This is such a cute general store! They have everything from ice cream to Christmas ornaments. They…read morehave a bakery section and lots of candy and food. Cute cards and trinkets. Fun spot to checkout or stop for a snack. Good place to get someone a gift too.

Is there anything more fun to do (in public) than visit a well-thought out general store? These…read moreare sorely missing in the cities but thank goodness for Western Massachusetts. A friend brought me here while I was visiting Northampton and what a treat! $80 later I left with a hand warming mug, a pair of earrings, a bracelet, a roast baster, and a delicious treat called a wrapple (an apple turnover on steroids). I left there with visions of a T-shirt that I will buy for my cat-loving friend entitled "Petting map" which showed all the reachable petting zones on a cat with hilarious captions like "yes, please" and "don't even think about it." Not verbatim but you get the idea. This outfit had all the qualities of the best general store--stocks everything you could ever want, something for everyone, with friendly and helpful staff.

Picture this: Nestled in the corner of a destination outdoor shopping plaza, you find The General…read moreStore. Inside you can find penny candy by the pound, a bit past the entrance with local papers and events. This might be where you expect a local General Store to offer you, if you mistook them for Provisions around the corner. At Provisions, you'd find more drinks, some foods, and other house staples. At The General Store, you can find, generally, everything else, including Art you didn't know you needed. I suppose the candy is a reliable reason for my visit, so let's suppose you don't have a sweet tooth. Behind, surrounding you, and on both sides, is a wide variety of foods, oils, snacks, tools, fashion, entertainment, toys, some of these for your pets, and then some. It's for this reason that The General Store is also home to local events, and makes space for art showings in the section opposite gifts, foods, and diversions, and the art is diverse and marvelous. This cozy spot in the corner of the shopping plaza places you near other necessities, such as activities, classes, ice cream (Herrel's), restaurants, and more. Largely, I can imagine The General Store being a monthly or even biweekly as a destination, since events come often and candy runs out. It befits the Massachusetts regional culture, letting you get access to local farmer's cropshares, ice cream even in winter, and clean bathrooms. I think I even saw an authentic barrel™ in here! Do they know a cooper?

I spent a couple hours in here over a few different days to check out all of their products and I…read moream really impressed! The General Store is also connected to the Local Art Gallery, where they have displays of many different artists and types of artwork. The Mill District General Store has nearly everything in it. They have gardening tools, clothes, bedding, picnic baskets, cleaning supplies, shaving supplies, handmade candles, cat + dog food and toys, kids toys and books, maple syrup products, mugs, candles, pots + pans, and an assortment of just about everything. They also have art supplies for sketching, drawing, painting, etc. The first day I visited, I was helped by Anthony. The second time Shannon was super helpful, along with Manny, the sweet pup! The third time, Lewis helped me. Every staff member was genuinely happy to be working here and it made it a very pleasant shopping experience. They have a lot of great inventory, just make sure you have some time to check it out! They also have a pretty good coffee station with mugs.

Sawmill is a truly magical place. Located in Montague, Sawmill is located in the mill area that…read morecontains The Alvah Stone. It's a small but mighty and lovely shop that houses products from 15+ local member artists and 20+ local consignors. The artists take turns running the shop and are very proud of their co-op. If you're even so much as nearby Montague, you simply must stop here. It's really hard to describe such a place. Its jam-packed full of expertly curated paintings, photos, jewelry, scarves, knick-knacks, sculptures, cards and more. No two artists are the same. You can get lost for a very, very long time browsing the selections and getting to know the works of each artist. I mean, just look at my photos below. It is too much fun to turn the corner in the gallery and stumble across something new and colorful. I'm really regretting not purchasing a few wearable art pieces and a pen-and-ink art print of an owl. If you need a gift for someone (or you're like me, and every day is Treat Yo' Self day), Sawmill is a no-brainer of a stop. Not only are you getting an exceptional, handmade gift, but you're supporting local artists and keeping this interesting collaboration thriving. The prices range significantly, but everything here is affordable, and more importantly, uniquely interesting. Love, love, love!

