If you’re looking to combine holiday gift hunting with a fun outing, shop one of Connecticut’s Main Streets. At towns around the state, picturesque greens, interesting stores, holiday lights and cozy cafes combine to create a Christmas card environment without the crowds. We’ll be profiling one town each Wednesday through Dec. 23.
Old Saybrook’s downtown is one example, oozing charm that’s hard to resist. Wide sidewalks, easy on-street parking and an interesting mix of shops make it a fun place to wander and window shop.
“Part of the appeal is the diversity of stores and merchandise, and part of it is the exceptional service you get at smaller businesses,” says Michael Hoinsky, owner of Swag and Swag Women’s Boutique. “Shopping a Main Street is a much more personal experience.”
He’s right. Stop by Fromage Fine Foods and Coffees, 873 Boston Post Road, and knowledgeable staff will help you put together a personalized gift basket of cheeses, patés, oils, coffees, chocolates and other gourmet items.
Down the street at 889 Boston Post Road is Harris Outdoors, an outdoor equipment retailer that’s been providing Old Saybrook shoppers with camping and hunting equipment since 1958. The store specializes in kites — there are more than 200 kinds in stock — ranging from around $5 to several hundred dollars.
Not far away on Main Street, Maximus Antiques, a 4,500-square-foot showroom, features 25 dealers selling one-of-a-kind items, antiques, accessories, and home furnishings.
The Shops at Saybrook Country Barn, 2 Main St., is a retail destination for furniture, bedding, accessories, lighting, window treatments, women’s clothing, shoes and accessories.
Hoinsky’s Swag, at 117 Main St., features high-end home décor and gifts at bargain prices. Swag Boutique across the street features a changing mix of upscale women’s clothing, jewelry and other accessories at discounted prices.
Just a few doors down from Swag Boutique is the Penny Lane Pub, 150 Main St., a good place to warm up with a libation at the old-fashioned bar or a bowl of clam chowder in the dining room.
The Little Gift Shoppe, 168 Main St., is filled with signs of the season, including home décor, stockings, Santas, snow men and candy canes.
Don’t pass by Walt’s Market, 178 Main St., where staff members call customers by name and the area’s most famous resident, Katharine Hepburn, used to shop. Handmade signs in the window proclaim “Walt’s Own Pot Pies,” “Swedish Korv” and “Old-Fashioned Dried Beef.”
For more Kate nostalgia, stop by the Katharine Hepburn Arts Center, 300 Main St. The building features a small museum dedicated to the actress. The gallery, which includes some of the famous actresses’ memorabilia, playbills, awards and clothing, is adjacent to the Center’s main lobby. Docent tours of “The Kate” as the building is called, are available with advance reservations. Information: katharinehepburntheater.org.
Wrap up your visit with a stop at the Old Saybrook Shopping Center, on the Boston Post Road, which features Pier One, Home Goods, Walmart, Marshalls, Famous Footwear and other chain stores. Be sure to leave some time for a visit to Homeworks, a kitchen shop nearby at 709 Boston Post Road, filled with dishes, pots, pans, gadgets, linens and gifts for the gourmet. Homeworks connects to The Pursuit of Pastry, a bakery featuring lethal cupcakes, cookies, pastries and other baked goods.
