My first visit to Gray Apple Market was for their Holiday Maker's Market the first weekend of…read moreNovember, and let me tell you -- it was Pinterest-level festive. The event promised 75+ local small businesses, food vendors, kids' activities, and "lots of holiday cheer," and that was spot-on. I went on Sunday morning, bright and early at 8:30 a.m. Parking along the road behind their home store? Gone. I ended up parking at the nearby elementary school and keeping my eyes peeled for the shuttle they mentioned. Either it was hiding or I completely missed it, because I never saw it. So, I walked. About 13 minutes along a busy road with no sidewalk -- fine for me as a solo adult, but not ideal for families with little ones. Once I arrived, though? Beautiful. The morning was crisp, the sun was out, holiday music was playing through speakers, and the whole place just felt like the start of Christmas shopping season. Vendors were spread out enough that it didn't feel cramped, and most were selling genuinely high-quality, handcrafted pieces -- a nice break from the sea of 3D-printed knickknacks I've seen at summer festivals. That said... I didn't buy a thing. Prices were higher than I was willing to pay, both from vendors and from Gray Apple's own shop. For example, I saw a 12" LED lighted orb priced at $100 -- and the tag literally said "MADE IN CHINA." A quick barcode scan later showed it online for half that. Convenience is one thing, but that's a hard markup to justify. For me, this market was more about the experience -- browsing, sipping something warm, chatting with artisans, and soaking up the vibe. Totally worth it for that. But when it comes to spending, I'm a "would I rather use this money for food or an adventure?" kind of shopper, and on this day, nothing passed the test. The only thing missing to round out the cozy holiday magic? A bonfire! They had propane heaters near the food trucks, but a big communal fire pit would've been the perfect finishing touch. Maybe next year. So yes -- a once-and-done visit for me. A gorgeous market full of talent and holiday spirit, but not my go-to for actual purchases. Still, I left in a great mood -- and with my wallet fully intact, which is its own kind of Christmas miracle.

Wow. For about three years in a row, I've been visiting this market. After this year, I will not…read morereturn. Maybe it's the new location and they expand it too quickly. When I got here, they directed me to park in a certain spot, which is fine. It seemed a little unsafe walking to the actual market, but I was able to deal. When I got to my car to leave, I was completely parked in all directions. I had my baby nephew with me l and I was very anxious about being able to stay on schedule. I could see around me other people were experiencing the same things and they were awaiting help so I just commiserated with them. I was lucky because some of the people who parked me in came and I was to move from my parking spot, I can't say the same for my counterparts. Because parking was on land that was at a stoop angle. It was clear to see that the rows in the front of the parking lot were being attended to and being moved out when the rows in the back were essentially neglected. I'm writing this while sitting in my car still waiting to leave from being parked in and waiting to get out of the parking lot I've I've been waiting for over an hour and a half about to be two hours. I called my sister and told her not to come the following day with her children because she would be stuck in a similar situation. I wouldn't have gotten out of my car and asked for someone to let me through/merge. I would still be in line waiting to leave. I know most of the families who have open their windows and shouted to me that they have been waiting a similar amount of time. Most of us all have kids in the car with. Calls to the actual market, go unanswered and forward it to voicemail. With resolution insight. Adding: I was in the parking lot from 11:30 till 2. I called customer service with no answer and left a voicemail. I when I finally made it out of my row and in the "main traffic" I believe I would have been suck for much longer in the passenger in the car in front of me didn't get out and direct traffic. As I stated the traffic worker were only managing the front rows, while the back rows sat for hours. Thankfully, this women took action and help some of us move forward! It is disappointing because this was a unique event with thoughtful and trendy vendors but the parking experience outweighed any of the fun from that day. I think it is important to note it took almost an 45 minute drive to get to the event in the 1st place. It was hike, which I only made expecting to have a wonderful experience.

I visited 2 different furniture stores before stopping at AtHome…read more No more to say, I got my living room -happy- price and quality are decent. Love their mix and match; you need your imagination and creativity to create the perfect (in my case) living room, that's something I liked about this store.

The items are all getting junky and the prices are skyrocketing. I used to go here every few weeks…read moreand spend lots of money. Now I leave the store empty handed. They started getting popular and then turned into ALL ABOUT MAKING MORE MONEY. Taking my business elsewhere.

Fun location in s lovely old building. Lots of mini "shops" with various types of gift and…read morecrafts. Lovely staff at the desk. Would recommend increasing the lighting so items are easier to see.

A very nice place to visit and find great unique gifts- I went there with no expectations and…read morewalked out very impressed after spending over $200 on many great gifts . You will find so many great gifts/ the shop is curated beautifully and the location is amazing

I have a love/hate relationship with Hobby Lobby. I absolutely love this store, but hate the…read moreamount of money I spend. I have to admit they do have a lot of sales always going on, so if you want a particular item and wait for the sale, it always worthwhile! The employees at Hobby Lobby are extremely helpful and always courteous. Always willing to answer questions. I find the seasonal/holiday paper items to be a good value when they go on sale and have purchased them multiple times! I'll always return to do more shopping!!!!

This place is like my disneyworld. I always spend much more time here then planned due to the…read moreoverwhelming amount of items they sell that inspire me to create. Love the decorations they sell too. This place rocks.

Found my new favorite store in Annapolis. I was absolutely thrilled with the items purchased…read moretoday, including 3 original pieces of art, and a Tibetan bell set. Matt and his team were wonderful to work with. The value was absolutely tremendous. I will certainly be back for more.

This place is an absolute hidden gem! I would NEVER have guessed it was back there! I Googled for…read morethrift stores and it came up, so my friend and I went. It's definitely NOT a thrift store, it's a small, cozy, curated vintage store. Things are not thrift store priced, and they shouldn't be. The items there are all very good quality and there are so many unique pieces! Though I wasn't in the market for the types of things they carry today, I will definitely be going back there in the future. What a VERY cool place!! And the lady working there (I'm guessing the owner?) was very nice. All in all, a great experience.

What a cool store! This place has a bit of everything. From tools, households, gifts, lighting,…read morefishing supplies, clothing, kitchen items, dishes, home decor, candles, nightlights, dishes, signs, toys and so much more. You could easily spend an hour in here just browsing and looking around. A great place to stop for a housewarming gift. The employees are super friendly!! Helpful if you need anything. Definitely worth stopping here.

Worst place to shop. On a shopping trip for my birthday with my grown sons and the sales person…read moredogged us the entire time, like we were gonna steal something, even tried to see in my coat as we were leaving! Less that one star.