With a 20 percent off coupon from the Green Room safely tucked into my wallet I left a Sunday breakfast from my uncle and aunt’s home in Vineyard Haven, and with some anticipation set out for Main Street.
December had just begun and surprisingly Thanksgiving concluded. A Legion Pumper Christmas tree already stood in a cleared-out corner of my living room and was decorated with lights and ornaments. Mild temperatures were beginning to change to winter.
I walked down Spring Street. I passed the impressive building of the newly renovated Tisbury School. I passed and had a look at the controversial house of 97 Spring Street. I passed the Katharine Cornell Theater and the Tisbury town hall.
I have always shopped the local stores. But, in recent years my compass has aligned with the magnetic poles. Online stores such as Amazon and Zappos should be a last resort. Local merchants should be patronized as much as possible.
I like Main Street. I like the way it jogs to the left and goes downhill. I like how it jogs again, straightens, and then ascends out of town center. And I like the line of local shops on each side of the street.
Brickman’s traditional storefront windows anchor the beginning of Main Street, and the Green Room’s splashy green storefront anchors the end. Mardells — the best assortment of birthday, anniversary, etcetera cards on the Island — anchors the center.
The many stores and their merchants create Main Street. Galleries show their artwork. Store signs hang above the entrances. Windows showcase the variety of wares. The stores and merchants are the Main Street vibe.
Bunch of Grapes is a favorite. I walked through the front door into a world of books. I was surrounded by hundreds if not thousands of shiny gifts. The proverbial kid in the candy shop. Books in all of their sizes and colors with their flashy new jackets were on display in stacks on round tables. The collection lined shelves along the walls and bookcases in the store’s middle. I was drawn to the staff picks. I looked over the fantasy recommendations. I looked through the outdoor nonfiction in the back of the store. I had in mind a book recommendation from The Times holiday guide. I went to the clerk for help.
We had a fun exchange. I could not remember the title. I told her the general topic and the color of the cover. (Let’s say red. I cannot exactly remember now.) With some sleuthing we found the book. “So the jacket’s not red,” she deadpanned from her computer screen.
I left Bunch of Grapes with the comforting weight of two books in my backpack. I walked up Main Street to the Green Room. I pulled open the door into another world. Apparel hung from circular racks, a wooden kayak was suspended from the ceiling, and dressing rooms were midway in the store. Coolers, water bottles, and coffee mugs glanced from their perches. I had a few items in mind.
I put my coupon to use for a wonderful red scarf for my daughter, and I found a pair of winter running gloves for my son. The nice clerk rang me up, and I was happily on my way. (I am not one to browse except in bookstores.)
I made some additional holiday purchases later in the season. Nice pairs of socks –– the kind one may not buy for oneself –– for two friends, and a new pair of jeans for myself at Brickman’s. A fancy chocolate bar at Le Roux for a friend. A pound of Christmas coffee from Mocha Motts.
Circuit Avenue in Oak Bluffs is another holiday destination. What would the town be without Circuit Avenue? Without the ice cream shops and restaurants, the clothing stores, the hardware and grocery stores, the stores of leisure and art and crafts?
Craftworks is a longtime favorite. Stained-glass fish hang in the window. Colorful painted clocks cover a wall. Pendulums swing back and forth, and second hands tick around. Arts and crafts of all sorts –– pottery, driftwood, glass, and much more –– fill the store. I found two jovial figures for a family member: a man standing shirtless on the beach, gazing it seems into the sea, and a woman swimming through the water like a fish. And I found a candleholder made of beach stones.
I took the opportunity while on Circuit to buy pens and pencils at daRosa’s. They have all sorts to choose from. My kids and I need them anyway, and it is fun to wrap them and put them under the tree.
My last excursion took me farther afield. I helped a friend set up his table at the annual holiday craft fair at the Edgartown School. I picked him up at his place. We loaded the truck for the Edgartown–Vineyard Haven Road. We passed through the roundabout and later the triangle and kept on going. Finally, we pulled up to the curb.
The gymnasium was full of holiday vendors. I found some cards of Island scenes, some locally raised honey, and chocolates filled with all sorts of enchantment. (Later in the day, I also found a cup of chowder and a hot chocolate from the student fundraisers in the foyer.)
I was after a bar of fudge from Murdick’s, so I trekked into town along Main Street. Holiday walkers were out for “Christmas in Edgartown.” Shops were open for business. To my disappointment, a “Closed” sign hung in Murdick’s window. I decided to walk to Trader Fred’s.
I went up some side streets and came out onto Upper Main Street above town center. I walked alongside Cannonball Park. I passed Kismet Outfitters, where Santa sometimes casts a fly. I passed Edgartown Bikes, Dairy Queen, Stop & Shop, and the other shops and restaurants.
I stepped up onto the porch of Trader Fred’s. There, staring me in the face, was the perfect present for my mother: an oyster-shucking knife. Recently, she had been given a bucket of oysters, and I had to use a deadly kitchen knife to open them.
If I had a reason, I would have visited Granite. That store, I recently discovered, is jam-packed with kitchen and household goods. And there is much of the store still to explore. As it was, I headed back to the school.
I am not without limitations. If a price does not sit well, I will go to Amazon. I bought and returned an item to a local store when I discovered the price was more than double the online price. Maybe this was an item that should not be sold locally.
It seems pretty simple to me. I love going into Shirley’s –– my local hardware store. Every time I go in I find what I need, and I do not get lost in some gigantic aisle in the process. I want a coffee filter for a Melitta. There they are. A baking dish? Right over there. A 3/8-inch dowel? They have it.
