THE BERKSHIRES, MA—Art, crafts, specialty foods, gourmet cooking wares, antiques—it doesn’t matter which items are on the shopping list because chances are one of the Berkshire’s myriad specialty shops offers exactly what’s needed. Even better, this diversity makes shopping here an adventure in itself, whether it’s taking a trip to a quaint out-of-the way country store, poking around a shop full of antiques and collectibles or visiting a museum store filled with handmade or exotic wonders.
Approaching the Berkshires from the east on Route 2, you’ll pass the Wigwam and Western Summit where, along with a panoramic view of North Adams, Williamstown and Mount Greylock, you’ll find a gift shop with fine gifts, Fenton Art Glass, moccasins, T-shirts and homemade fudge. No visit to northern Berkshire County would be complete without a stop at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA), the nation’s largest contemporary arts center. MoCA’s museum shop offers wares, some found nowhere else, guaranteed to amuse, fascinate and intrigue.
In Williamstown, Where'd You Get That!?, Inc. specializes in making gift recipients say the store’s name, with an eclectic array of strategy games, puzzles, educational toys, humorous books, baby gifts, candy and cards. Here, shoppers will find gifts suited for any occasion. Also in town is thebrowns, a new shop where men and women will find fine apparel and accessories presented in a delightfully seductive setting. Next door, in North Adams, Persnickety Toys features dolls, trains, games, puzzles, craft and science kits, travel toys, outdoor fun, books and candy. Berkshires' Best…Locally Produced Products, also in North Adams, specializes in Berkshire made period lighting fixtures, food products, handmade toys, paintings and photos.
In Adams, A Stitch in Time sells 100% cotton fabrics, quilting and knitting notions, books, patterns and yarn, as well as quilts and sweaters. From there, follow Route 8 south to Cheshire, where Whitney's Farm Market & Garden Center is the place to find plants, garden curios and produce and even a deli and bakery. Seasonal family events such as a pumpkin festival, corn maze and a petting zoo make Whitney’s a family favorite.
Next door, in Lanesborough, the Berkshire Mall features stores including Macy’s, Sears, JC Penney, Old Navy, Eastern Mountain Sports and Gap. Continue south to North St., Pittsfield, where Berkshire Fine Handcrafts offers locally created and imported goods while Twin Hearts Handworks presents a huge selection of knitting, felting and rug hooking supplies and classes along with artisan made gifts and treasures.
Take a trip to Lee to visit a shopping village. Prime Outlets at Lee is the place to browse upscale, manufacturer direct stores such as Brooks Brothers, Tommy Hilfiger, Polo Ralph Lauren and dressbarn, which offer savings of 25%-70% off normal retail prices. Lee is also home to myriad special shops, from JazzySadies Polish Pottery at the Lee Outlets to Pamela Loring Gifts & Interiors on Main St.
Guido’s Fresh Marketplace, with stores in Pittsfield and Great Barrington, attracts both year round residents and seasonal visitors like a magnet, offering high quality fruits and vegetables, fresh pasta, meats, fish, prepared foods, natural foods and fresh cut flowers. Once they’ve stocked up at Guido’s, many shoppers stop just a little further down the road at Different Drummer’s Kitchen in Lenox to find everything needed for turning that food into great meals. Different Drummer calls itself the “cook’s resource.” They’re not kidding; the store offers gourmet tools, gadgets, equipment and, perhaps best of all, great advice from an expert staff.
Aspinwell Village, Lenox, is a diverse group of shops offering furniture, gifts, health, sport and fitness equipment, home goods and leather. Chocolate lovers will not want to miss award-winning Chocolate Springs Café, specializing in handcrafted European-style gourmet dark chocolates, milk chocolates, chocolate truffles, chocolate infusions, chocolate mousse cakes and much more. As a retail shop of the nationally known mail order company, Country Curtains at The Red Lion Inn, Stockbridge, is a charming store filled with a delightful selection of curtains, bedding, pillows and gifts. Other popular Stockbridge venues include Vlada Boutique for clothing, jewelry, scarves, bags, lingerie, shoes, soaps and lotions; Sidetracks Unique Gifts & Apparel, for an eclectic mix of home décor, bath products, clothing, jewelry and accessories; and Heirlooms, which offers an international collection of estate and contemporary jewelry.
For those in search of antiques and collectibles, the southern Berkshires provide a rich hunting ground, dotted with dozens of large and small shops offering everything from primitive to formal pieces, clocks to china and folk art to frames and furniture. Many shops offer the Berkshire County Antiques Dealers Association brochure, which contains a map and detailed guide to Association members.
The Berkshire’s famous artists and craftspersons aren’t to be missed either: In Lenox, art lovers can find bronzes featuring dance and contemporary themes at the gallery of noted sculptor Andrew DeVries. Some of the artist’s outdoor works are displayed here in a garden setting, interacting with the changing light and shadows of the seasons. Holsten Galleries, Stockbridge, features work by world leading contemporary glass artists including Dale Chihuly, with monthly exhibitions from June through October. Hotchkiss Mobiles Gallery will make visitors “look up and smile” with their gallery of contemporary metal and fabric mobiles for all ages
In Great Barrington, Sanford Smith Fine Art sells 20th century and contemporary paintings, drawings, fine prints, sculpture, watercolors and photography representing Kahn, Bellows, Marin, Barnet, Marsh, Dine and Zorach among others. While in town, stop in at the Bookloft, an independent bookstore serving the Berkshires since 1974. The store offers new, used, hard-to-find and out-of-print books, as well as myriad books on the Berkshires.
Handcraft shops can be found at almost every turn countywide. At Hoffman Pottery in West Stockbridge, Elaine Hoffman's delightful, sunny work ranges from serene to exuberant, with her artistic talents revealed in luscious lazy susans, fanciful picture frames, sensual soap dishes and vases brimming with vitality. Those who want to create their own art in ceramics can find supplies and pottery equipment or instead, buy handmade pottery and gardenware at Sheffield Pottery, Inc., Sheffield.
The growing array of Berkshire businesses ensures that any visitor—whether a serious shopper or avid browser—won’t be disappointed. One resource for finding shops, services and other businesses is the Berkshire Visitors Bureau, at 866-444-1815 or www.berkshires.org.