A lovely little shop that sits perfectly in a lovely little town. Dim and quiet - filled with…read moretreasures. A careful selection of plants creep and burst and bloom from gorgeous clay pots. Jasmine, ferns, philodendron and orchids. Books, thoughtfully chosen antiques and small curiosities as well. Despite the weathered floor and pretty patches of moss that lend themselves to something a bit wild and earthy, the space manages to be meticulous. I've stopped on my way into town for a hostess gift and on my way out for something to put on my windowsill. Pricey, yes. Worth the splurge though.

"It was just my imagination Runnin' away with me"…read more(The Temptations) Imagination Art Skill Creative Vision Entrepreneurship All of these human talents and attributes collide big time inside the massive Whiting Mills Complex. Here you'll find artist studios, shops, businesses and classes occupying an ancient brick factory building to transform it into a center for artistic, community, and social events. There are close to 60 tenants inside the complex - artists of every description, a photography studio, specialty shops featuring kitchen and bath items, candles, baskets, silver creations, clothing, jewelry, stairs and woodworking items, health and well being products, even a ferrier selling horse shoes and horse supplies. I love the way that so many old cities have reclaimed old mill buildings and gave them new life using this model. You will definitely enjoy wandering the long hallways and exploring the shops inside Whiting Mills.

This is a wonderful, artistic, and vibrant collection of shops and artisans. If you need a unique…read moregift, Whiting Mills will have it for you. They have soaps, candles, bears, paintings, solar power lights, so on, and so on. The building itself is a lot of fun to walk around in, being an old factory. It is amazingly clean and the elevator (which has a manual stop) may not be for the faint of heart - but it is perfectly safe. Whiting Mills also has a Third Sunday open house which is a great time to stop by and see other artisans set up for the day as well - following them on Facebook is a wonderful way to find out what's going on there.

A Litchfield County hidden gem is The Rustic Country Barn on route 202 in New Milford. The place…read morehas been open a little over five years now and to be honest, although I drive by it several times a day, I didn't give it much thought. Litchfield County is kind of a Mecca for antique shops and old furniture stores. So on what should have been another glance as I whizzed by (observing the speed limit of course) was rudely interrupted by my wife's suggestion that we stop in and take a look. (hear my sigh) Fine I mumble. As we entire the store I am pleasantly surprised. It's filled with all the kind of furniture I always imagined I would build myself in my own workshop someday. But as my wife will quickly point out, you can't sit on someday. About a minute into the place my wife gives me the look. You know the look I'm talking about guys, the "this is a beautiful thing and you know I'm worth it" look. Once this happens and I come to the realization that were probably not going home empty handed there's only one thing left to do; make sure my input is dooly noted and prepare to limit the damage to our budget. As I'm cruising around the store the first thing that catches my eye is this very cool rustic looking pub table. As I belly up to kick the proverbial tires I can't help but say, "Honey, I could totally build this in my workshop!" Out of the corner of my eye I see my wife staring at the floor and shaking her head. She didn't say it out loud, but deep down I knew she was right. So with dignity still intact I decide to run this pub table through the paces. For those of you that know me, petite is not a word that most people would use to describe me. So when I reluctantly enter a typical big name furniture store filled with imported poorly made junk I always rate the quality based on one thing. What is the shimmy factor? When I sit down, how bad does it shimmy? If you're a big guy like me, you know what I mean. Back at the pub table I begin by kicking the first tire; the old grab the top on both sides and give it a shake followed by a feeble attempt to lift it off the ground. Table feels solid and vertical lift was negligible. Check! Next comes the big one. The old hop up on the stool and check the shimmy factor. Whoa, no shimmy! I even tried my rendition of the bar stool boogie and she held her ground. Impressive! Now for one final test; the old, "I've have 9 beers and it's time to let the table hold me up" test. I lean in and give the pub table everything I've got. Folks, we have a winner! The table didn't give a bit. As I walk through the rest of the store and barn, I find these qualities to hold true everywhere I turn. Bottom line, it's clear to me that the motto of The Rustic Country Barn, "Quality American made furniture that will last for generations" are not hollow words. I highly recommend a visit.

