One of the things that makes Northampton, well, Northampton, is Essentials. I started shopping at…read moreEssentials almost twenty years ago, and it's been a staple of my quirky life ever since. It's changed hands twice in my awareness, and just keeps getting better and better with age. This is a design-focused, design-heavy shop, and there are things I can pretty much only get AT Essentials; for instance, they've got a cut-to-custom-length ribbon bar, and some of that ribbon is vintage, and my absolute favorite is the hand-dyed silk. Also, they've got the best collection of Tintin and other European character favorites (like Barbapapa and Babar) this side of the pond. Oh, and the staff is wonderful. Knowledgable, friendly, thoughtful, and creative. Over the years, the cast of characters has changed, but it's always top-shelf. One giant boon: they've helped me put together a gift in no time, saving my bacon on numerous occasions! On a typical day, you can find stationery of all kinds, the indier the better; dishware; rubber stamps; intriguing books (think Chronicle); bath goods; bags of all shapes, sizes, and purposes; clothes and scarves; eight million things for kids, from blankies to onesies to stuffed alligators; jewelry; small home goods; special pens; DIY kits; custom furniture; large sheets of beautiful artisan paper; and a ton of things I'm forgetting. And one other thing about Essentials I am not forgetting, but which I saved for last, because it's my favorite. Essentials has an in-house design and print studio. And they also work with a select group of indie designers and printers who create everything from business cards to party invites. Here is where Colette, the current owner, really freaking shines, in my opinion. There was one thing I wanted when it came time to get married. One. Thing. That one thing was letterpress wedding invitations from Essentials. Colette took us from beautiful nebulous idea to flawlessly-executed product without ever breaking a sweat. I don't know if you've ever worked with people who are about to get married, but we are not always the most poised, cool-headed, or unflappable of people; Colette sat us down in the big comfy chairs and made sketches and phone calls, and really made our family feel like we were the only people in the entire world. Go see what I'm talking about - our invitation is probably still hanging in its golden-framed, green-paper-backed glory. Nearly four thousand miles away now, and I'm still bouncing in my chair as I look forward to my next trip to Essentials, whenever it may be.

I like this store and their merchandise. The prices are high, as the merchandise is of a high…read morequality. However their store policies are not up par with many upscale stores. We received a lovely gift of several girls garments, however we have a male child. The store manager, who did not have the courage to call us, rather made a sales associate do their work, informed us without a receipt we can not get a store credit. So wonderful Essentials, you made some money from this sale, but you lost a lot more revenue from this here shopper.

What a lovely bookstore! I came here with a friend and their daughter who were ready to get some…read morebooks. I'm not one to buy books often, so I perused their other offerings and got a few mood rings as well as some buttons and a sticker. Lots of cute gifts and a nice variety of books for all ages. I even picked up a free bookmark at checkout and enjoyed talking to Lexi, the owner, who is super welcoming and passionate about providing books, art and positivity in her community. She offers take-home art projects for kids which is pretty cool.

Wonderful book store! Me and my 7 year old had a blast getting a personal tour from Lexi and…read morepicking out some new chapter books and graphic novels. Amazing selection with someone that actually cares about inspiring others with the magic that comes from reading a good book!

I need to prepare a painting for shipment and the owner was extremely helpful and securing my…read morepainting with Masonry board... I would highly recommend them!

Being local, I have been going to Millers since it was at the Colonial Theatre before being…read morerestored. I usually go here for framing but an occasional paint or brush. I always ask for Angela, she is so knowledgeable about framing and color selection for matting(if needed). She is also an artist so she has a very good eye for colors. She asks about your decor, and other important questions needed to make your selection the best needed for you. I highly recommend going to see her if you need some help, she very friendly and will make your experience a very satisfying one! Cudos!!!

