Visited Wake Forest for the first time and was delighted by how cool this store is from the street and inside. To find that the store supports local businesses was a bonus, always try to shop local and support when I can. The issue was the 3 employees behind the counter making snide remarks about people shopping in the store and criticizing our purchases. Sorry but I don't think what I purchased was ugly. I can definitely find other places to support locally. As a business owner myself it was a bummer to not feel welcome and appreciated for spending money in the store, but glad we still purchased our items, because we think they are great. read more

Great shop in Wake Forest! Many different vendors under one roof who have displays of their items. Each area is more like a little shop unmanned. There is a selection of items for everyone. Also they had a couple people there in person doing the business ( one did jewelry and I forgot what the other one was). The staff at the register were friendly as well. Cool little place to check out if you are in Wake Forest. read more

Awesome place. Very friendly people. Love the coffee and you can walk around and shop with it. Ice cubes of sugar and coffee in your iced coffee. Phenomenal. The store is huge with many vendors and very clean. Easy to maneuver in between vendors. read more

The Cotton Company in Downtown Wake Forest is a great place to shop to support local vendors. The building has about 60 vendors in individual booths. The booths change from time to time so you never know what you will find. They have clothing; jewelry; candles; pottery; peanuts; unique flavored popcorn; soaps and lotions to leather products. It was the perfect place to find gifts for the holidays and they wrap the gifts too. read more

It's an interesting concept of these small stores working together to make it into one quaint place. The selections are abundant and unique as many of the products are handmade. However, the price is just so darn expensive for most of the products. I understand the handmade and unique but it was just too expensive to buy. I wish it was more affordable so I can spend money to the local economy read more

This is by far the cutest shop I have ever visited. There are a bunch of stalls from different sellers specializing in certain foods, clothing, home decor, bath products, etc. I spent a bit too much here but I felt good knowing my money was going to small businesses and not a giant corporation. This shop is clean, friendly, welcoming, and beautiful. I absolutely love this idea and wish there were more shops like this where I live! read more

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I saw that you responded but not only was it your team member at the front the manager agreed and in fact made the situation worse. She was very rude and said she didn't care if we shopped there and it was her prerogative to tell us to leave our purses. For all those seeing this, do not shop here! While I normally support small businesses the attitude of the staff was reprehensible. read more

Great local place featuring tons of vendors. I've been to Cotton Company before but today had the time to really peruse. Ended up buying a few Christmas gifts - lovely bath and body vendor featuring really nice soaps and a few small good gifts. Prices, of course, are up to individual vendors but I found most to be very reasonable. Decent assortment of items - I noticed a Harley Davidson vendor, a comic book vendor, toy vendors, and a few very cute boutiques featured items for kids. There were a couple of gourmet food spots and other stores including monogrammed items, jewelry and art. Dick Larsen, a local painter of pet portraits, was there and we stopped to say hello. Overall, very worth while place to visit. Parking is close by and is free. Gem in downtown WF! read more

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Everytime we go up to Wake Forest to grab coffee (check out Black & White) we bring the doggo to just walk around tthe little downtown with and I realized that the doggo is allowed in Cotton Company! And it's just filled with different artists and crafters booths which seems to be ever changing. We had first went during the height of COVID19 and there were lots of empty booths, but the most recent time, everything was filled again and its great to see all of the items. Doggo loves it. I love it. Check it out if you're in town! read more

I'm sooooo glad I was curious enough to stop in this place. The concept is great for both the community and local vendors. It's essentially a large open market that allows unique vendors who sell everything from snack items to soaps to clothing to art to set up shop in tiny nooks. It's a great place to grab cool gifts or even things for you own home. There are lots of vendors so I'd recommend having, at least, an hour to spare to peruse the store. It's very well organized and each vendor did an excellent job decorating their individual cubbies. If you're into art, there are a couple art studios to the far left of the building with set up canvases on easels. Maybe the artists are there on certain days creating wonderful pieces. There's even a place to get glasses in the rear. There's, literally, something for everyone. Go! read more

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I love that they have a wide selection from men's gifts to women's to kids! Even pets.

