Shop the MRV This Holiday Season
The holiday shopping season is creeping up and it’s always a great idea to get a jump on things and beat the rush. You can count on the Mad River Valley to find unexpected, genuine, unique and delightful gifts with tremendous service and a guarantee that you won’t be waiting bye your mailbox wondering if it is going to arrive. Our many local shops are thriving in the age of online shopping by offering superior service, being quirky and knowing their customers. Stay close to home this year and visit all of our neighborhoods to find that something special, here are a few suggestions;
Bridge Street
Visit historic Bridge Street in Waitsfield and pop into the MRV’s newest shop Deadrise Revival your new go-to destination for vintage and antiques in the heart of the Mad River Valley. Right next door you’ll discover Three Buds Apothecary offering botanical-based feel goods for body, soul, and home all crafted in Vermont in small batches using a unique combination of 100% USDA Certified Organic Carrier and Essential Oils. Individually hand poured made with American-grown soy, a lead-free cotton wick primed with vegetable based wax, and unique blends of premium grade fragrance and essential oils. Right next door is Finery, the home of Sasha Walsh Designs, There you will find her handcrafted jewelry, artwork, and one of a kind clothing. With a commitment to ethical sourcing, and supporting creative and talented independent designers, it’s a destination for the most unique fine jewelry, presented in a light-filled gallery style space.
Take a short walk down Bridge Street and discover the Artisans’ Gallery. The shop is owned and operated by three partners working with 150+ Vermont artists. They offer a handpicked selection of eclectic, lively, personalized quality pieces in a bright and inviting 1830’s storefront. The gallery truly reflects the collaborative nature of our local creators
Someday Boutique an upscale resale shop offering a curated collection of women’s clothing, shoes, jewelry and accessories has been hand-picked and sourced to give customers the best deals on quality goods, without having to do all the work! It’s a sanctuary for the stylish chic and the bold and sassy!
Right up stairs in the, well… Upstairs Marketplace you’ll find The Silver Trout, an amazing fly fishing emporium along with Mad River Candles and the Re-Sale Loft. Across the street you’ll find All Things Bright and Beautiful, a unique collection of hand painted Christmas ornaments, Santas and plush toys. No one does the holidays like these ladies. If you stroll up Route 100 (AKA Main Street) you’ll stumble across The Village Grocery. Don’t let the gas station and convenience store appearance fool you. Inside you’ll find local maple syrup, a surprisingly good wine department, whimsical metal art and a a heaping helping of local flavor. Keep strolling and you’ll come across The Mad River Glass Gallery, an incredible studio and shop featuring one-of-a-kind glass creations. A few doors down you’ll find Clearwater Sports, they have everything you could possibly need to enjoy the outdoors in every season including a dazzling array of clothing (Patagonia, SkHoop, Prana, Outdoor Research and more) footwear and gear for adults and kids. Don’t forget about Kenyon’s Variety, our locally owned hardware store and retail fixture. They literally have anything you can imagine. Heck, it they don’t have it you don’t need it!
Mad River Green
Folks don’t always realize that Bridge Street isn’t Waitsfield’s only village center. Irasville is the other one. There are retail shops on both sides of Main Street). On your right (when heading south) is the Mad River Green Shops which is home to Product Think Tank. Annemarie, the owner and designer has a resume rich in clothing design. She very much wants you to consider “Who made your clothes?” You’ll notice many of her creations are named after Mad River landmarks as she designs clothing that feels as comfortable as the Valley that inspires them. Right next door, shoppers will find Whippletree Designs, carefully curated VT & MRV souvenir apparel and gifts. T-shirts, sweatshirts, stickers, magnets, postcards, glassware, and more. Images of skiing, snowboarding, hiking, kayaking/paddle boarding, mountain biking are the most popular. Next up is Inklings Children’s Books, a true MRV gem offering kids a truly unique experience of reading, art and a vast array of books to browse and discover. Stroll down a few more doors and pop into the The Collection which features, well, a collection of fashion accessories, jewelry, and interior designproducts. They also happen to have the area’s best selection of toys, games, cards and gifts. Yvonne and her team are at your service whether it be suggesting the perfect gift, gorgeous wrapping or creating a balloon bouquet. Across the way you’ll discover The newest retailer in the Mad River Green is Inklings Children’s Books, a very special space that provides a playground for imagination and the magic of books
5th Quarter Butcher & Provisionsa destination for Vermont-raised meat, housemade sausage, cut-to-order cheese and curated provisions. We specialize in high quality, small production, sustainable products and thoughtful craftsmanship to deliver a shopping experience that’s both approachable and elevated. Three Mountain Cafe is a few doors down, grab some coffee and a goodie and peruse a lovely section of artwork, coffee and gift items. It’s also a great place to take a break from shopping. Bisbees Hardware is right next door and they have everything you’ll ever need to fix up near anything. An old-time hardware store that prides itself on their old-time customer service and of course the free popcorn in their old fashioned popcorn machine. Right around the corner be sure to check out Barrie Fisher Fine Arts Studio where you’ll see Barrie’s exquisite work with lots of Valley views. She is also long-time MRV artist that does a wide variety of custom work.
