Shop Small: Salem and New England based businesses you can support from home This Halloween Season
At last, dear friends, autumn is here! A chill has arrived in the Massachusetts atmosphere, and the foliage is getting brighter with each passing day. I hope we can all find solace in the magic that the season provides. Jacques and I have been dreaming up ways to share our beloved New England with you all virtually. We will be serving up healthy portions of Salem to you all season long, as well as some our other favorite New England haunts. This autumn will be far different from any I have ever experienced, but perhaps the silver lining is that I will finally be able to share the history, character, and magic of my unique region with the world in ways I never could have imagined in the past.
Perhaps you had hoped to visit Salem this Halloween and had to cancel your plans due to the ongoing pandemic, perhaps you have never been to Salem, perhaps you have visited Salem in the past, or perhaps you are a local like me who simply adores lifting up and supporting small businesses. No matter the case, I think the list below will have something to offer you! Here are a few of our favorite local small businesses, collectives, and marketplaces that YOU can support right from your couch! Each of the following places listed has an online store that will ship their delightful & unique products right to your home!
Interior photo of Emporium 32 courtesy of Creative Collective.
Emporium 32 — Old-world boutique featuring handmade jewelry, enamel pins, home decor, beard/mustache care, hat shop, & more.
Gravestone Girls — Decorative artwork using the beautiful and primitive images carved on olde New England gravestones.
Grave Mother Studio — Handmade cabinet cards inspired by Victorian mourning & occult magick.
Haunted Happenings Virtual Marketplace — Starting October 1st and running all month long, the famous Haunted Happenings market will be entirely virtual this year!
HausWitch Home & Healing — A selection of witchy and handmade products from independent makers from New England and the US.
Herbal Candle Co. — All natural artisan soy candles scented with 100% pure essential oils, hand poured in small batches in Salem, Massachusetts.
Photo courtesy of Hive & Forge (featuring Guinness, the Serpentine Books pup).
Hive & Forge — A collective of 30+ artisans and curators from New England.
Jolie Tea Company — A chic tea cafe and boutique, located in Salem, MA, specializing in fine loose leaf teas.
Loveless House — Homemade curiosities & Antiques.
Mayflower Vintage — Beautifully eclectic vintage clothing, accessories & home goods. Sourced & sold in New England by a mother-daughter team.
Modern Millie — Vintage style clothing and accessories.
Photo courtesy of Serpentine Books.
Serpentine Books — An antiquarian and collectible bookshop (on Etsy and at Hive & Forge).
The Marble Faun Gifts & Books — An eclectic shop, celebrating the love of literature, vintage and Victorian items, as well as the history and culture of this unique region.
Witch City Wicks — An independent, artisan candle company based out of Salem, Massachusetts.
(Listed in alphabetical order, shop descriptions adapted from shop websites.)