We had not been there for 20+ years, we used to live in town, and then moved away, always…read morelamenting we needed a Hudson Paper store near us, well we moved back to the area, and yay! it is still there! What do you need in paper and boxes - they got it! Well at least everything we needed. We stopped in to get boxed and shredded xmas paper for sending gifts ( early!) Simply put what make them special, besides the selection, is the welcoming and friendly folks. Everyone gets greeted, they checked in on what we needed. Last time we visited, we asked about small rolls of brown shipping paper to warp some for the boxes we had at home. What we saw was a HUGE roll. Other stores would have said, "no, sorry". This tore, "hold on, we will open this and cut/roll what you need". Awesome.

Omg I fell in love with this store!!! I've passed it many times and didn't know it was even there…read more I was in need of a super cute cake box and some party supplies. I googled for a paper store and this place came up. I found my cake box, gift bags, and even picked up some wrapping paper. They sell a variety of things even for food items. They have balloons and you can have invitations made. Surprisingly there were a lot of people coming in and out. Parking in located behind the store. They even have a uhaul office in the back of the store.

What an adorable spot! Eccentric, warm, full of gifts and baked goods and ice coffee and ice cream…read more Love the bohemian vibe and smell, full of board games to play and couches and chairs to lounge on. Pretty good cookies and homemade pop-tarts, Froot Loops-smelling candles, vintage clothes half-off and more. 5 stars!!!

Eco Evolution is a cafe and market focused on the environment. They are focused on low plastic,…read morezero waste, which I love. They also sell artisan items like jewelry, clothes, and more. I love the eclectic decor inside. They also are vegan friendly. There are many events hosted there and it's in a great location near other shops and restaurants. I ordered a standard iced latte and it was good. The service was also good. Since it's eco-friendly, it is on the pricier side. Other than that, a great spot to drink coffee and do some work/study.

Horrible. Absolutely horrible. No wonder why the storefront closed. What other business would…read morecollect tax when you provide them an exemption number? Stay away from them as designers, stagers, everything. Unethical, threatening, unprofessional and desperate. Bad bad business model.

Step into this densely populated gift shop and you are greeted with a quick dose of Southern…read morehospitality (courtesy of Mersene) and an amazing array of unique trinkets and treats. At holiday time is daunting to see the array of options! Euro goods, serving plates and bowls, cheese knives, tea towels and French honey as well as jam. I found stocking stuffers and more with ease. The gift wrapping is gorgeous, chocolates, flavored almonds and caramels all transport you to Willie Wonks for adults... There was a steady stream of customers seeking highly personalized gifts for special events and someones at holiday season. Indeed, if you can't find a gift you can feel great about giving at this boutique you don't know who you're buying for well enough as there is something here for anyone!

Our favorite artisan chocolate shop was closed today due to the rainstorm, and my husband and I…read morewere craving handmade chocolates. A quick Yelp search led us to Le Rouge... Upon entering the shop, we got a whiff of a putrid smell. To my husband, it smelled like a dirty public toilet. To me, it smelled like rotten leftovers. We also noticed the shop was not very clean. The floor looked dirty, and the place just looked disorganized. Like as if they were in the midst of a move. Next, onto the service. We each picked four different flavors. The sales associate used his BARE hands to retrieve each one. This is UNACCEPTABLE. Even if he is using sanitizer prior to retrieving the chocolates, this is an unsanitary practice. Sure, the chocolates have paper cups, however my husband did order one orange almond cluster which does not have any covering or paper cup. The sales associate handed the cluster with his BARE HANDS. Gross! I don't believe I've ever been served chocolate without someone wearing gloves... even in a third world country. The chocolates unfortunately were STALE! They all tasted like they had been sitting out for several days. They did not taste high quality - I'm sorry to say that they were barely a step above Russel Stover chocolates. The packaging is nice, though. We love supporting small businesses and especially women of color owned businesses, but unfortunately this place did not meet our expectations. Would not return nor recommend to anyone.

