Stumbled in here during one of the coldest days of the year, primarily just to warm up. Had no…read moreexpectations because, like I said, it was cold, they were the closest place to take shelter and I saw a coffee bar. Anyway, since then I've been back 3 more times; once for breakfast and twice for brunch. And while I'm confessing, the two times for lunch were on subsequent days. Yeah, they're that good. Actually, their chicken salad on a croissant is the best I've ever had and in my advanced years I've had a crapload of chicken salad. The have a nice sized coffee bar, decorated beautifully with some pretty delicious looking pastries. I'm on an anti-sweet phase so I'm basing my opinion on only on appearance. Then there's a seating area when you can eat, served by a friendly attentive staff and an adjacent boutique area where you can purchase housewares, clothing and other cool stuff. I'm not in Maplewood all that often, generally when I'm shopping at the equally awesome City Workshop but when I do, I always make sure to hit up Perch. You should too. 1/2 star deduction because they don't offer fake sugar, just that Stevia crap which is gross.

Whenever I'm in Maplewood, I always stop into Perch Home. It's a quaint Cafe surrounded by…read morebeautiful merchandise (jewelry, apparel, home decor), historical furniture, and very good coffee. The wall frames and Christmas decorations are gorgeous and there are tables, with comfortable seating, on one end of the Cafe. I ordered the following: Matcha White Hot Chocolate (a traditional matcha latte blended with white chocolate sauce), Snickerdoodle Latte (A traditional latte, blended with brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla syrup). Both of these were served at the perfect temperature, were richly creamy, and served in large mugs. I also ordered a Carrot Cake Muffin and it was very good. It was moist, each forkful had a decent amount of walnuts, and the frosting was exquisite. Once you're finished with your food, don't forget to stroll through the entire cafe. You'll probably find something that will pique your interest. Either way, try to make time to enjoy it all.

Such a great place. You can tell how much the alpacas are loved & how nice the workers are. Sadly…read morethe alpaca walk was sold out but I will def return to do it. The lavender shop has so many cute things. Great stop if you are in the area.

Pictures are worth a thousand words, so what else do I need to say?!…read more These cuties are free to visit (donations are welcome) and spend the day with. They are incredibly sweet and friendly, and definitely food-motivated. For $2, bags of treats are available in the gift shop and they go a long way. Each alpaca has its own personality, go meet them all!

What a gem of a shop! Every inch is filled with high quality little treasures everywhere you look…read more This is definitely the place to go to find a unique gift, or to find a little something special for yourself.

This is a lovely little store, with jewelry, ceramics, some wonderful printed cards, stickers, and…read moreinteresting work by "artists and makers" (per their business card). There were some neat hats made from vintage sweaters, ornaments in the shape of New Jersey, lots of earrings. Nice merchandise. I couldn't resist and bought a couple of greeting cards, even though I don't know who one of them is for... Worth stopping if you're in Hopewell or anywhere in the area.

You can always fine the best, most unique gifts at twine. They are sure to have something for…read moreeveryone on your list, and probably yourself too! They offer gift wrapping and the workers are always super nice. I personally love the card section!

I've stopped by this place every time I need a gift for someone that is unique and catered to their…read moreinterests/personality. Can find things for people of all ages! Staff is so friendly and do a great job wrapping the gifts nicely for you too. Would definitely recommend checking them out!

Wonderful family-like, yet professional company ! They…read morereally are Outstanding ! I ordered a rare Christmas vacation puzzle from them, and it came as ordered and was shipped super fast ! They even rebated me some of the shipping cost without me even asking them too ! Very impressive. My family and friends will be shopping there this Christmas for sure ! I highly recommend Sunnyside Gifts !!! https://sunnysidegiftcompany.com/

After finding a particular items that is extremely difficult to find, I was excited to find them…read morewith this site and at a great price. I ordered three stickers as they are so rare to find. My order went through and I got a confirmation number only to receive an email hours later stating they cancelled my order because they didn't have enough stock to complete my order!! Seriously!!! What a blow. Now I have to search elsewhere for the item. Don't order through this company unless you have time to waste!!!

Love love love this little shop in Pennington, NJ. Did a lot of Christmas shopping here this year &…read morefavorite gift was the elephant pants hands down. They are they most comfortable pants I've ever owned!!! Love the support they give disabled artist & the community! Amazing local shop with big heart I promise you'll enjoy the shop & love the staff!!!

From the owner: CHANCE on Main is a for-purpose boutique featuring unique and irresistible finds--jewelry,…read moreclothing, handicrafts, stationery, housewares, specialty foods, and accessories--that support chances for an individual or a cause through meaningful work, earth-friendly and sustainable practices, and creativity. We celebrate social enterprise, handmade, organic, recycled and repurposed, fair trade, charitable, made in USA, and local. And we share the stories behind our featured wares, because the makers and their stories are as important as the products. One shopper describes Chance as a 'shop full of love.'

