I was in Vermont for a wedding and decided to walk around the village of Wilmington. The town is…read morequaint and has all the charm you would expect in a small Vermont hamlet. What I didn't expect was a top-notch consignment store, but The Fashion Plate is just that! The interior is quirky as the store is in a historic colonial home, but that made the shopping experience all the more unique and fun. The prices are very reasonable and there is a wide-range from designer to accessible, every day pieces. There are also clothes and accessories for men, children, pets, and the home. The staff were friendly and welcoming, but they also gave me the space to browse without feeling pressured to buy, which for me is a major plus. I spent about 45 minutes browsing and trying on items so I would suggest giving yourself time to really explore the entire store--as one reviewer noted there is a lot to see (but I did not think this was an issue--more treasures to find!). My haul from the Fashion Plate included a vintage Chanel necklace, Chanel cashmere gloves (odd buy in July but winter is coming--haha), Lanvin ballet flats, deadstock Gucci blooms purse, Chanel wedges (I ended up wearing these to the wedding), a Henri Bendel backpack, a cool painting, and a pair of Chanel cambon ballet flats. They only stock authentic items (they explained their rigorous authentication process) and I appreciate that commitment to not selling replica goods. There was so much more to tempt me! I will certainly be back to shop this fun boutique.

Famous last words... "I'm just going to stop in Wilmington to get syrup."…read more Three dresses, two skirts, one top and $132 later ($135 if you count the $3 ATM fee from the liquor store across the street. Cash only folks)... turns out going to Wilmington for syrup is a lot like going to Target for toothpaste. Who knew such a fashion mecca could exist on the outskirts of a forest? Seriously, the owner's buying game is on point. I think I walked into the dressing room with at least 40 items. None of which would be useful for a weekend of camping. But all of which were great brands, new or basically new, ridiculously cute and so reasonably priced. But don't worry. I also got my syrup. Let's hope I don't spill it on all my new fashion finds.

We love shopping here for special clothing and jewelry. The staff is warm and always helpful.read more

Love this eclectic little spot. Wonderful selection of clothing, jewelry and home items. Obsessed…read morewith their scarves and candles! I will say we were totally ignored by the clerk, not even a hello or welcome. She proceeded to make a personal call while we were browsing near the register which put me off enough to leave without purchasing anything but it's a nice store worth popping into.

Took some stones in there from a set of falling-apart earrings, and Karen Goodman made them into a…read morebeautiful new set of earrings within a couple of hours for $15! I was astounded and thrilled with the quick turnaround, the price, and the product. Thought this kind of service was a thing of the past, but it still exists in Williamstown! Ruth Wade

Karen is a wonderful, helpful owner. Friendly service. Great with gift suggestions. My husband went…read morein before Christmas and picked something out for me. When he brought it to the register Karen asked "Is this for your daughter or your wife?" He told her it was for me and she told him "Your daughter likes those kind of earrings, but your wife would like these other styles better." She was absolutely right! A lovely assortment of moderately priced, attractive jewelry. Something for everyone, especially Williams College students and alum.

People with negative reviews have serious issues. Knapps is the friendliest place that is. Duffy,…read morethe owner, is a great guy always ready to help. I brought my guitar looking for some help and he sat with me for a long time giving advice and even told me where to go and what to look for. Never pushed me into buying anything. We need more places like this and more people to go to Knapps and support this business.

The wall of guitars, many of which are quite reasonably priced, is an obvious draw to the musicians…read moreamong us. And if you're like me, where you're more musically inclined to play the stereo, there's a selection of vinyl - LPs and 45s - in the back to peruse (plus that cool display of 45s hanging from the ceiling in the guitar room). And if that's not enough, there's all the hobby supplies in the rest of the store. This is definitely a place to check out.