First I want to be sure to clarify that my review has nothing to do with the retail/art area at the cotton company. Big fan and have spent many hours browsing the shops. My review is for the event part of the building located in the upper floor of the facility. A few years ago I had one of my daughters "Quince" at the location. I liked its rustic feel with the exposed brick and beams. Dealt with the manager Marissa. She was great. Attentive and very helpful. The party went off with out an issue and I couldn't have been happier. I went back for my other daughters Quince, Sweet 15 and I have to say it was a completely different experience. I had spoken to Marissa, the manager and had requested to go into the venue the night before the event to start some of the decor. With all of the chaos leading to the party with people coming in from out of town it got later than we had hoped so we were very limited to time while we were there. That was no ones fault but ours. We decided to go ahead and just brainstorm on some details. We started playing with some drapes the venue has hanging from some wood beams. While we had no prior notice that we were not allowed to touch them suddenly we had one of the employees proceed to come upstairs and very rudely tell us not to touch them. The venue has multiple vendor units below it and cameras allowed the staff to watch us upstairs. This girl came up a total of four times to ask us not to touch something. We clearly were not destroying the place as we were there to prepare for an event we were hosting. We left with little accomplished and hoped for better luck the next morning. The next evening the party went off as well as could be expected other than the fact that we had lost track of time and were scrambling to get out of the venue by the allowed time. We were advised that we had just under an hour to clean up and empty the venue out. We scrambled with many people on hand to help but there was some miscommunication regarding the trash situation that led to a very nasty email from the venue manager. I responded to the email immediately regarding the trash and apologized. Apparently we were being accused of leaving the trash on the loading dock at the venue when it should have been disposed of in the outside dumpster. Minutes after responding to the email I reached out to my husband regarding the email that was sent us from the Cotton Company. He proceeded to inform me that both him and my brother had attempted to dispose of the trash in the dumpster but it was overflowing and they were not able to use it. Rather than leave it out in the open my husband decided to leave it inside the building where no possible critters could get to it. The cotton company charged us an extra $100 to dispose of the trash even though their dumpster was full. I reached out to Marissa regarding the dumpster situation and never heard back from her. Before my findings regarding the dumpster I had told Marissa that I was not disputing the fee but after I had informed her of what my husband had told me and having worked with us in the past I thought the least she could do is respond to my email. Yes it was a great value in comparison to other venues but it could use some much needed TLC! read more

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If you enjoy local art and crafts, holiday themed home made gifts, coffees and tea, jewelry, clothing and an indoor booth style swap feel, this is the place. This old building in historic Wake Forest adds a cozy home like appeal I saw some fascinating local art, purchased soon loose teas and spoke to some of the kindest folks behind the counter This is a place you can easily spend a few hours in. Not just shopping, but speaking to the artists. Make sure you check the event wall for local happenings and admire the statues and decor all around. read more

The Cotton Company - Arts & Crafts Near Me - Wake Forest, North Carolina

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Nice cute business. I come here once in a while with my fiancé, but I notice they don't bring new stuff. A lot of it seems used. It's alright read more

As soon as I read the other review of this place, I :knew: my mom would go crazy for it. She and I used to hit up the old Cotton Mill Square in Greensboro -- similar name, similar experience: individual spaces rented out by different vendors. So it's like a unique mini-mall full of variety -- I loved the pet booth, the stationery section, and all the jewelry wares. My mom was a big fan of the cake decorating corner and the vendor with hand-painted wine glasses. I wish it were bigger. But perhaps it's a good thing it wasn't, as mom managed to spend a loooong time as it was... and I reverted to childhood in a not-so-pretty way, tugging on her arm and whining, "Can we please go to a la mode now??!" read more

Great historic spot in downtown WF. This building houses a number of local vendors who've rented and decorated booths with all of their wares. The various vendors carry items ranging from baby strollers, to fresh made soaps and jellies. You can find just about anything in these four walls that you can imagine. The far left side of the building has studios and a gallery space for local artists. Paintings, pottery, and jewelry are always found in this space. They also have rental space for parties or large functions upstairs. Although I have never been to one, their photos of the past events in this upstairs area look posh and quaint all at the same time! Definitely worth checking out if you are in DTWF! read more

The Cotton Company is one of those places when I have visitors to Wake Forest, I take them there. It is a great open space where there are little areas that are available for vendors to set up their own little shop, within a shop. For example, upon entering The Cotton Company, you can find mini-shops with novelty items, gifts, candles, crafts, kitchenware, dog accessories, baby clothes and accessories, garden flags, sunglasses, door mats, art work, and more. The possibilities of what you can find here are really limitless. On the Art After Hours' Fridays each month, this place is the place to be. Usually there is a featured artist you can meet and mingle with, wine, and shopping deals. If you need a gift for anyone, The Cotton Company is a great place to go and find something for anyone. The great part is that every time you go, the vendors at each spot have usually changed out the items so there is always something new to look at. read more

A staple in Downtown Wake Forest, The Cotton Company is the ideal shopping spot for unique items. I go here for wedding/shower gifts all the time, since it is most likely that my gift will be one of a kind! They also have a fantastic selection of greeting cards...the awesomely funny and sometimes inappropriate ones :) read more

Wow~be amazed! A definite must to visit in Wake Forest. Very cool and fun....all unique artist and local businesses! Love it!!! A recommended fun store! read more

