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The Mystery Shopper — Vermont
January 14th, 2005
Downtown Bennington offers variety, easy access
BENNINGTON, Vt. — Holiday shopping for a blended and extended family of varied age, interest and gender generally offers only two likely outcomes — fabulous finds or frustrating fiascos. A mid-December downtown Bennington shopping excursion left this time-challenged working grandmother elated, not exasperated.
Parking my SUV was no problem at all; I easily found a free parking spot at the public parking lot on Pleasant Street. The parking lot is accessible by turning left from Main Street [at the BankNorth building] to School Street and then turning right to Pleasant Street, or by turning right to Pleasant Street from North Street [at The Clip Shop] after traveling north along Route 7 and straight through the South Street/North Street/Main Street intersection. A quick walk from the lot to Main Street placed me nearly directly across from a regionally rare vision — a downtown men's shop.
With seven male relatives in mind, I entered Schaffe's Men's Shop and stared in awe at the options. Flannel, woolen and denim shirts and jackets shared space with pullover sweaters, suit jackets and dress slacks. There were ties, tie-tacs, money clips, cufflinks and wallets. Underwear — conventional and thermal — mingled brazenly with socks and suspenders. Belts beckoned from hanging racks. I discovered a selection of "camp blankets" and decorative pillows that would be welcomed at the most testosterone-rich hunting camp. The brand names — Pendleton, Woolrich and Vermont's own Johnson Woolen Mills — are well known, and the prices were reasonable. A sturdy Woolrich windbreaker-style jacket cost less than $40, and a 100-percent-washable wool Pendleton shirt cost less than $80.
Moving onward, the Panache store on Main Street is frequently described as a women's clothing store, but the vast shopping floor offers much more. Copper and glass wind chimes can be purchased for under $10. The well-stocked contemporary jewelry counter boasted a display of slender, glitz-spangled bangle bracelets for 75 cents each. And for females with five decades of living under their belts, there was a display of authentic "Red Hat Society" hats, which are the trademark of the national society's members. [Full-fledged, red-hat-wearing members must be at least 50 years old, according to the society's guidelines.]
Shopping for the youngsters was no problem; the children's section featured "John Deere For Kids" items, including a "trouble light" for under $10 and a "busy driver" toy for under $30. A Harley-Davidson-brand toy tool kit could be purchased for less than $15. A jewel-and-feather child's tiara was available for under $5. The "party girls" in my family crew need hostess items, and a good-sized translucent amethyst-colored glass bowl was priced at under $30. A ceramic pitcher [off-white, with a green-and-purple floral design] cost less than $15.
Nearly all my family members indulge a "sweet tooth," so a trip to The Village Chocolate Shoppe was a necessity. The discovery of an abundance of chocolate was no surprise, but who knew I would find edible gifts created for the firefighters and carpenters perched on my family tree? Yet there they were: gift-packs of molded chocolate firefighting equipment and building tools. The choices included melt-in-your-mouth "medical kits" for health-care professionals, and sweetly flavored "gear" for outdoor enthusiasts, such as fishermen. The store offers a wide selection of sugar-free treats, including chocolate-covered pretzels. Customers may create individualized boxes of chocolates by choosing from a variety of confections, including fresh-dipped dark-or milk-chocolate-covered cherries, chocolate-covered "jellies" and signature items such as a "dirty peanut butter cup."
The K.F. Armstrong and Tofel jewelry stores offered opulent items to fit many budgets, and the FlowerWorks fresh-wreath sidewalk display advertised the ribboned adornments for under $10. Inside the Pea Pod, I found numerous gift options for my married offspring: a punched-metal napkin/salt/pepper caddy and a matching stout tart-warmer were priced at under $30 each. A 6-year-old granddaughter is losing "baby teeth," so I was pleased to find a well-constructed fabric-covered, embroidered "tooth fairy" pillow priced at under $25.
At Nature's Closet, environmentally conscious shoppers may find the options especially pleasing. The outdoor-wear shop features Patagonia brand items and while at the store, I discovered that the company creates much of its fleece from plastic soft-drink containers. A men's hooded "puff jacket" with an ample supply of zippered pockets was regularly priced at $170, but on Saturday, the jacket was part of a 20-percent-off sale, while the North Face brand men's Polartec water-repellent jacket was regularly priced below $170.
Evans News provided an unexpected array of gift choices. The store offers collectible porcelain dolls manufactured by "Showstoppers" in various sizes, with most priced at $143 or less. A velvet-garbed doll was priced at under $50. In the functional-yet-decorative category, the store displayed a collection of clear-glass, hand-painted "kitchen bottles." The items are meant as dispensers for hand soap, dishwashing detergent, lotions or other liquids and are available with pour-style caps, pump-action dispensers or with open tops. All the styles were priced at less than $18.
Successful shopping was just one of the downtown shopping benefits. Store clerks were pleasant and responsive, and while I did not interrupt my purpose for nourishment, several eateries were open for business within short walking distance of any downtown store. A 7-mile round-trip drive saved vehicle fuel, and my gift-seeking mission was completed in slightly less than two hours. My expedition was a success, and as for holiday shopping in downtown Bennington, I'm sold. |
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