Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/410828
Retail ne 158 nshoremag.com December 2014 T Top Shops This holiday gift-buying season, support local artisans and business owners, and find some truly fabulous things in the process. By Sarah Shemkus here's a certain thrill in finding just the right gift, a particular satisfaction that comes from discovering the book, the art, the accessory that is ineffably perfect for the most important person on your list. Sometimes, though, all the standard shopping options—the mall, the Internet, the big box stores—just seem insufficient for the task of finding that oh-so-special gift. The gift shops collected here may not have the square footage of a department store, but what they lack in space, they make up for in creativity and individual spirit. What unites them, however, are owners dedicated to carefully curating an experience that reflects their own tastes, visions, and even values. So, when you're working on this year's holiday gift list, why not think small? Roost & Company 38 Front St., Salem, 978-744-4663, roostsalem.com Before Kate Leavy opened Roost, she tended bar, managed restaurants, reno- vated homes, trained as an esthetician, and sold real estate. Now, she brings that same wide-ranging approach to the pro- cess of selecting merchandise for her play- ful and eclectic Front Street gift shop. "It's pretty much a kaleidoscope of anything I find lovely and amazing," she says. That selection includes hand-poured candles in decorative jars, organic cot- ton baby clothes, appetizing cookbooks, colorful scarves, and quirky jewelry. The store also carries bath products, all made in the United States from natural ingre- dients, and Leavy is particularly proud of Roost's "top-notch" collection of greet- ing cards. A section dedicated to guy- friendly gifts includes cocktail shakers, food truck cookbooks, and platters for serving barbecued fare. "I feel like I've won when I hear a grown man saying, 'Oh my gosh, I love your store,'" Leavy says. Though the store is situated in the heart of tourist-friendly Salem, its loca- tion off the main drag gives it a more local feel and clientele, Leavy says. In the five years since she first opened, she has developed a core of loyal customers who shop weekly or even daily, she says. Roost strives to keep its merchandise Look Crafters: Kate Leavy and Jamie Metsch of Roost