For this installment of our local holiday shopping series, we spoke on Thursday afternoon to Stephen Shin and Christopher English, co-owners of The Adirondack Store at 39 Elm St.
Here’s our interview.
***
New Canaanite: How has the holiday shopping season been for you so far?
Stephen Shin: “The Thymes Frasier Fir candle. It’s the ubiquitous holiday scent of pine, a lot of people believe it smells like a Christmas tree. We have several iterations of the same Thymes Frasier Fir scent. We have it in the classic clear with the pine cone spray, we have it in gold, we have it in flocked which is a little snow on the outside, we also have it in silver metallic. So it fits any decor and it’s the most beautiful candle. We probably stock the most amount in different iterations of anybody in the area. And we have people that come in specifically for that.” Photo credit: Michael Dinan
Stephen Shin: It’s extremely busy. This town is pumping. Since right after Halloween, it’s been brisk. Our Thymes Frasier Fir, which is a favorite candle scent, has been selling very well. We have it in different iterations and we’ve had to restock the shelves. We started getting worried we would run out of Christmas ornaments before December. A lot of people are coming in to look for ornaments.
What are your plans for the Holiday Stroll?
Stephen Shin: We have filled the store with Christmas items—a lot of ornaments, Christmas crackers, we have several candle lines, we have gifts for men, we have the fabulous Caswell-Massey, that’s perfume and lotions and soaps for men and women. They make a wonderful gift. We have the ubiquitous Lighthouse Soap which is our branded soap in our tissue paper with our sticker—that is probably the best deal in New Canaan, I believe it’s $3.50 per bar. They are great stocking stuffers. We are also offering a limited menu at the coffee bar. Everybody loves our coffee and our hot chocolate and our matcha. And because there are so many people, we are offering a Holiday Stroll menu of six items that we’re going to be making. We’re doing that so that we can make them a little bit quicker because there will be a lot of people who are cold. Every staff member will be in to help people. So we’re excited about the Holiday Stroll, for sure.
Christopher English: “In a relationship we started this year, we’re working with Johnson Woolen Mills of northern Vermont and we have outerwear jackets, flannel shirts, gloves, blankets. All of their products are made in Johnson, Vt. and they’ve been working for 140 years. This is an exclusive partnership with the Adirondack Store.” (Blankets priced at $206.95.) Photo credit: Michael Dinan
New Canaan has seen major changes to parking downtown recently with Elm Street switching to paid while the Park Street Lot is now free. What are you seeing and hearing about the changes?
Stephen Shin: As far as the parking goes, we’ve heard a mixed bag of reviews. However most people have come in on a positive note saying that the parking and the circulation are much better and that they are able to—much to their surprise—find a spot on Elm Street. A few people have come in complaining ‘Why is it paid?’ until we explain that there is a free lot behind the White Buffalo in the upper lot. We hand out the map and they realize that it’s probably the best thing. We also explain that the town had experts come in and take a look at the parking situation and it was upon their recommendations, and it seems to be working generally so that people are finding parking more and more. So I think it’s a beginning phase of change, and whenever anything changes it takes a little minute for people to get used to it. But once they get used to it, I think most people are fine with it.
Christopher English: “We have ‘Miracle On Ice’ hockey jerseys and hats, because our store was founded in Lake Placed, N.Y. where the ‘Miracle On Ice’ U.S. hockey team won the gold medal in 1980. We are also carrying other ‘Miracle On Ice’ clothing and we have a relationship with original members of the team, so we’re working with the sportswear manufacturers. All of this is in the store and it’s a big area.” (Priced at $110 for adult sizes.) Photo credit: Michael Dinan
What would you tell someone who is new to town or hasn’t had a chance to stop into The Adirondack Store yet?
Stephen Shin: It’s more than just a good gift store. We have a clothing line as part of a brand new collaboration with Johnson Woolen Mills from Vermont. It’s been around since 1842. They mill everything in Vermont and they fabricate everything else—all American, fantastic quality, no tariffs, great pricing. Our whole lower level is clothing, which is fantastic.