Pretty as a Picture
To be clear I never plan on going to shopaholics anonymous. The expression “shop until you drop” makes me feel a little sad for those that don’t experience that invigorating rush of adrenaline at the prospect of zipping from shop to shop, of discovering new treasures, of immersing yourself in textures and colors and visual delights . To me it is a blissful past time, bound only by the shop owners pesky hours of operation. To lose an afternoon to shopping is to find happiness. I wonder if I could ever really know or understand someone that doesn’t feel this same way. Line them up, make them handsome, and witty and wise, and I’ll conduct the research.
Christopher Wilcox . Waves
Every year I am sad to see a favorite shop has moved on to another local. I like to think they’ve found their way to Palm Beach or Saint Tropez or some other enchanting local that supports business for more than the blink of an eye eight weeks of summer that are granted here on island. While some must go, new shops pop up in their place to make a go of it. I deboard with a bubble of excitement for what’s to come.
My favorite new shop is definitively Atlantic Nantucket. Others that I visited yesterday afternoon include:
Flowers on Chestnut
Coastal – Nantucket . 7 S Beach Street . Nantucket. www.coastalnantucket.com A beautiful combination of art and a mix of new and vintage furnishings are worth the visit down South Beach Street. It’s airy and refined and the sailboats, which adorn the walls in the form of paintings and photographs, and the old school Hawian surf boards displayed in the shops corners are, well not priceless exactly. They are in fact very expensive at over 6,000 clams but someone will buy them for sure.
Flowers on Chestnut . 1 Chestnut Street . Nantucket. www.flowersonchestnut.com This really flower shop/home decor – find that on its second floor, but not until after you wander among the exotic blooms, inhale the sweet smell, and marvel at the host of colors. Each stem is a fortune so choose carefully, or select from their bucket of one dollar roses. They last longer than one thinks.
Anderson’s . 29 Main Street . Nantucket . www.andersonsnantucket.com Home furnishings, and art, this shop always profiles artists that I haven’t seen elsewhere, and many furniture makers that I know and love including Bugalow 5 and Ro Sham Bo.
The John Rugge Antiques Shop. 5 India Street . Nantucket. Quirky mix of antiques and vintage items and curiosities. Worth a pop-in.
There isn’t enough time to visit them all. I’ll be back at the end of the month for 10 days and will continue to explore and report the best of what Nantucket has to offer.
Nantucket Harbor