Bargains and Boutiques

While the Berkshires may be best known for its arresting natural beauty and exceptional cultural attractions, the region also boasts an array of shopping experiences. Our upscale boutiques offer unique and often handmade finds, while bargain hunters will delight in digging for treasure at resale and antique shops.

Are you an outdoor enthusiast? Let your love of nature and shopping become one at the locally-owned Arcadian Shop in Lenox, which has outfitted the Berkshires for over 30 years with outdoor gear and clothing, high-quality footwear, and travel accessories. The shop also offers four-season rentals of bikes, kayaks, skis, and snowshoes, and shares a parking lot with Kennedy Park, where you can trek 15 miles of trails. Another great option is Plaine’s Bike, Ski, and Snowboard located in Pittsfield. Their knowledgeable staff can assist with rentals and purchases of outdoor sporting gear, plus they offer a range of repair services and installations of roof car racks. Now is the perfect time to shop for sales on winter sports paraphernalia as stores begin to clear space for spring collections.

If winter has you nesting with a good book and a cup of cocoa, then check out our shops dedicated to home decorum and personal accessories. Sold in thousands of gift shops around the country, the Berkshires is lucky to have three locations for the Yankee Candle Company – Lenox and just outside the Berkshires in Deerfield – where you will find a huge assortment of scented candles, dinnerware, and home accessories. The Deerfield Village store invites you to catch indoor snowflakes at their Bavarian Village and treat yourself to something sweet while shopping for toys, gifts, home décor, and kitchen and garden items. The Berkshires is also home to Anne Selke’s upscale textile companies – The Outlet at Pine Cone Hill and Annie Selke Lenox. Visit the Outlet for incredible savings on bedding, rugs, and apparel, and if you’re in the market for jewelry, tabletop items, art, pet accessories, and more, make sure to pop into her Lenox shop. Another idea? Warm up a chilly space with a little greenery from Ward’s Nursery and Garden Center, where you can shop for house plants, orchids, tropicals, and pretty potting supplies. A trip to Ward’s is sure to beat the winter blues.

Looking for unique gifts? Visit MASS MoCA’s expansive gift shop for one-of-kind toys, art supplies, clothing, and gifts like sassy soaps, socks and aprons. Afterward, step into ROAM, an African photography gallery and fair trade gift shop on MoCA’s campus next to Bright Ideas Brewing. The shop showcases handmade, artisanal jewelry, crafts, artwork, and more. If you’re willing to travel a little further north, visit Bennington Potters, a home style store specializing in locally-made pottery for more than 70 years. You will also find tableware, home accessories, furniture and art.

If you’re shopping at the other end of the Berkshires, in south county, you’ll find fine Asian art imports at Asia Barong in Great Barrington, a fun and unusual shopping experience that is a mix between museum and art gallery. Beautiful ethnographic art, sculpture, musical instruments, puppets, and jewelry from around the world fill the store and outdoor yards. Down the street from Asia Bargon, you can shop for bargains on women’s apparel at Catwalk Boutique, an upscale resale shop supporting the shelter animals at Berkshire Humane Society. Unlike thrift stores, Catwalk offers high-quality fashion brands, all in excellent condition. Shoppers have been known to find designer Miyake bags, vintage Louis Vuitton coats, and like-new Coach belts and wallets for steep discounts at both the Great Barrington and Lenox locations.

No matter where you shop in the Berkshires, you’re guaranteed to find that unique something that fits your style and budget.

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Catwalk Boutique Photo: Kacey Hatch

 

Darcie Sosa is a Berkshire marketing/PR professional, who when isn’t working loves being outside hiking with her dogs, going to live music and theatre shows, networking, trying new restaurants and volunteering for local nonprofits. She is an alum of Berkshire Community College, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.