I highly recommend doing business at Cash true value hardware. Their staff is knowledgeable and…read morefriendly. Plus they always have what I'm looking for!!! Matt T.

Emerson, JJ, and the entire rest of the staff were incredible. Last week my battery died in their…read moreparking lot and they were all so helpful. Emerson came out and helped me out and JJ provided tools so I could change out the battery right in the parking lot. It was only about 10 degrees out, which made it even better to have people willing to help out. The battery change was a success and I drove off thinking how great smaller, local hardware stores are than what you typically get at the big box stores. Thanks so much!

Petie and Rich made beautiful flower arrangements for my Aunt's funeral. They are so kind,…read moreknowledgeable, and helpful, you really feel the love put into their work. We also took a glass painting class at the shop. They had delicious homemade bread and soup and provided a wonderful environment for a night of relaxing art. You feel and are treated like family here. I would recommend Petie and Rich to everyone .

Perennial Harmony landscaped my cottage in Niantic and put in a wonderful array of native plants…read morethat look fantastic, attract butterflies and just make the whole house seem so much more charming. They were incredibly easy to work with and were affordable. I can't recommend them highly enough.

If you're ever in the area check out Smith's Acres not just for plants but home décor and jewelry…read morecrafted by local artisans as well as great local coffees, breads, fruits & veggies. Their plants are always so lush & healthy and they'll assist w/ any questions or concerns r/t gardening. Love the serenity of this place!

Great produce, quality plants, friendly and helpful service, but more expensive. The garden center…read moreI shop at in East Haddam charges significantly less for the same products such as bagged mulch and plants.

Ollies has some brand new shopping carts! Great on them. Browsing around the aisles we found quite…read morea few good items at bargain prices. Did see that they expanded their rug area so it's larger and easier to view the rugs. Christmas seasonal items were starting to cone out.

I was looking for a few bath towels and maybe some school supplies. The store appeared to be very…read moredisorganized and overall messy. A few random school supplies were scattered around but I didn't really find what I was looking for:binders, notebooks, etc. I found a few towels (luckily they matched) and were at a decent price. Just not overly impressed. Thought it was in much better shape last summer. I'll go back to OSJL.

The owner Nancy was super friendly and fun to chat with the afternoon day my friend and I stopped…read morein. As soon as I walked in I noticed her cute letterpress business cards and we started chatting how great letterpress items are. She has many of her items in store as well as her online site on Etsy. https://www.etsy.com/shop/WeekendKitchen In addition to her great stationary she has an extensive selection of wonderful vintage, antique and new modern home items. I found a darling set of vintage champagne coupes and found glass stir sticks for cocktails. She also sells a great selection of epicurean cutting boards. I almost snatched one up but I had to hold back. It was great chatting with her and I look forward to visiting the store the next time I'm in the area.

More often than not, we hear of local shops shutting their doors, so it was great news to learn of…read moreWeekend Kitchen's move and expansion. We love this destination in Essex for all kinds of kitchen accoutrements, and we love it even more now. Nancy Kirkiles has a knack for mixing vintage finds with kitchen necessities, and the new, larger space has allowed her to flex her merchandising muscles. You'll find an extensive selection of her lovely letterpressed cards on thick stock (and you'll want to stock up), plus a tempting mix of vintage glassware, interesting cookbooks, antique cleavers, teeny silver spoons, crystal salt cellars, linen aprons, essentials for baking; an entire batterie de cuisine. If you're on a spring cleaning rampage, head here for natural bristle brushes and potions with names like "Boys Bathroom" and Superlative Hand Soap. Over the years, Nancy has developed a talented team of collaborators. If you've been to one of her cooking classes or pop-up dinners, you'll know what I'm talking about. Chef Paul Barron will continue to offer classes and dinners through Weekend Kitchen (coming up: Potato Gnocchi and Easy Thai), plus home chef services and (coming soon) grab-and-go meals. You'll find Plenty of Cake, literally. Lesley Moore's imaginative treats will be available and by custom order (her gluten free versions may just be the best I've had), and a refrigerator case is on the way, to be stocked with Arethusa Farm's ridiculous fresh butter, milk, and cheese. I've been known to race over pre-party for a last minute ladle or gravy boat; now I'll just have so many more reasons to visit.

This is such a cute little gift shop on Main Street in Old Saybrook. You'll find all sorts of…read moreunique bags, cards, jewelry, scarves and other assorted nick-nacks. I really liked the bull dog behind the counter, I'm sure he must have smelled my pug on me and started wagging his tail like crazy. I didn't score anything the day I came in but I'm sure if you need to buy a gift suddenly, and you're in the area, SWAG is a great spot for such a need.

Move over HomeGoods there's a new kid in town…read more This place is pretty amazing if you like Pier 1 and HomeGoods you have to check this place out. On my walks down main street I always stop here to check out what new things they have.

What a great experience. Small with a nice family feel. The staff are super-friendly and helpful…read more Found a great tree and got to support a local family business.

Short story: Nice people, big selection, fair pricing- I'll be back!…read moreLong Story: This is your classic family owned and operated Christmas tree farm. You go, they give you a hand saw and a cart and you go out into their fields looking for the perfect tree. They have many different kinds of trees of all shapes and sizes. The older gentleman we talked to was super nice. Once you pick your tree, they will perform and shake service then net it all up for you. They also have beautiful wreaths for sale- they even threw a door hanger in for free. The farm is beautiful and they people are really friendly. They even let us bring our dog (as long as we promised to bring baggies and clean up after her which is more than reasonable). There are chickens roaming around and a friendly bunch of dogs on the grounds. Really great Christmas activity- we will be returning next year!

We purchased recently a new GE Profile fridge from Shoreline appliances in Groton. It was the…read moresmoothest purchase, deliver and pickup we've ever experienced. Our delivery in Niantic was quick and the delivery staff were awesome too. We had a problem with our cable connection to the water and ice maker and they sent their repair guy Glen out within a few days. Glen arrived and fixed the problem quickly. He was professional, knowledgeable, and courteous. Thank you Glen they are lucky to have a repair person like you. We were so impressed with Shoreline from beginning to end and we said we will only buy an appliance from them going forward. Thank you for your service. Barbara K Niantic, Ct.

I'm not happy as my washer which I bought at Shore appliances quit spinning the clothes. called for…read moreservice they came out told us we needed two parts. Parts were ordered it took a month. Parts just came in the service guy came today and installed the parts said machine was all set. we and put in a small load to test it results were bad. the new parts did nothing to change the problem. called the service department immediately and they can't get anyone back out for a week. This is not what I expected!

Peter and Karen are fabulous! They helped with the clean-out of our home when it was due to go on…read morethe market, including purchasing some of the furnishings for resale at their store, donating other items to a wide variety of wonderful nonprofits, and discarding of things that were no longer of use. They also helped me with a subsequent move. I can't say enough positive things about their friendly and compassionate personalities, their adept skill at their craft, and their honesty and respectful manner. They are tops! Kathy B.

Best find ever! I have been a customer since moving from VT…read moreto CT. A great place to find lovely Vintage and unique antiques, as well as some great 2nd hand pieces. Always the best selection with great turnover. The best feature is the owner and their help. What keeps me coming back is their integrity and honesty. They make a visit a most enjoyable stop feeling more like friends than a business. They put time and thought into all or their customers. would be very hard pressed to think of any other shop in any other town that has as good of a reputation. Love them!