Staff are extremely helpful and circulating. I was camped out by the sculpting mediums for quite…read moresome time and two or three different people came to make sure I didn't have any questions! They have a variety of moleskin notebooks... but not exactly what I was looking for today. I talked to a lady at the front desk and ended up going with a hardcover A4 extended Leuchtturm1917 notebook. They have testers and I wandered around trying out different pens to make sure that nothing bled through the pages. I generally get one of these notebooks and it becomes my baby for a good year or so... and anyway I believe that it is going to work well. (I have been Moleskin-loyal for a few years now but the paper quality seems similar and thus I am feeling confident). I come here from time to time for XXL canvases, acrylic paints, and to get supplies for my fountain pens. I always seem to spend a couple hours here... whether I intend to or not! They have information about local art classes pinned right to the front door and for anyone who has leveled-up from (or is unable to find what they need at) Michaels, this is a wonderful place with fair prices! They often seem to have some kind of sale going on. I have a membership or loyalty card and I have no idea how much it saves me (or what the exact plan does) but they offered to set me up a good 5-10 visits ago and then continue to look up my account by my last name.

The people there are amazing very kind help takes there time to talk to you about art supply's and…read moretechniques,they have a wide variety of art supplies available and if they don't have it in store they have a website,some supplies are a bit expensive but that's because of the tariffs and where they come from they also give you discounts if you sign up for the card, which is free!

Amazing art store with great selections!! The staff is sooooooooo nice and willing to help. There…read morewere plenty of sales but it's such high quality supplies that it is pricier than other art stores. They also carry many supplies that other art stores don't carry. I love getting lost here and exploring. I always leave with a bunch of things! Pens, markers, paints, you name it, they've got it. If they don't you could get it on their website.

Emailed to ask about a particular large canvas that my Blick store on the West coast would get in…read morefor me if I agreed to purchase a full box. The general manager, Catherine Fuller responded, but was unwilling to help me. She could have at least offered to check with another location to see if they were in stock there. I have been a Blick customer for over ten years- have used them for my class art kits and my personal supplies. Their customer service was one thing that kept me coming back. I'm disappointed in my first East Coast contact.

Picture this: Nestled in the corner of a destination outdoor shopping plaza, you find The General…read moreStore. Inside you can find penny candy by the pound, a bit past the entrance with local papers and events. This might be where you expect a local General Store to offer you, if you mistook them for Provisions around the corner. At Provisions, you'd find more drinks, some foods, and other house staples. At The General Store, you can find, generally, everything else, including Art you didn't know you needed. I suppose the candy is a reliable reason for my visit, so let's suppose you don't have a sweet tooth. Behind, surrounding you, and on both sides, is a wide variety of foods, oils, snacks, tools, fashion, entertainment, toys, some of these for your pets, and then some. It's for this reason that The General Store is also home to local events, and makes space for art showings in the section opposite gifts, foods, and diversions, and the art is diverse and marvelous. This cozy spot in the corner of the shopping plaza places you near other necessities, such as activities, classes, ice cream (Herrel's), restaurants, and more. Largely, I can imagine The General Store being a monthly or even biweekly as a destination, since events come often and candy runs out. It befits the Massachusetts regional culture, letting you get access to local farmer's cropshares, ice cream even in winter, and clean bathrooms. I think I even saw an authentic barrel™ in here! Do they know a cooper?

I spent a couple hours in here over a few different days to check out all of their products and I…read moream really impressed! The General Store is also connected to the Local Art Gallery, where they have displays of many different artists and types of artwork. The Mill District General Store has nearly everything in it. They have gardening tools, clothes, bedding, picnic baskets, cleaning supplies, shaving supplies, handmade candles, cat + dog food and toys, kids toys and books, maple syrup products, mugs, candles, pots + pans, and an assortment of just about everything. They also have art supplies for sketching, drawing, painting, etc. The first day I visited, I was helped by Anthony. The second time Shannon was super helpful, along with Manny, the sweet pup! The third time, Lewis helped me. Every staff member was genuinely happy to be working here and it made it a very pleasant shopping experience. They have a lot of great inventory, just make sure you have some time to check it out! They also have a pretty good coffee station with mugs.

This store has various vintage oddities that are so artistically appealing. And at the price you…read morecan buy them at, you can start about whatever collection or project you wish. Definitely support it!

What an awesome little shop! Lots to browse from vintage doodads to original art prints. A very…read moreeccentric collection with jewelry and crystals as well. Right off the bridge in Turner's Falls off Route 2. Worth a quick detour if you're heading out to Western Mass