Flower Shop to Open on Railroad Avenue

The empty retail space along Railroad Avenue in Hamilton will be home to a new retail flower and gift shop next month.

A flower and gift shop plans to open up in one of the only vacant retail spaces in downtown Hamilton. The Singing Flower plans to open on Dec. 8 for the Christmas in the Village Marketplace event, according to owner Meggin Hunt. “We do flower arrangements, plants and gifts,” she said. In addition to flower arrangements for weddings and other special events, the store on Railroad Avenue will sell vintage-looking and retro home accessories, desert plates, stationery and picture frames, for example. For Christmas, for example, Hunt said The Singing Flower would sell wreaths and ornaments. Hunt has been running the business out of a studio in her Manchester-by-the-Sea home for the past two years, she said. The 1,400 square foot space had most …

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Patch Passport

Discover Treasures: Blue Peacock

The Friday Patch Passport shows you where you can find trinkets in your town. Get out and explore the unique local shops, such as Blue Peacock, and all they have to offer.

Blue Peacock is a unique home decorating store in Hamilton with an array of reasonably priced gifts for every occasion. Whether buying for yourself or gifts for others, Blue Peacock offers products ranging from finger puppets for children to handmade tea towels from Africa. The Blue Peacock has many unique ideas for your home. Owner Susanne W. Csongor proudly hosts to a collection of handmade and hand-painted products, including many local designers. Csongor concentrates on promoting and supporting local artists in the shop by selling their paintings and other art such as chandeliers and birdhouses. She said it promotes the quality and diversity of local artists from Hamilton and Wenham. The store also boasts a wide variety of gifts from …

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New Hamilton Shop 'Adds Some Brightness to Your World'

The owner of a new gift shop in Hamilton shows she has an eye for something different.

At Hayfields gift shop in Hamilton, shoppers are inspired to pursue ‘bookmark browsing’ - the practice of scanning a store’s contents and pegging items to peruse once you’ve stopped looking at the item that brought you into the store. You may go in to buy a wedding gift and come out with mother-daughter aprons or Tokyomilk lip elixir.  The effect is feminine and fun, not unlike the image of the store’s owner, Amy Camerlin, a former marketing executive who opened Hayfields earlier this summer in the space that formerly housed Scribe stationery shop. “Life is busy and it just gets busier, so why not add some brightness to your world?” said Camerlin, handing over a lipstick in the shape of a Russian doll. “As a shopper, I most enjoy going to …

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From the Editor

Facebook Poll: Downtown Could Use a Bakery

An unscientific poll conducted on Hamilton-Wenham Patch's Facebook page showed that a bakery is the top pick to fill an empty retail space in downtown Hamilton.

Downtown Hamilton could use a bakery, according to the results of an unscientific poll conducted this week on Hamilton-Wenham Patch’s Facebook page. There were 72 votes in the poll and 40 percent said the empty space left vacant when Giggles closed in April should be filled with a bakery. Other top vote-getters included old-fashion candy/ice cream shop (15 votes), art gallery (9 votes) and bookstore (3 votes). Two specific brands grabbed three votes each - Starbucks and Jamba Juice. Starbucks is the world’s largest chain of coffee shops with 10 locations on the North Shore, including on in North Beverly. Jamba Juice is a California-based chain that serves fruit smoothies. It’s only Massachusetts locations are on the campuses of Boston …

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From the Editor

What Store is Needed Most in Downtown? Let Your Voice Be Heard

Place your vote in Hamilton-Wenham Patch's Facebook poll and let everyone know which business is most needed in downtown.

There’s a prime retail space open on Railroad Avenue in Hamilton, left when Giggles closed in April. Many people have an opinion about what downtown Hamilton needs most. Let your voice be heard. Go over to Hamilton-Wenham Patch’s Facebook page and vote on what type of business you think is most needed in downtown Hamilton. There's been several new businesses added to downtown in recent weeks, including Get In Shape for Women, Hayfields and Jolie Tea Co. - to name a few. But there's still opportunities and the poll has several choices – including art gallery, bakery and old fashion candy/ice cream shop - and you can add your own too. We’ll post the results here on Hamilton-Wenham Patch later this week. The poll was posted on Tuesday and new…

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Great Escape

Downtown Shopping for the Fun of It

In this week's Great Escape column, we suggest you take a break enjoying some fun shopping - not errands - in downtown Hamilton.

It’s been a busy end of the winter. But the kids are out the house and you have a break. Take advantage of it. Each week, we’ll tell you about one great idea to give you a much deserved break, and make your life a little easier, or maybe a little more relaxed. Today comes a recommendation to take in some of the shopping in downtown Hamilton at the Shoppes at Hamilton Crossing – and grab a bite to eat and a drink too. Earlier this week on Hamilton-Wenham Patch we told you about some of the changes at Hamilton’s only shopping plaza – including an expanded 15 Walnut Bistro and a new women’s workout business. Grab a bite to eat and a quick drink at 15 Walnut and see if Get in Shape for Women has any programs that fit you needs. Plus, …

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