Pretty cool shop selling unique and handmade items from countries such as India, Tibet, &…read moreGuatemala. In this store you will find, jewelry, knitted items, incense, essential oils, candles, trinkets, decor, wood carvings, dream catchers, etc. The owner has been traveling the world for over 20 plus years and brings back many of these items to sell. She has established many coops in these countries and donates part of the profits. I was told this by the kind gentleman volunteer who was manning the store for her. There are many interesting items you can buy for yourself or give as inexpensive gifts. The prices here aren't too bad. There is a minimum of $10 for c.c. purchase. This store is hard to find as is tucked away in an alley on spring street. Even if not purchasing anything it's also a cool store to just to poke around.

I seriously love this place. I started going here in high school, and still go back every time i'm…read morein town. Very small shop, but packed with all kinds of amazing handcrafted jewelry, hippie-esque clothing and handbags, incense and spiritual items (i don't know how else to describe it!). In school, we were always annoyed at there "only 2 people under 18 allowed in at once" rule, but now as an adult, I see why. i honestly think this place helped me shape my whole "look" (if you can call it that) -- after buying numerous poison rings, boxes of Nag Champa, and hand woven purses there, i credit them for making me the pseudo-hippie i am today :) and while you're there, go 2 doors down to Chucks for some killer wings :) can't miss!

Not exactly the North Pole or a bygone era postcard from the Currier and Ives collection (unless…read moreboth have been relocated near Shanghai) but the Christmas Tree Shop never fails to motivate the acquisition of one or two extra baubles for my extremely crowded artificial tree. This year it's a set of unadorned glass ornaments as my present stash seems to be nothing more than a travelogue of Christmas Past... really tired of the Walt Disney World Ornament set from 2002 and where in the world did that Wawa ornament come from... I think I'll steer clear of the four foot Elf on the Shelf with the especially Satanic looking illuminated head and the plastic lobster bib adorned with Santa's chubby visage. Every year I visit pretending to "just browse" and every year they crowbar my wallet in the true spirit of the season. Christmas greetings from Shanghai. Five oscillating LED stars.

When I was in my 20s, a very long time ago, my friends and I would drive up to the Cape where The…read moreChristmas Tree shops originated and they were part of the draw! We were young, decorating our first homes, had limited income, and the items and their prices were too good to pass up! While the name says Christmas, the store has items for the house that are not holiday themed. Think of it as a Bed, Bath & Beyond merges with a Dollar store and produces a store somewhere in between. On a recent trip home to NJ, I was super excited to see that a Christmas Tree shop had opened in my old neighborhood. But my excitement turned to disappointment as soon as I entered the store. Everything was in a disarray and was random, no sense of order and logic. Had my memory failed me? Was it always like this but because of where I was at that point in my life, I didn't notice? Say it isn't true! I loved The Christmas Tree shops and still have a pasta set I bought, white with a pattern of black olives and green leaves. This day a huge crate of Santa's, penguins and reindeer greeted one upon entering; they were cute. They still sell lots of note cards and thank-you notes for a buck or two. However the Christmas Cards were priced the same as other stores. Still have lots of tea and a random assortment of food products, like a ginormous canister of cheese curls, but nothing I would buy. Left without buying anything and most likely won't stop in again. It wasn't the price range because I love a good Dollar Store. The content within the store just had no appeal for me.

Very nice gifts for family and friends. On Mother's Day I got my mother a lovely body wash set that…read moreshe loved. There are so many different options that are perfect for almost any occasion.

The store is beautiful and the items unique. If you want run of the mill...go to the SI Mall. If…read moreyou want your $25 item wrapped and bagged like it's coming from 5th Avenue and presentation matters to you...this is your shop. The owner knows her gifts and can help you select and find what you need. This shop is leaps and bounds above the Hallmark, everyday commercial shopping spots that overrun the Island. It's like Christmas everyday at Gifted and it's my go to place when I need a gift...PRONTO! I've observed some obnoxious folks shop at this place and the owner keep her cool! Sorry "one individual" didn't have the same experience, but it isn't going to stop me from shopping there.

There was a time when visiting a mall meant certain stores acted like foundations that other stores…read morewould pop up around. East Meets West is one such store. Whether it's this mall or Woodbridge, "East Meets West" is a fun store to visit. I generally go here to get incense but they have so much more than that. Their other offerings include various Hamsas you can hang up, crystals, rocks, sage kits, necklaces, bracelets, earrings, charms, dream catchers and more. It doesn't matter if you believe in the various spiritual beliefs represented by this store, some of this stuff is just pretty decor. The store is basically a rectangle with shelves and islands in the middle. The cashier is off to the right in the middle. The cashier I dealt with was super friendly and I saw her helping the customer before me with a great deal of patience. This store used to be on the first floor, but they moved up to the second floor and as part of that move they upgraded the decor a bit. There's a fun neon sign at the entrance and a gigantic dream catcher hangs in one window with other items. Before you even walk in the store front seems to promise a unique store experience in a mall mostly dominated by department stores and clothing shops. I wound up getting some "short" incense that were nicely priced (20 for $5 I believe). I also bought a sticker for $2. "East Meets West" is a classic part of the mall experience and I definitely recommend dropping by!

I always love going to this store. I wish I could buy most of the items there speak to my soul. The…read morestaff there are always helpful, spiritual, and it's a good time. Yesterday the staff let me take her pic and said I could get a discount for posting a review.