Unique Treasures

By Ruth Thomas

Holiday shopping in the Hamptons can be a unique and rewarding experience. Treasures abound in the many local shops and stores throughout the chic towns of the Hamptons, featuring stylish clothing, fine jewelry, children’s toys, fancy pet apparel, and so much more. Shop local and discover the many fine gifts the Hamptons has to offer during the holidays.

The cool Village of Westhampton Beach is known for its many charming shops. From clothing to books, you can find it all here at the trendy boutiques along Main Street. Lynne’s Cards & Gifts carries popular toys and gifts. Books & Books Westhampton Beach has over 16,000 volumes, including general fiction, nonfiction, children’s books, and an extensive art and photography section. Diana’s Unique Boutique presents women’s clothing and accessories, including the brand Alex and Ani. Shoe-Inn offers designer and European shoes, boots, handbags, and accessories for women with another store in East Hampton. Sweet Anezka’s Lingerie features women’s lingerie and workout clothes. Visit Shock, a women’s store that specializes in fun, trendy clothing from size 0 to 2X, as well as accessories and shoes; and Baby Shock is for newborns to tweens, both owned by Elyse Richman. Check out Mustique carrying preppy men’s clothes and contemporary women’s clothing next to Hampton House, a gift store with home goods, candles, and baby items, both owned by Nadine Hampton.

Visit the nautical boating Village of Sag Harbor and walk along Main Street. Browse in the many jewelry stores, toy stores, and fashion boutiques. D.J. Hart presents jewelry, clothing, and accessories for women. Lee Jewelers offers unique, all precious handmade jewelry (mostly gold and some silver), designed by owner Lee and his daughter Dori. Find comfortable clothing at Breezin’ Up (with two other stores in Southampton and East Hampton). Check out The Wharf Shop, a specialty toy and gift store, also carrying infant clothing and greeting cards. Illusions is a costume and fine jewelry store. Adornments displays fashion and fine jewelry, handbags, scarves, and leather goods. Country Lane, the only country store in the Hamptons, specializes in home furnishings and gifts. Stop at Sag Harbor Variety 5 & 10, a Ben Franklin Craft supplier, established in 1922, owned by the Bucking family since 1970. Daughter Lisa Field continues its tradition with the largest selection of crafts and notions on the East End. life’style is a women’s fashion boutique, featuring dresses and accessories. Stella & Ruby carries specialty clothes and toys for newborns and children.

Head to the Village of Southampton and discover unique shops featuring fine jewelry, clothing, books, toys, and an historic department store on Main Street. Established in 1842, Hildreth’s Home Goods on Main Street is the oldest family-owned and operated department store in the United States, displaying furniture, housewares, bed and bath products, and more. Says owner Henry Hildreth, “I’m honored to represent the thirteenth generation of Hildreth’s in America, as we approach our 175th Anniversary coming up in 2017!”

Browse at BookHampton on Hampton Road presenting new bestsellers, fiction, art books, and children’s books, with another store in East Hampton, owned by Charline Spektor. Then venture south on Main Street and visit Tenet for cool women and men’s clothing. Browse in Edward Archer, for high-end men’s clothing and accessories, including shoes. AERIN is a lifestyle store for women highlighting beauty products, fashion accessories, and home decor. Corwin’s Jewelers, founded in 1879 is a fifth generation bench jeweler, owned by Travis Corwin. Find newborn to tween clothing at Aunt Suzie’s Clothes for Kids. Rose Jewelers, owned by Jan Rose, is a third generation jeweler, specializing in fine and designer jewelry since 1945. Brooks Brothers is a combination men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing store. London Jewelers, a fourth generation jeweler begun by Charles London in 1926, sells fine jewelry and timepieces, and also has a larger store in East Hampton. Stop by The Village Gourmet Cheese Shoppe for gift baskets of fine cheeses and cheese platters.

On Jobs Lane check out J. McLaughlin Women’s store, featuring women’s clothing and accessories and their Men’s store a few doors down, featuring men’s clothing and accessories, both located in the historic Tower Building built by Samuel L. Parrish in the early 1900s. Try on fashionable women and men’s shoes and boots at Jildor Shoes. Delight in Stevenson’s Toys & Games, owned by Roy and Polly Stevenson, who purchased it in 2001 from Susan Lillywhite, third generation owner of Lillywhite’s, established in 1895! It has classic toys and games for children, jigsaw puzzles, and trampolines. For your special pooch, pop in to Little Lucy’s Canine Couture Boutique, owned by Patricia Hurley since 2000, named after her sweet poodle-bichon, Lucy, whom she adopted at three and who sadly passed away this summer at age 18½. The boutique will continue in her memory. It presents adorable clothing for dogs as well as cute gifts for dog lovers.

For stylish clothing, discover the Village of East Hampton’s sophisticated shops. On Newtown Lane, find fashionable women’s clothing at Lilly Pulitzer, Tory Burch, and Eileen Fisher. Find women and men’s clothing at Theory. For high-end men’s clothing go to John Varvatos. Walk along chic Main Street to Elie Tahari for both women’s and men’s designer clothing. Then check out RRL & Co., one of four Ralph Lauren stores on Main Street for casual, vintage clothing, located in a beautiful old historic barn.

While out shopping in the many charming towns of the Hamptons, stop at a roadside farmstand for some fresh vegetables and fruit, dine at one of the fine restaurants for lunch or dinner, and make sure to take in the beauty of the fall season as winter slowly approaches. Visit the many local fashionable shops in the Hamptons and enjoy the gorgeous scenery along the way.