pickles from M&M Green Valley Produce in So. Deerfield Massachusetts, Chocolates from Lake Champlain Chocolates in Burlington Vermont, maple candy from Sugarwoods Farm in Glover Vermont and so much more. Upstairs is a great Toy Store with unique toys  of the current day and

many reminiscent of days gone by in New England. Downstairs you will be transformed at any time of year and filled with the Christmas spirit. There is a train traveling around the ceiling and trees of every theme to entertain your brain as well as handmaid mittens and hats and giant stuffed bears. Whether you want to browse or buy you will not be disappointed.

Outside this triple floor extravaganza is an outdoor bakery connected to the chocolate shop.
The  bakery features coffee and pateries, including Apple Cider donuts from Atkins Farm which is also one of Kringle's signature candle fragrances. The Chocolate Cottage has candy of all varieties from chocolate bars to hard candy and fudge. Samples are available for daily promotions, like pumpkin pie fudge which is remarkable. All this is in a setting in Western Mass. that rivals any picture postcard.

If you are pressed for time, needing some time to relax and unwind but worried that you have shopping to do and must get started, feed your self appreciation by taking a ride out to Kringle Candle  and accomplishing so much while treating yourself to a mini vacation of the mind and support local American owned small business to boot.