I'm a chocolate snob and make it a point to design walking tours of cities around chocolate…read moreboutique locations (hey - it's a great way to see a city!). My point: I've had A LOT of chocolate in the States and around the world. I've lived in Southern CT for two years. Le Rouge is probably the best in Fairfield County. I have good news and, well, two suggestions: -The chocolates are rich and well made. The flavor profiles are excellent. Really, this place does an excellent job with flavors. I do recommend it! -Suggestion #1: offer options with cheaper packaging. Yes, I know chocolate boutiques have a lot of overhead. And I'm a person who readily forks out $100+ for chocolate samples when traveling. Le Rouge is just too expensive, and I'm not sure the expense matches the product. Again, the chocolate is really, really good BUT.... My current favorite chocolate shop is in NYC and is very pricey, but the truffles are exceptional and the boutique is paying NYC rent. I wonder if Le Rouge can offer a packaging option that doesn't use its high quality boxes for locals just looking to bring 6 truffles home. I suspect that part of the reason that the prices are so high is because the packaging is expensive. In addition to a nice gift box for a friend, I asked for two truffles in a small bag. The clerk told me they couldn't do this. So... La Rouge lost out on the money I would have spent on two additional truffles. I wonder how often this happens and what money is potentially lost? -Suggestion #2: In all the many, many, many boutiques I've been to in the US, Canada, and Europe, every one of them has provided a "chocolate key." This key is sometimes glossy and gorgeous. It sometimes low-key and practical. The point: it's always there! The "keys" are consistent and help the customer identify what they're about to eat. The clerk at Le Rouge told me that the boutique does not hand out a chocolate key/guide/pamphlet because the flavors are often changed. Huh? What? I suggest being consistent. One shape should always be the _____ flavor. The next should be the _____ flavor. If the shop needs to buy more molds to accommodate different flavor profiles, it's worth the investment. OR...if a particular mold is used as a daily/weekly "wild card", I suggest using a color or other indication that it's a particular flavor. One boutique that I frequent uses the same mold for every truffle it makes. However, the truffles are all adorned with a different color to identify the flavor within. Even 10 years later, I know exactly what I'm getting per the color of the truffle top. Again, this is a great place. I would purchase chocolate here more frequently if the price made it a little more accessible to non-wealthy locals. (And, yes, I have no problem paying current prices if I need a fancy box for gift-giving. Sometimes, I just want some nice truffles at home sans fancy packaging.)

Buying a gift or need some acquisition therapy? Mellow Monkey is the place to go. Also I…read morerecommend following Mellow Monkey on Facebook as the posts are extremely entertaining, except for the kimono posts, skip those. So many unusual items, most very nice and some very naughty. Friendly and informative staff. Prices from just a few dollars to over one thousand. Small tokens to large works of art. Trinkets and treasures. Wedding, anniversary, birthday, romantic and funny gifts for any occasion. It's an experience and not just a shopping trip. Be sure to get the loyalty card, you'll be back. I'm getting 20% off my next purchase! Say hi to Howard!

Love this place!!! So many fun unusual gifts to be had. Great cards & little token items.read more

We stopped in Saturday afternoon and were promptly greeted by Marti. Come to find out she not only…read morewas ridiculously knowledgeable and friendly, but the owner of 40+ years. I bought a cute bracelet, gorgeous hat and an umbrella that doesn't wet you when you close it. See pictures. Please check out this cute shop. They have unique Christmas ornaments too.

This shop is still my fav for gifts in downtown Milford. Plus Marty has hats, windsocks, Laurel…read moreBurch merchandise and a whole lot of different things so that you might find something unique for that unique friend that you want to surprise with a little something. If you are looking for Milford centric items such as a sweatshirt, a sign, gift cards or just a little something, this is your shop.

We stopped at this lovely shop in Black Rock, Bridgeport looking for a shirt we had asked someone…read morethe night before where he had purchased it-Pious Bird! We were able to get 2 shirts of the Brigeport candy cane smoke stack, which was fantastic. It's a thing now. The store also has some gorgeous antiques, crystals, cards and locally made items. The store is well laid out and there are some great finds. The staff was so friendly and helpful. On street parking. Definitely stop by!

The owner of Pious Bird has a great eye for quality and artistry. Many of the items are handmade in…read moreConnecticut, with an emphasis on products by Black Rock craftspeople. I like the paintings of local spots around the neighborhood, including scenes from our beloved St. Mary's by the Sea. I also appreciate the selection of unique notecards, jewelry, antiques and housewares. On a recent visit, I was searching for gifts for friends and bought locally made hot/cold packs filled with flax seeds. My friends loved them!

Love this place so cute and I love the verity of tea the staff is amazing by the way and if you…read moreneed recommendations just ask the staff.

I really had a great time visiting the location in Oxford,CT. It was a day trip with just my MIL…read moreand I. She is very particular so I was thrilled to see the variety of teas and other tasty menu items to select from. The grilled cheese sandwiches were amazing. The staff were busy but still gave great recommendations and were warm and friendly even helping each other out. If ever I am in the area again I would like to visit for dinner.