Village Square
This neighborhood is home to Mehuron’s Supermarket a venerable MRV institution that has lots of gift ideas and stocking stuffers. heck, who wouldn’t apprecaite a Mehuron’s gift certificate. Down the way you’ll find Blockhouse Studio, a community pottery studios and retail shop that features a carefully curated selection of items for you and your home. Right next door is The Tempest Book Shop which offers an eclectic collection of Books, new and used, movie rentals. watch batteries (Tempus Fixit), puzzles, cards and, oh yeah, homemade bread on Saturdays. Across the way you’ll encounter Blue Sage Dispensary, offering an array of high-quality, lab-tested cannabis flower and THC products from their vertically-integrated farm, alongside a curated selection of products from other Vermont growers and manufacturers.
Irasville & Beyond
Out on Route 100 on the southern end of Irasville a revitalized retail core is growing strong. Mountain Rose Provisions, a mindfully curated shop carries a variety of products from crystals to incense and smudge sticks, from locally made jewelry and self-care products. Right next door is Mad River Eye Care where gift ideas include prescription ski goggle inserts, sunglasses, beautiful and unique eyeglass frames, a range of eye care supplies that make great stocking stuffers. Not sure what to get? No worries as as gift certificates are also available.
If you take the Mad River Path Village section north you can meander past the Skatium rink and over towards Lawson’s Finest Liquids Taproom. There you’ll find lots of fresh Lawson’s winter “merch” for every budget. It’s also a great place to take a shopping break and relax with a beer and some tasty vittles by the fire.
Head across the street, Addison West where you’ll find a beautifully curated collection of home goods, lighting, furniture, kitchen, cards, gifts, candles and apothecary, vintage items and a stunning an array of Vermont made and Vermont themed merchandise. A bit further down the road you’ll find The Mad Rover . In it you’ll discover stylish apparel, accessories, gifts and more for the adventurer, the go-getter, and the true trailblazer. Mad River Outfitters carries products from tried and true brands that offer only the best in quality, price and style such as Kuhl, Fjall Raven, Prana, Stio, and Jetty. Keep heading south on Route 100 and turn into the newly opened Mad Bush Falls and check out their new retail space called the Rider’s Outpost. This outdoor shop is part of the Burlington’s legendary Outdoor Gear Exchange. Here you will find everything for the bicyclist in your life along with everything they need for outdoor adventure generally.
Warren Village
Head over the covered bridge in Waitsfield and take a short, beautiful drive towards Warren Village. On your way check out Luke Iannuzzi Pottery where you’ll find a full service pottery studio featuring one-of-a-kind custom designs. You can also give a gift of an experience with one of his Play With Clay Pottery Classes. Then be sure to pop into the East Warren Community Market. They have lots of local food, beverage and more that make perfect gifts for everyone on your list.
As you enter the village you’ll find the “nearly world-famous” Warren Store. Most folks know about this village anchor but not everyone realizes what’s “Upstairs” at the Warren Store. In a space that once hosted community dances, you’ll find an emporium of unexpected treasures. Around every corner you’ll find delightful merchandise you simply can’t find anywhere else. From fashionable women’s and men’s clothing and accessories, and an eclectic selection of jewelry, to unusual housewares, cards, gifts, fun children’s clothing, and toys for kids of all ages. Right next to the Warren Store you’ll discover Art in the Village, an incredibly colorful gallery featuring a slew of local artists. Gallery owner, Rita Ioannidis, is an artist herself who is passionate about supporting all the Vermont artists displaying their work. You decide, what is more colorful the gallery or Rita, the proprietor.
On the Mountain
The Mad River Valley is a “mountain town,” after all, so if you’re looking to be stylish on the slopes our ski shops have amazing mountain fashions along with knowledgeable staff that knows what works best up on the hill. At the base of the Sugarbush Access Road you’ll find the Vermont North Ski Shop, the Mad River Valley’s premier ski shop offering full service with a staff that has generations of experience to share. They also offer rental and demos ski and snowboard setups and a wide variety of hard and soft goods. Vermont North is the home of the VT North Pro Team and proud supporter of High Fives! They share the parking lot with Splinters Board Shop, Central vermont’s premier snowboard and skate shop. Travis and his team pride themselves on their unsurpassed service, knowledge and support of the local riding community. Further up the road is Alpine Options, with its abundance of hard goods, fashionable and technical outerwear, base layers and accessories from brands like Salomon, Arcteryx, North Face and Elevenate. Clearwater Sports in Waitsfield has been putting people and the outdoors together for over 40 years. They are our local Patagonia retailer and also feature brands like Prana, Mountain Khakis and Outdoor Research and their experienced crew will make sure it is the right gear for your adventure.
tegrated WellnessMiddlesex
The growing village of Middlesex is the gateway to the MRV and is a perfect place to stop and grab some fresh-baked bread, pastries, sandwiches and even creemees at the Red Hen Baking Company then pop over to The Local right next door for an incredibly curated collection of wine and beer. Don’t forget to check out their schedule of delectable culinary special events too!
Out and About in the MRV
As you explore the MRV you’ll come across retail gems in some pretty off-the beaten track” locations. getting there is half the fun of it. vonTrapp Farmstead is a great example of this. Their farm store is open year round and offers a true taste of Vermont local foods. Along with their organic cheese, yogurt, and pasture raised meats. They also carry a curated selection of locally made items. Certainly a bit off the beaten path, be sure to discover Moosewalk Studios and Gallery. There you’ll find an intimate gallery set in stunning gardens on the edge of the Green Mountain National Forest. It features the work of award winning watercolorist Gary Eckhart and the fine art photography of Roarke Sharlow. The gallery is also the studio of the two artists so it is possible to see ‘works in progress’ or to have a tour of the digital ‘darkroom’.
The MRV Chamber is a promoter of Small Business Saturday! “Shop Small” in the MRV this year!
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