Best Of Hudson Valley 2011: Shopping, Boutiques, and Stores in the Hudson Valley, Upstate NY

Best shopping, boutiques, and stores in the Hudson Valley in 2011 PLUS: Readers’ picks

Skip to:

Editors’ Picks: Shopping
Readers’ Picks: Shopping

Quirky Home Boutique

Rockstar Rodeo, Saugerties
Part interior design studio, part retail store, this unique boutique has wares to decorate your home or to give as funky gifts. The shop offers a selection of accessories that range from the funny and odd to the vintage and beautiful. Most of the items sold here are among the same styles that owner Bill Yosh uses when he designs interiors — a technique he describes as “specializing in creative remixing, unexpected design, multifaceted development, and visionary rule breaking.” • 646-707-4126; www.rockstarrodeo.com

Plumbing Supplies

N&S Supply, seven locations
Once again, this kitchen- and bathroom-makeover supply store proves it has the greatest selection. From eco-friendly solutions to the latest trends in shower design, bathroom vanities, even garbage disposals — you’re bound to find the inspiration to redesign your home. Four showrooms highlight the best in bathrooms, but the storehouses themselves offer everything plus the kitchen sink. • 845-896-6291 (Fishkill); www.nssupply.com

sun wallpaper

Place to Buy Wallpaper

Sun Wallpaper & Paint, Poughkeepsie, Fishkill
For a time, wallpaper was a disappearing fad, but now the spotlight is focusing more and more on this interior décor solution. Transform the bathroom into a spa-like retreat with subtle, sleek designs in soothing hues. Or go bold with striking, rich-colored patterns in the family room. If you’re unsure about what type of wallcovering to choose, sign out one of Sun’s many design books to see how the color/pattern compares with your home’s lighting. • 845-471-2880 (Poughkeepsie), 845-896-6200 (Fiskill); www.sunwallpaperandpaint.com

- Advertisement -

Auctioneer

George Cole Auctions & Realty, Red Hook
When it comes to auctions, we can’t think of anyone better than this annual favorite. Whether you’re looking to buy or sell real estate, antiques, cars, boats, even farm equipment, this auctioneer can help. Having trouble reaching local buyers? George Cole can even sell your items on eBay, extending your product to a much broader audience. • 845-758-9114; www.georgecoleauctions.com

Vintage Threads

Five & Diamond Vintage Clothing, Hudson
“Hudson itself is a local style capital, and shopping for style at Five & Diamond is a Hudson Valley experience.” So writes a blogger and friend of owner Lisa Durfee’s small but crammed shop. Stocked almost exclusively with pre-1980s clothing in good, wearable condition (“My shop time is usually spent mending and ironing,” Durfee says), Five & Diamond features cocktail and house dresses, blouses, skirts, jeans, tweed blazers, ties, slacks, boots, and unique pieces like jodhpurs, Victorian blouses, petticoats, and sparkly party dresses. “The fantastic pieces of clothing sold there aren’t just individual gems of vintage fashion,” the blogger continues, “they are a collection of textile, pattern, and color that Lisa has assembled with love.” • 518-828-1557

hi ho home market

Unique Home Store

Hi Ho Home Market & Antique Center, Gardiner
Hi ho, home shoppers — beware, you may just have too much fun when you walk through the door of this one-of-a-kind shop. Housed in an old two-story home, there are 12 — yes, 12 — different themed rooms chock full of thousands upon thousands of fun ’n funky items, both old and new, for your home. The holiday room is legendary (and jam-packed come this time of year); the Haute Haven is filled with fine, feminine furnishings; and the Hemingway Room overflows with manly merchandise. There are rooms also devoted to garden fun, pet pleasures, and much more. • 845-255-1123; www.hihohome.com

arlington auto and tire

Auto Service

Arlington Auto & Tire, Poughkeepsie
A far cry from the cliché of a dirty and cluttered repair shop manned by mechanics in oil-stained overalls, Arlington Auto is a spanking-clean, modern facility that offers all types of vehicle services, including repair and inspections. Owner Ed Perry, with 25 years in the business, is proud of the facility, built four years ago at the site of what was once an old industrial building. “We used a lot of green building techniques, and we added state-of-the-art equipment to service the vehicles,” he says. Most of the one dozen-plus employees live locally, and the company has a strong sense of community service, taking part annually in several local charities and fund-raisers. But the real service is under the hood, where master technicians offer one-stop solutions to car-care needs, including tires and other supplies, as customers relax and sip free coffee in the waiting room. Arlington also offers Audi and VW diagnostics, which can be hard to find outside of dealerships, says Perry. “Customers appreciate that we handle these types of European cars, too,” he adds. Best of all, Arlington is open seven days a week, so there’s no need to cram in that oil change during your workday lunch hour. • 845-471-2800: www.arlingtonautotire.com

Gourmet Market

Otto’s Market, Germantown
Looking to hop on the local-food bandwagon, but not ready to give up some of your favorite brands? Not only does Otto’s offer some of the finest local products (cheeses, milk, eggs, granola, garlic, and more), but you can also find the familiar brands you grew up with (Tide detergent, Oreos, Ritz, Ragu Sauce, and — believe it or not — long-lost Quisp brand cereal). For the ultra-gourmet cook, a selection of imported jams, cheeses, and sauces is also available. • 518-537-7200; www.ottosmarket.com