We met Lorraine and Brent Newell when we spent a summer in West Wardsboro and are now obsessed with…read moretheir bourbon barrel aged maple syrup. There's no alcohol in the maple syrup, but the maple syrup is aged in bourbon barrels giving them a deliciously strong aroma that is bound to delight any whisky or bourbon fan. We heard today that Brent is getting a new sugar house. The old one was in need of repairs. I'm excited to see what he is able to produce in his new sugar house. Lorraine also does a tremendous job curating her store and bringing together very cute Vermont-themed or country home themed items. It's easy to find a gift for anyone here. They even have some wooden marble toys in the back to entertain your kid while you shop.

Wow what a great little shop !!! The owner Lorraine is so helpful and sweet. We picked up some…read morelocal soaps and found an awesome serving tray. Not to mention her husband provides the shop with some amazing Maple Syrup! Had to get some as you cannot have pancakes Sunday morning without VT Maple Syrup! We will definitely be stopping by again when we come back from going to Stratton Mountain.

it would be zero if that was available. After calling out the store for being closed for 2.5 hours…read moreon 11/9, I was harassed by the worker and threatened by the owner. I felt threatened enough to contact the Bennington Police Department.

Really a great looking gallery with a number of interesting pieces. The artists seemed to be from…read moreall over New England and maybe a few from a bit further than that. The gentleman running the gallery was wonderfully pleasant even though we weren't buying anything. He gave us some recommendations for dining and enjoying our evening during the quiet Bennington winter nights. It is in an old bank, with a lot of interesting placement for different artists works. It is worth a stop if passing through Bennington.

Really enjoyed my visit to this bookshop. They have an excellent, small but well curated selection…read moreof nature books. I purchased a book about mushroom foraging by an Appalachian author called "Go Forth and Forage" and by fiancé purchased a helpful guidebook about identifying trees, which is essential to foraging. I read the mushroom book cover to cover and absolutely loved it! The store is very clean, well lit and well organized, although small. I did find the service a bit standoffish and when I purchased the book the woman checking me out just handed it to me with the receipt tucked in, without even asking if I wanted a bag. I guess I this area most people don't want a bag because they charge for them, but like could you let me know that and at least offer one? Seemed odd. Otherwise nice spot and I look forward to returning here next time I am in town.

It's the first bright, beautiful Saturday of the year here in Bennington, and I decided to kill…read moretime this morning before the library opened by browsing with an open mind to buying one or more books here. I walked in and said hello to the lone employee behind the counter, who seemed annoyed that anyone would speak to her. There was also a group of about four teenagers who were talking about the books, laughing and being normal kids. From what I could tell as someone who also used to work in a bookstore, they weren't being disruptive at all and sounded like they were talking about school assignments, among other things. A few minutes into my visit, the lone employee, an older woman, curtly told the group of kids to leave. I left soon after, and as I later said to one of the co-owners over the phone, that's how five potential customers turns to zero. What's the point of running/working in any business if you're put out by any and every customer? Is this the secret to small business success in a town where every other storefront is shuttered?

Very helpful and friendly staff. Great selection of art supplies. Also, very convenient.read more

This was a completely chance encounter as we had stopped for a coffee in Bennington and happened to…read morewalk past the store. What a veritable Aladdin's Cave of goodies it is - like the Tardis, it's much bigger on the inside than it looks. One half of the store is devoted to artist supplies - indeed, they boast of being the largest artists' supply store in Vermont. The other half is dedicated to cards, toys, bags, scarves, gifts, farden ornaments, pet things and other handy little gadgets that you didn't know you needed in your life until you saw them here. Honestly, we spend at least half an hour in here just looking around. You will be amazed at the variety of stuff they sell. Upstairs is a small but select gallery of artworks for sale, although I confess that I didn't make it past the stair landing as I got distracted by something else that I glimpsed downstairs. The owners were very chatty and friendly, especially when they found out that we were Scottish. They told us about a relative they had lost in the Lockerbie disaster, asking us if we knew the area. A poignant connection. We both emerged with lots of small gifts that will no doubt be disseminated next Christmas. Had it been earlier in our trip we'd probably have bought more stuff, but as we were heading homewards we were limited to how much more we could squeeze into our bags!