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I love strolling around the Cotton Exchange in Wake Forest and you can find all kinds of neat gifts and art in this venue. The Cotton Exchange is an older building and is in the heart of downtown Wake Forest. Inside you will find all kinds of booths filled with artwork, pottery, clothes, jewelry, soaps, food, spices and locally made artistic treasures. It was a great way to spend an afternoon and I would highly recommend the Cotton Exchange for holiday shopping or for finding unique gifts. The vendors themselves are not there in person yet you can read about them or find their other locations. It is a market atmosphere and you then pay for your items at one of the main counters. You can also sign up for their mailing list and you will get a coupon to use in the first 30 days for signing up. I also like to follow them on facebook and you can see new artists or specials highlighted each month. I would go to the Cotton Exchange and then stop at White Street for some beer since they are right next to each other. read more

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I've been to the Cotton Company twice but have never checked in. Why? Because I'm so overwhelmed and dazzled when entering the welcoming doors that I completely forget to do so! There are over 50 booths that offer a wide variety of unique items from gourmet coffee to jewelry and everything in between. On a recent visit, I found a lovely candles, holiday decor, locally branded t-shirts, beautiful kitchen towels, a hand-carved wooden keychain, and a fabulous framed print for my living room. The inventory is constantly rotating, as well as a few of the vendors, so there are always new treasures to be discovered. In the adjoining room, you'll find breathtaking fine art and sculptures. It's like wandering through an art museum but everything is for sale at relatively decent prices! The folks that work there are truly helpful and informative. They will gift wrap any of your purchases for free. All of your precious items will be carefully placed in very fancy paper bags with bows on them so that you feel like you've just shopped at Tiffany's! They have special events throughout the month so be sure to check the website before making your plans. Visiting The Cotton Company is such a treat. It's the destination of choice for a special girls day out and I recommend it highly! read more

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This place is DARLING! Love that crafters/sellers can rent a space and sell their products. Love the individual booths. You can roam and wander at your own pace. Adorable homemade, original, fun gifts. Visit each booth as there is so much to see. And just go to the main register and check out. Friendly staff. Loved this place. read more

I might have a bias opinion, but I worked here for almost a year before college. As a young teenager I always enjoyed coming in and looking at the art and stuff. So this was a perfect job.Marissa has been so kind and generous as a manger, and I enjoy the home town feel the store has as well as the homemade artisan feel. The store does need a couple of renovations due to being converted from a old cotton mill and then becoming a store for almost 19 years. Vendors alternate regularly so you may see new and old booths stay or go.This is a great place if you are new to wake forest or just wanting a nice shopping stroll. This is a great place for gifts too!!! You can find a lot of things for an affordable cost. I got so many gifts while stopping by and working there! Also if you ever get to meet a vendor they are so sweet and fun to talk too! It's good to meet the person who handmade the product! Love The Cotton Company is a Wake Forest must! read more

I have to say, I think this place is meh. It's like shopping a too large Hallmark store. There's not a thing that you, or anyone else needs. I didn't even have a good time looking at the things I don't want or need. I have 4 dogs, and the pet booth didn't even have enough collars for the 4 of them. There were 3 collars. Bizarre. All of the booths looked picked over like Costco when there is an impending snow storm. I'm sorry to disagree with the other reviewers, but you're better off going somewhere else for gift shopping, or to buy things you don't need. read more

Love love love the Cotton Company! Such a great place to wander around or run in for a last minute gift! During Christmas they had so many cute displays and hand made products. Our go to place to bring guests from out of town as we stroll through downtown. Check out the art galleries to the left, we found some great additions for our new home to frame. read more

I think this store is neat. It really has unqiue gifts for every occasion. It makes for a nice afternoon.

Fun store with a section of art, jewelry and crafts from local artists. A must-visit if in the area!

This is a great store, mainly for women, to find all kinds of nic-nacs. I took my mother and sister here when they came to visit and they both loved it. They also have a coffee area where you can grind your own coffee from all over the world. read more

Very cool place! Very unique gifts and art which is great for buying gifts. Some things are expensive but it is very worth it.

I love to walk around in here and see what's new. I enjoy taking friends here because all the booths provide so many different kinds of products. You can find lots of interesting trinket type things that no one actually needs, which makes this a great place to find a gift. The left side has incredible artists. Dick Larsen has a painting studio to the far left side and he's an awfully nice fellow! The staff is almost always friendly. I've met the owners and they're good people. Stop in here sometime and see what you make of it! read more

Very disappointed. Tried to support local business by buying Xmas gifts here only to find out they will not except returns or exchanges. Beware of getting a gift here unless your positive they will like it. This is why people go to the mall. Sad. read more