Place to Buy a Diamond

Zimmer Brothers, Poughkeepsie
A family business for five generations, Zimmer Brothers jewelers has been serving the public since 1893. To this day, the store strives to fulfill its twin goals: superb customer care and superior product quality. They carry Hearts on Fire and Lazare, two of the top diamond brands in the world, plus an extensive array of other wedding and engagement rings. (Shoppers who aren’t planning a walk down the aisle also adore Zimmer Brothers for top-notch jewelry, gifts and watches.) Not sure of the perfect diamond to pick? The store offers one-on-one “seminars” to help customers understand the ins and outs of this important purchase. They’re members of the American Gem Society and have an accredited gem lab to boot. Diamond-buying customers also love “The Zimmer Promise:” If the worst happens and you should lose your diamond from its original mounting — or even just chip your prized gem — during the first year, they’ll replace it free of charge. And if, down the road, you should fall in love with a pricier rock, Zimmer Brothers will credit the original price or current market value of the original diamond toward your new purchase. That’s one dazzling offer. • 845-454-6360; www.zimmerbrothers.com

Selection of American-made Furniture

Davis Furniture, Poughkeepsie
This family-owned-and-operated shop has been offering home furnishings for more than 85 years. Its large selection compares to that of major-chain retailers, but at Davis, customers can choose from a larger variety of items made right here in the U.S.A., such as Lancer sofas or Crawford formal dining room sets. • 845-204-9090; www.davisfurnitureonline.com

Shopping Block

Montgomery Row, Rhinebeck
Let’s be clear about one thing: Montgomery Row may be a shopping plaza, but it cannot be compared to your average strip mall in any way. No, this former auto repair garage and dealership in the middle of bustling downtown Rhinebeck manages to be both charming and oh-so-chic at the same time. And you won’t find any chain stores here. High quality tenants like Gigi Trattoria, Hammertown, bluecashew Kitchen Pharmacy, Pause Dog Boutique, and several others offer unique food and products. So come and sit for a while, read a book, shop for everything from the latest fashions to the sharpest knives, learn about the local community, and indulge in some one-of-a-kind Italian food. Also, check the Web site for coupons and special events. • 845-876-0543; http://montgomeryrow.com

pine bush equipment

Place to Buy a Tractor

Pine Bush Equipment, Pine Bush, Holmes
Looking to rent or buy a tractor? Look no further. This family owned and operated business has been serving the Valley’s heavy equipment needs for decades. To help you get the job done safely, the company offers support specialists and — should you run into any snags — repair services. • 845-744-2006 (Pine Bush), 845-878-4004 (Holmes); www.pbeinc.com

 

 

jewelry store zimmer brothersBest jewelry store: Zimmer Brothers, Poughkeepsie

READERS’ PICKS: Shopping

Antiques Shop
Antiques Barn at Water Street Market, New Paltz
845-255-1403
; www.newpaltzantiquesbarn.com

Bakery
The Bakery, New Paltz
845-255-8840
; www.ilovethebakery.com

Bargain Shopping
Woodbury Common, Central Valley
845-928-4000
; http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=7

Boutique
Elizabeth Boutique, Poughkeepsie
845-471-2817
; www.elizabethboutiqueblog.com

Bookstore
Oblong Books & Music, Rhinebeck
845-876-0500
; www.oblongbooks.com

Butcher
Fleisher’s Grass-fed & Organic Meats, Kingston
845-338-6666
; www.fleishers.com

Chocolate/Candy Store (TIE)
Alps Sweet Shop, Beacon
888-442-2577
; www.hudsonvalleychocolatier.com/wp1

Krause’s Chocolates, Saugerties
845-246-8377
; www.krauseschocolates.com

Caterer
Main Course Restaurant & Caterers, New Paltz
845-255-2650
; www.maincoursecatering.com

Crafts/Hobby Shop
Hobby Lobby, Poughkeepsie
845-298-3235  

Farmer’s Market
Rhinebeck Farmer’s Market, Rhinebeck

www.rhinebeckfarmersmarket.com

Fish Market
Gadaleto’s Seafood, New Paltz
845-255-1717
; www.gadaletos.com

Florist
Green Cottage, High Falls
845-687-4810
; www.thegreencottage.com

Gourmet Shop • Fresh Produce • Nursery/Garden Store
Adams Fairacre Farms, Poughkeepsie
845-454-4330
; www.adamsfarms.com

Furniture Store
Millspaugh Furniture, Walden
845-778-1500
; www.millspaugh.com

Hardware Store
Williams Lumber & Home Centers, Hyde Park
845-698-1004
; http://williamslumber.com

Jewelry Store
Zimmer Brothers, Poughkeepsie
845-454-6360
; www.zimmerbrothers.com

Liquor Store
Viscount Wines & Liquor, Wappingers Falls
845-298-0555
; www.viscountwines.com

Menswear Shop
Changes, Woodstock
845-679-4750
; www.changesformen.com

Outdoor Sports Store
Kenco, Kingston
845-340-0552
; www.atkenco.com

Health Food Store
Mother Earth’s Storehouse, Poughkeepsie
845-296-1069
; www.motherearthstorehouse.com

 

Our Digital Partners

Learn how to become a digital partner ...