COMPENDIUM is a hip new clothing boutique that has opened in staid Swarthmore and it's about time!…read more What drew me in today, 4 days before "Small Business Saturday" was the sandwich board sign outside stating they had " American made gifts under $25". Ecstatic and energized was I traversing the store seeing locally designed and hand made items and additional handmade items from across the United States. Everything here is American made. Everything I saw there was pretty and of high quality. Amazingly,I left there with a still heavy wallet even after purchasing 4 Christmas gifts at surprisingly reasonable prices. Kudos to the owners for taking a leap of faith in opening something contemporary and hip in this usually conservatively dressed part of the Philadelphia burbs. Shaking things up !!

Wonderful shop in the heart of Swarthmore! Super convenient for out of owners as it is just steps…read moreaway from the Septa train line. I love that you will always find something new, fun and made in the USA. The owner, Emily is also ready to help answer your questions or to help find the right outfit for your body shape. It's a must visit!

Love color coordination and very organized but service could have been better. Extensive scarf…read morecollection but a little pricey as expected for a store like this. Apparently they also have an Etsy and EBay... the service was not very helpful and not sure I would go back here. Quaint, color-coded spot.

Malena's has a wonderful selection and employees that are helpful, knowledgeable kind. My daughter…read more& I have been stopping in for her birthday for at least 5 years now. We never leave empty handed or disappointed!

Eclectica is in many ways a dying breed. There was a time not too terribly long ago that small,…read moreunique specialty shops were seemingly everywhere. And now they have largely been replaced by the dreariness, drabness, and sameness of chain stores. And make no mistake. Eclectica is a gem. You can find unique gift items here that you can't find anywhere else. There is something here for any budget. The owner is friendly, always offers a warm greeting, and is very helpful. It's clear from the moment you enter that she's put a lot of care and heart into this place, and it shows. If you are looking for a unique gift that literally you won't find anywhere else, or something for yourself, take a few moments to visit this place. You won't be disappointed. The items are always changing, always something new, and always something to please.

I left a large vintage bag made of folded cigarette papers woven together…read moreon consignment with Joanna when her shop was in the trolley square neighborhood of Wilmington. She sold the bag and never paid me anything for it. I'm sure she got a nice sum for it, but I never received a penny. We were actually friends at the time, and she had the nerve to just expect me to accept this behavior. Rotten.

Came here for the 1st time on Black Friday with a few friends. We lined up in the middle of the…read morenight for their Black Friday deal. The owner was exceptionally kind and appreciative of the turn out. This is a small business we will definitely be returning too! They also had amazing vintage gear, we were mostly excited for the eagles gear.

Cute store with some amazing finds. Bought a few pieces from here and i love every one of them!read more

My experience at Claire's was fantastic! I was very nervous going into my appointment as I am very…read morecritical of myself and truly had no idea what I was looking for as a wedding dress. My consultant, Shana, was wonderful from start to finish. She was friendly, patient, and truly took into consideration what I liked/disliked about each dress. All wedding attire is located upstairs. It's a semi-private area that is shared with other future bride(s) and their guests. I brought along my four bridesmaids who were all given dry erase boards to write what they liked about each dress- which honestly was great for my confidence and added fun to the experience! Even though the area was being shared with another bride and her consultant, I felt like we had plenty of space and privacy. I tried on a total of ten dresses, but I was really torn between two of them on which I liked the best. Shana ended up bringing me one more dress that was a mix between the two. It was perfect. She brought me a veil to try with the dress and I had the storybook moment where all the emotions hit me at once. I never once felt pressured to purchase anything and I didn't feel rushed at all during my appointment. Turns out, the dress I selected was part of a trunk sale where I got 10% off too! Overall, an amazing experience that I will forever remember. Thank you Shana and Claire's Fashions

Went during a trunk show that had good variety of styles and prices for my bridal search. Despite…read morepaying $25 for my bridal appointment, I felt very rushed through 8 dresses in 22 minutes. Felt as though my stylist made no effort to have personal connection and just tried to make a sale without allowing my family and I to discuss things we liked about each dress to help find the perfect one. Was glad this wasn't my first store or else I would've been very discouraged as a bride. Bridal shopping should be joyous not stressful. The changing room was off of a tight hallway and where multiple brides dresses were hanging so I felt crammed on my many rushed trips to and from my groups room and the changing stalls.

Amazing boutique, great service and beautiful garments. She does custom made pieces that fit like a…read moreglove.

Funny, I buy almost as much for the men in my life here as I do for myself! I too give praise to…read morethe men's section-very cool. I really like the owner of the store, a very sweet petite lady with a great eye for fashion. It makes all the difference in the world when the owner is personable and friendly. There's a certain hip macabre undertone to some of the clothes that really fits my sensibilty...most of the clothing is better suited to girls with..less chest...than I have, but I can still walk in and find at least one item that I could saunter out in. I'm a big fan of the print shirts she gets, one in particular with a coil of snakes wrapping around the top gets compliments all the time. If you sign up on her mailing list you get coupons and sales notifications. Its worth a stop, trust me.

I'm a man, and shopping for cool clothes when you're a man is hard. "The man" doesn't like to give…read moreus cool boutiques like he gives the women-folk. But thankfully, Nich has a whole room dedicated to us three-legged creatures. They carry a decent amount of tee-shirts, jeans, and random clothing accessories. I bought a Heavy Rotation tee-shirt with a cool multicolored design on the front, something like a stagecoach being pulled by some insects drawn in scripty lines. A lot of other designs were fun too, if they only fit right (drats!). The store is pretty small, though, and yes ladies -- most if the space is still dedicated to y'all :). Some people might hate how this place carries the same fashion labels as clothing stores in SF, NY, Seattle, etc. Be that as it may, I still like those kinds of clothes, and the buyers at Nich choose a slightly different set of fashions than buyers at other stores. You do get some diversity.

Since I am at my recommended weight, I made an appointment to get some new bras. I also needed…read morestrapless bras. The two salespeople who helped me were so personable and helpful. I found everything I needed. I like going into a small business. Bras, I think, can't be bought online. You have to try them on. I would go back here again.

2.5 hours of the most painless, no-pressure shopping there can ever be, with absolute experts in…read moretheir field. I am utterly amazed at the staff's professionalism and ability to put at ease even a plus-sized, long-term-undergarment-phobic like me. The fitting took 60 seconds and then I explained my requirements for every day (no itchy lace plus extreme comfort with enough support to keep my back from hurting), and what I need for a special event dress (support you cannot see; comfort optional). Dana brought me many different options for both scenarios, which, to the extent I was comfortable with it, she helped me to try on and adjust. Very quickly I became so comfortable that she helped me the whole time. Dana is fabulous but relatively new, and so a wonderful expert verified everything she did. They explained to me the different bra styles and what they do, as well as UK vs US sizing etc. It was a terrific experience. Ultimately I chose a $56 strapless for the event dress, and for every day, I picked two $99 each Evelyn Bobbie sports-bra variations and a $65 Emoli underwire for the every day occasions when I need to dress less casually. So. For $317 I got: 1. An expert fitting in a private setting 2. Two hours of un-rushed selection and fit assistance plus education from incredible ladies who both know their stuff and understand the "ick" factor. 3. Two everyday comfort bras that fit well. 4. One "dress a little better" every day bra. 5. One strapless bra for the event dress. When I was checking out, there was a woman of about 40 at the register next to me who had driven 85 miles for their services. The checkout staff said "yes we have people who come from all over". I understand why. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.