I was torn between 3 or 4 stars for RCB. I discovered them on Facebook and love everything I see. I…read morehave not been to the physical store yet but I have explored their website a few times. I was prompted by a video on their Facebook page for barn stars. I was inspired by the video to get one for my parents barn back in Ohio but after going through all the steps to buy one I was shocked at the shipping cost. It was as much as the barn star! I still want to get one but I'm going to wait until I have time to just buy it at the store. Now I'm not one to give up so I saw another post on FB for these cute drink holders so I went to the website to get a better look and as cute as they were they were like $24 for a little metal drink holder! They do have a lot of beautiful barn wood furniture on the website and I could see a few of these items in my home but clearly I'll need to save up. I'm going to stop in soon and I'll update my review then.

A cute little candy shop next to shops, restaurant, and a waterfall. We purchased a few goodies,…read morechocolate, lollipops, and even a lipstick shaped marzipan candy. The service was good and they had a good variety. I recommend a visit if you're in the area!

AAAAMAZING selections!! Samples are great to help make tough choices! Highly recommend, you won't…read morebe disappointed!!!

I was really happy when Ocean State moved here, they always have awesome deals on snacks and other…read moreproducts. The qorkers are always really patient and kind, if you need something, they're eager to help. They also keep the place clean and orderly too. Ps They carry my fav Nantucket Crisps so thats a bonus!

Time for another quick Look at one of our favorite stores, Ocean State Job Lot in Litchfield. Yes,…read moreit can be a quirky visit -- some of the stock can vary pretty wildly from week to week -- so you can't be certain that what you bought a few weeks ago is still around. But there are a lot of items you can reasonably depend on finding whenever you arrive, and we have to say that overall the quality of the items is high. (And when it isn't, we've found management is cheerfully quick to supply an apology and a swap or refund.) But speaking of management: This store has had some darned good ones. And one of the very best has just returned: Paul. He is smart, store savvy, wonderfully outgoing with customers and from what we hear a favorite with employees because he is genuinely caring. And helping him now is Tyrone, who is another top-flight manager. Together they make a great team and ensure that customers always feel they matter. We've visited other JL stores but not one, no matter size, can match this one.

This store is a bit expensive compared to others in town but they carry a beautiful, exclusive…read moreselection of plants, flowers and gifts. Isabella, one of the owners, knows her stuff and she is very helpful. I highly recommend this place.

THIS STORE IS AMAZING. Here's a story to further explain why…read more My car was stuck in my driveway and I ran out of ice melt so I walked 20 min to their store to get some and, instead of having to carry it back, John delivered it right to my door and helped me lay it down!!!! I know I can sometimes feel tempted to shop at a big box store or order online to save a couple dollars. But THIS is why I shop local. Not only am I supporting my neighbors and friends but The benefit to the community ALWAYS comes back 10 fold. Please check out Johnbela at at 640 S Kent Road (route 7) in gaylordsville! They have everything you need for your garden and home: they have roses for Valentine's Day and beautiful gifts still too!!!! THANK YOU JOHN AND ISABELA!!!!!!

ORIGIN: The Hen's Nest was established in 2017 by Ellen Prindle…read more CONCEPT: A curated collection of works by artists and artisans are displayed and sold at The Hen's Nest. LOCATION: The gallery/shop is located in the heart of Washington Depot, in close proximity to other attractive shopping destinations. EXPERIENCE: Fun to find unique gifts during the holidays, while supporting local artisans. TIP: Look out for periodic artist receptions by checking website and Instagram.

This is one of my all time, long time favorite gift shops in Town. The handcrafted pewter pieces…read moreare masterpieces of local craftsmanship. They have a large assortment of cards, paper goods, and gifts for all age groups. It's my 'go to' location for Stonewall Kitchen products. They also carry Fascia's Chocolate( made by a family of Chocolatiers in Waterbury. If you walk out without making a purchase, I'd be surprised. It is one of Woodbury's local 'gems'.

A beautiful shop with a great selection of pewter dining sets, they have a great variety of gifts…read morethroughout the shop and they offer customized engravings