From the owner: Collective Art Galleryread more

I totally heart this place! Very homey, welcoming attitude and really neat things at ridiculously…read morelow prices. I saw a beautiful raku(?) vase and figured it would be way out of my price range, but I couldn't resist carefully lifting it to have a look. It was under $50! I seriously was expecting the sticker to say something like $350, it was THAT gorgeous. They always have special pottery pieces here, and they have some fantastic jewelry. All right alongside a plastic sushi that will crawl across the table when you wind it up, tie-dyed infant onesies, and... chocolate-covered sesame seeds? Weird and great mix of stuff, and the people who work there will tell you the story behind each and every thing they have...who made it, where it came from, etc. Seems like they carry lots of things from emerging artists, which is something I love to support. I get how it got its name... it's impossible to leave there not feeling happy!

What an adorable store, with so many beautiful things to admire! We stumbled in here on a Saturday…read morenight when almost everything else on this street was closed (around 9:20 pm). We were so excited to find a store that was open and had such interesting items for sale. Tons of local art including pottery, paintings, jewelry, children's clothes, toys, art for your garden, etc. They have something for anyone in this store. I ended up finding and purchasing two small bags of seeds, in which a local woman had spent time gardening and developing unique versions of plants and then collected the seeds to sell. What?! So cool! Not only does the store have the most unique and beautiful items, the woman who owns the store could not be more friendly and sweet! If you're in the area, make sure to stop by this shop!

My now-husband and I drove from Boston out to Northampton, MA to purchase our wedding rings at the…read moreDon Muller gallery. After being disappointed time and again by jewlers in Boston that were too busy to really care about us, meeting Don was a total dream come true. Not only was he having a trunk show of our favorite designer (Alex Sepkus), but he was also able to offer us some excellent suggestions for a "dorky" ring for my chemist husband. We walked out of the store feeling fully understood, appreciated, and completely excited about our purchases! They specialize in sophisticated-whimsy! This is the place to go if you want someone to really pay attention to your preferences and style.

This place is wonderful. Its a great place to find gifts or some new decor for your home. Also, it…read morecarries a wide array of fine jewelry that is designed by local artists. They also do custom pieces. A sure fire place to look for an engagement ring...

Great store with a lot of nice seasonal items. Definitely worth visiting! Excited to go back. Be…read moresure to follow their Instagram

We absolutely loved our shopping experience at A Thyme and Place! They appropriately followed…read moresocial distancing measures, and though the shop is smaller, we felt safe browsing with just 1 other customer in the shop. We came at the transfer from fall to Christmas decor and were thrilled to find a plethora of holiday decor! The shop is filled with classic and country style decor of all kinds, both fit for indoor and outdoor decorations. The staff is helpful and personable and clearly hard working, as the shop is beautiful and constantly supplied with the latest items. Would definitely recommend a trip out to the "country" to visit this wonderful shop!

Talk about a perfect shop. Everything was beautiful there. Huge selection of locally crafted…read morejewelry and cards. Prices were extremely reasonable and the owner couldn't have been nicer. Highly recommend!

Lovely shop! the pillows are beautiful, I had a hard time picking just one! Will be visitung again…read moresoon!

Great selection of unique items mostly locally made by independent artists and craftspeople. The…read moreowner is friendly and welcoming. A must see if you are traveling in Western Massachusetts!

This is the cutest shop in Shelburne. It has an eclectic assortment of great items; cards,…read morepaintings, essential oils and soaps, a section for children and other beautiful, uniquely made odds and ends. I never leave without buying something. I just love it. You will too!!

This store has various vintage oddities that are so artistically appealing. And at the price you…read morecan buy them at, you can start about whatever collection or project you wish. Definitely support it!

What an awesome little shop! Lots to browse from vintage doodads to original art prints. A very…read moreeccentric collection with jewelry and crystals as well. Right off the bridge in Turner's Falls off Route 2. Worth a quick detour if you're heading out to Western Mass