My Favorite Places to Shop Local
Hi Friends! It’s Small Business Saturday and as a lover of all things local, I’ve included a roundup of my favorite places to check out this holiday season in Westchester + beyond. Hope you find something for someone you love at these local joints and remember how critical it is to support your local community during the holidays and all year long!
TOYS + BOOKS
Photo by All Together Now
I was so excited when All Together Now came to Tarrytown. I had shopped in their Mount Kisco location many times before and love their collection of curated fun finds for babies through elementary school age.
Sleepy Hollow Bookshop just opened this month and I’ve heard nothing but rave reviews. It was designed by a local dad and the shop owner Leah is a local mom who has truly nailed the balance of books, snacks + activities for little ones.
Older kids + adults will love the small but abundant store that is Transom Bookshop on idyllic Main Street in Tarrytown. If they don’t have a book you’re looking for, owner Chris is more than happy to order it for you.
HOUSEWARES
Photo by Maker’s Central
I became a fan of Connor McGinn Studios before I knew it. He rose to fame working with chefs and his work appeared in some of the best restaurants in the world. Little did I know the photos I was liking on Instagram featured wares made a stone’s throw from my home. Connor opened Maker’s Central in 2019 as a collaborative workspace for like-minded artisans. This space of creatives regularly hosts specialty markets (there’s one this weekend!)
Head south a few miles to Hastings and you’ll find the hóm market, a beautifully curated shop of items for the home from small batch goods to internationally-sourced vintage finds. (I love following the owners on Instagram and seeing where their journeys take them and what they’ve foraged on the go!)
A stretch north from here is Hammertown, an inspiring showroom of home delights from furniture to bowls and linens to art. They’ve been around for nearly 40 years and yet the taste they have is timeless. There are three locations - Rhinebeck (where I’ve been a few times before), Pine Plains and Great Barrington, MA.
CHEESE SHOPS + PROVISIONS
Photo by Mint Premium Foods
Naturally I’d have en entire category dedicated to cheese shops. My hometown spot Mint really holds my heart the longest. Owner Hassan will give you the most generous tastes of cheese + meat. You can BYO platter for a party and they’ll load it to the tippy top with amazing treats including candied nuts, dried fruits and olives straight from the barrel.
In Pleasantville is the Second Mouse Cheese Shop which also sells LMNOP bread (their new bakery is now open in Katonah). I love the fennel + raisin bread the most. The Second Mouse has an amazing curated selection of cheese and beyond but don’t leave without trying their grilled cheese. It’s to die for.
Dobbs Ferry just got a brand new gem, Bloomy cheese shop, opened by Jessica Galen. I cannot wait to stop by and load up on lactose, cookbooks and maybe a cute hat that says burrata.
PLANTS & GARDEN GOODS
My own photo featuring a Scarsdale Flower Boutique arrangement.
I love the breadth of plants at Carlson’s Nursery in Greenburgh. Former owner Nancy Carlson used to style the most gorgeous arrangements. Now under new ownership, the store is still full of options and an expanded selection of plants that flow across several greenhouses.
Seasons on Hudson in Irvington is certainly a more high-end option for beautiful bouquets but there’s some fun theater to the experience as they hand prepare every stem in front of you.
The Scarsdale Flower Boutique is another local shop that offers the most gorgeous floral arrangements. My most favorite table centerpiece of all time (pictured above) is by them. Plus, you can pop into La Renaissance Patisserie (a delicious french bakery) next door when you visit.
Where’s terrain on this list? Well, know I love them but they’re owned by Anthropologie so I don’t consider them a mom + pop shop.
JEWELRY
Photo from Emily Amey Jewelry
My family has been going to Wilson & Son Jewelers in Scarsdale for ages. If you need some quality, special occasion items or an antique piece updated or adjusted - that’s your spot.
I had the pleasure of befriending a fellow Mom and crazy talented jewelry designer Emily Amey when our kids were in preschool. Emily has a workshop in town but her gorgeous handmade creations are sold online, too.
I discovered Bedford-based Odette at one of the Fine Day Fair festivals I attended this year and am now a repeat customer. Owner Jennifer Sarkilahti carefully carves each piece by hand in wax before being cast into sustainable metals.
BAKERIES
Almond Cookies from By the Way Bakery
Most of my favorite baked goods come from The TaSH Farmers Market (Birdie’s Batch is a longtime favorite and I love the bread from Brooklyn-based Bien Cuit). But if I’m looking for baked treats during the week, here are my favorite spots.
By the Way Bakery is a gluten-free bakery in Hastings (and in Manhattan). I adore their pillowy almond cookies.
The Pastry Chef in Tarrytown makes a delicious selection of cookies and cakes but my favorite thing to buy is a pecan danish coffee cake — it’s terrific for a crowd!
Mentioned above, La Renaissance Patisserie in Scarsdale makes the most spectacular holiday treats. We’ve ordered Croquembouche and Bûche de Noël and never been disappointed.
GIFTS
Photo from Pretty Funny Vintage
Our village has the cutest victorian home that sells a sweet mix of old + new. Pretty Funny Vintage has quirky, stylish and adorable finds from very reasonably priced vintage jewelry, antique-inspired glassware to sweet note cards and much more.
I could add this in a few categories here but I love love love loved the little shop at Hayfield’s Market in North Salem. They change out the decor seasonally and you can find beautiful gift items ranging from candles to books to flowers and more.
Porch home and gifts in Mount Kisco has a nice range of reasonably priced gifts. Plus it’s next door to the Exit 4 Food Hall, a smorgasbord of delicious options for lunch after you’ve shopped.
CAFÉS + COFFEE SHOPS
Photo of Suzanne’s Table from Trip Advisor
This is an abundant category across Westchester but here’s a little taste of some favorite spots.
Suzanne’s Table in Irvington has the best chicken salad ever. The gorgeous interior hosts a few tables and in good weather you can also sit outside. Come for the ambiance and Suzanne’s hospitality. Stay for the brownies!
Our town boasts a very popular coffee shop, Coffee Labs. I’m partial to their lattes and if Jefferson is working behind the counter, look out for some award winning latte art! Don’t forget to say hi to Dave or Doug, usually roasting beans in the corner!
The Good Witch in Hastings is a fantastic coffee shop owned by the amazing Joanna Prisco, a longtime food writer and all around amazing female leader in the Hudson Valley food scene. They offer Brooklyn-roasted Parlor coffee and I love how intentional and thoughtfully curated each item is in her shop. You never know what delicious treats await!
