With holiday shopping season upon us and Small Business Saturday around the corner, we thought we'd feature a few of our favorite small businesses in Easton! Here's a list of some of our CEO Melissa's personal favorites. (This is a list of Easton businesses that sell products -- future lists will focus on restaurants, services and more!)
- Simpson Spring: Did you know that the country's oldest bottling plant is right here in Easton?! Located on a natural geothermal spring, the company has been bottling water since 1878. They also make delicious sodas, and they have a fantastic marketplace full of gourmet food, crafts, and gifts made by different local vendors.
- Gift idea: I highly recommend just walking around the marketplace and picking out items from the different vendors. I've given several gifts this way, including all of my family's Christmas gifts last year. The staff are always helpful if you have any questions. But if you're pressed for time, you can't go wrong with handmade soap and some gourmet candy.
- Details: 719 Washington Street, South Easton. Open Monday-Friday 9-5:30, Saturday 9-4. simpsonspring.com
- Langwater Farm: Easton's own Certified Organic mixed vegetable, fruit, flower, and herb farm and farm stand. Like us, they're a family-owned business committed to promoting sustainable consumption habits (just in the form of organic, local produce rather than secondhand clothes). And I've never had better apple cider donuts anywhere.
- Gift idea: Depends on the recipient, but flowers or a decorative gourd (depending on the season) are always in style. There are also lots of edible gifts, like hot sauce, honey, and preserves. I've also been known to give people produce, just because fresh, local produce is one of my favorite things. I even gave someone a bag of Langwater pears on a first date... a bit unorthodox, but well-received.
- Details: 209 Washington Street, North Easton. Open Tuesday-Saturday 10-6. langwaterfarm.com
- Hilliards: Simply the best chocolate ever. We'd sell their candy bars for school fundraisers; to this day, I've never found a better caramel-filled chocolate bar (the purple one). Also, Oprah named their seasonal peppermint bark as one of her Favorite Things in 2018, so you know it's good.
- Gift idea: This is a no-brainer: the Almond Toffee Crunch. The smaller package has been my go-to thank-you gift for years, especially for out-of-town friends. I always pack a few with me on any trip I take, to thank hosts, new friends, and other deserving recipients I meet along the way.
- Details: 316 Main Street, North Easton. Open Monday-Wednesday 8-9, Friday-Saturday 9-9, Sunday 9-7. hilliardscandy.com
- Paperback Junction: I've been going to this independent bookstore since childhood. They have a small selection of used books, where I always look first. They're also happy to order a book for you if they don't have it in stock. I took advantage of this service recently for a book I was reading as part of the Raising Multicultural Kids Easton book club. The owner knew right away that I was in that group, simply because of the book I had chosen. It was an unexpected moment of community that you'd never find on Amazon.
- Gift idea: I love giving books as gifts, but if you're uncertain about picking out a specific book, you can go with a nice notebook or calendar. They also have beautiful locally-made cards!
- Details: 619 Washington Street, South Easton. Open Monday-Friday 10:30-6, Saturday 10:30-5. Paperback Junction Facebook page
- Dovetails Furniture & Decor: This repurposed furniture shop just opened in our original store's location! We love that they share our sustainability mission, and they've done a wonderful job making the space their own.
- Gift idea: They have so many options, from large furniture to small knick-knacks, cute coasters, and sassy candles. When it comes to giving decor items, I prefer things that the recipient can have multiples of, like a decorative bowl or cozy blanket.
- Details: 49 Belmont Street, South Easton. Open Wednesday-Sunday 10-4. Dovetails Facebook page
- Beanery on Washington: it's an adorable cafe, but it's not just a cafe! Fun fact 1: my mom, sister, and I subsisted on their delicious grilled cheese sandwiches when we were working long hours to open our current store location. Fun fact 2: One time (pre-COVID), a customer in line was holding a container of blueberries. I complimented them and he gave me some! Like the patrons, the staff are exceptionally friendly and helpful.
- Gift idea: They have some great locally-made art. For my birthday this year, my sister gave me an ink print of Newbury Street, which I love!
- Details: 181 Washington Street, North Easton. Open Monday-Friday 6:30-3:30, Saturday-Sunday 8-4. Beanery Facebook page
- Shovel Town Brewery: Sometime after I graduated from high school, Easton got even cooler than it already was and opened a brewery! I don't even drink beer (#TeamWine), but I love the fact that this exists in Easton. They are committed to quality and community, and the beer, I'm told, is great.
- Gift idea: If your gift recipient drinks beer, give them beer! You can get a 4-pack; some of the most popular options are Flyaway, Twine Cutter, and Coffee Cream (or you can do an assortment). They also have delicious Beer Brittle.
- Details: 50 Oliver Street, North Easton. Open Thursday-Friday 3-9, Saturday 12-9, Sunday 12-6. shoveltownbrewery.com
- The Farmer's Wife: This is one of our co-owner Beth's (my mom's) favorites! It's in a 300-year-old barn, which in itself is enough of a reason to visit. But if you need even more reasons, it has a wonderful, curated selection of antique treasures.
- Gift idea: Homemade jam! Local honey! Plus an antique decor item, and you're good to go.
- Details: 539 Bay Road, South Easton. Open Saturday 11-4 and Sunday 12-4 (closed after December 20 for the winter). The Farmer's Wife website
We're always looking for more local small businesses to support and will continue to update this list, so please share your suggestions!