Top Local Shops to Visit This Holiday Season

The directory has sixty-odd entries and most people use four of them. In the spirit of the season, here are the places worth a detour this December — chosen by asking around, not by who advertises with us.

For presents

The Book Nook keeps a second-hand table by the door that turns over weekly, and will order anything they do not have within three days. Bright Bloom Florist does wreaths to order until the twenty-second, and their off-cut bundles on a Saturday afternoon are the best value in the neighborhood.

For food

Sweet Treats Bakery starts baking at four and sells out of the good bread by ten, so this is one to be early for. Green Grove Market has the local growers’ produce at the back, which is where the vegetables that actually taste of something live.

Every one of these is somebody’s livelihood, and December is the month that decides whether they see another year.

For everything else

Neighbor Hardware Hub will find the part, and if they cannot, will tell you who can — which is a service no catalogue offers. The Cozy Corner is where to recover afterwards, and takes bookings for groups if the shopping turns into an outing.

A word on the ones that are struggling

Two directory businesses closed this year. Both said the same thing on the way out: the custom did not disappear, it just moved to somewhere with a bigger sign. If there is a shop here you would miss, this is the month to be seen in it.