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June 2019 by Michelle Burke Birrell
My favorite place for fine papercrafts, sturdy purses, trendy onesies & must have gift wrap.
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June 2019 by Candice Wilson
My experience was wonderful. I didn't get the name of the young lady that help us but she was very helpful and patient. The variety of colorful and exciting. I will definitely be back.
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October 2018 by Christopher Maret
Its the best little store
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October 2016 by Thien N.
Cute little store with all things stationary, gift/craft items, and all things cute. Apparel, cards, homegoods, smallwares, tote bags, scarves, pens/pencils, DIY stuff -- plenty of adorable stuff to look at.
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July 2016 by Aaron Spaulding
Not out of place in northhampton it provides another unique set of items not found in any other store.
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May 2016 by Aliyah L.
Such cute, unique stuff! It's amusingly ironic that they're called Essentials, though, because just about none of what they sell is essential. However, it's an absolutely adorable gift/craft type shop that is worth visiting! I could buy so much of that store.
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November 2015 by Rekha M.
I was having a rare few hours of meandering and shopping with a good friend, and Essentials was a highlight. It's the kind of store that introduces you to delightful and surprising things. I went in to buy gifts for others, and came out with gifts for myself, too. My prize was the Rifle Paper Co 2016 Coffee and Tea calendar, which I plan to frame when the year is out. I love the aesthetic of quality, fun design. Everything is carefully chosen and appealingly displayed. The staff member I spoke with was lovely and helpful. It's now on my "essentials" list of places to visit when I'm in Northampton.
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August 2014 by Christina M.
A delightful array of gifts you'll want to give yourself. Staff is incredibly friendly but not bothersome. There is a playful dog in the shop but he will stay behind the counter unless you want to play. Cards, clothes, bags, jewelry, books, baby items, and odds & ends abound here. A great place to find a gift for that person in your life who is hard to shop for.
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March 2014 by Megan M.
LOVE LOVE LOVE this place! Whether it is just to browse to see the new things they have or picking up a unique gift they always seem to have such amazing and one of kind things. What also makes this place so enjoyable to shop in is the friendliness and helpfulness of the staff. They're always very cordial and gracious.
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September 2013 by Austin J. A.
One of the things that makes Northampton, well, Northampton, is Essentials. I started shopping at Essentials almost twenty years ago, and it's been a staple of my quirky life ever since. It's changed hands twice in my awareness, and just keeps getting better and better with age. This is a design-focused, design-heavy shop, and there are things I can pretty much only get AT Essentials; for instance, they've got a cut-to-custom-length ribbon bar, and some of that ribbon is vintage, and my absolute favorite is the hand-dyed silk. Also, they've got the best collection of Tintin and other European character favorites (like Barbapapa and Babar) this side of the pond. Oh, and the staff is wonderful. Knowledgable, friendly, thoughtful, and creative. Over the years, the cast of characters has changed, but it's always top-shelf. One giant boon: they've helped me put together a gift in no time, saving my bacon on numerous occasions! On a typical day, you can find stationery of all kinds, the indier the better; dishware; rubber stamps; intriguing books (think Chronicle); bath goods; bags of all shapes, sizes, and purposes; clothes and scarves; eight million things for kids, from blankies to onesies to stuffed alligators; jewelry; small home goods; special pens; DIY kits; custom furniture; large sheets of beautiful artisan paper; and a ton of things I'm forgetting. And one other thing about Essentials I am not forgetting, but which I saved for last, because it's my favorite. Essentials has an in-house design and print studio. And they also work with a select group of indie designers and printers who create everything from business cards to party invites. Here is where Colette, the current owner, really freaking shines, in my opinion. There was one thing I wanted when it came time to get married. One. Thing. That one thing was letterpress wedding invitations from Essentials. Colette took us from beautiful nebulous idea to flawlessly-executed product without ever breaking a sweat. I don't know if you've ever worked with people who are about to get married, but we are not always the most poised, cool-headed, or unflappable of people; Colette sat us down in the big comfy chairs and made sketches and phone calls, and really made our family feel like we were the only people in the entire world. Go see what I'm talking about - our invitation is probably still hanging in its golden-framed, green-paper-backed glory. Nearly four thousand miles away now, and I'm still bouncing in my chair as I look forward to my next trip to Essentials, whenever it may be.
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May 2013 by Marina K.
Such a sucker for these novelty shops. A million things i don't need but want to have for the sake of having them! This is exactly what my boyfriend means when he says something is a "marina" thing.
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April 2013 by Noelle S.
Essentials is awesome and their customer service is impeccable. I started working with Colette and her staff in January of this year to design and order wedding invitations. The invitations were made by a stationery company and Colette served as the middleman. I was really glad she did, because the stationery company had trouble following our directions on proofs and Colette made sure they designed the order to our satisfaction. She even had them rush-send reply card envelopes after they sent the wrong size. I was so pleased with my experience that I decided to have her print personalized note cards in-house for my bridesmaids. They are lovely! Colette and the staff of Essentials are really friendly, kind, and helpful. Now that I've established a relationship with them, I will be going there for all my unique gift needs.
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December 2011 by Su R.
another review said it just right- This is one of those stores that so many of us have to stop in because everything is just so darn cute. And while nothing there is in fact, essential, once you're browsing, you wonder how you managed to live without these things. suddenly all your dishes, towels, pens, stationery, etc seem way too plain. I'm guilty of spending a lot of money in such stores. which means I have a love/hate relationship with them. Essentials is awesome-ly kitschy with an inviting window display and friendly help. merchandise is high quality, somewhat high priced as well. I bought 2 journal notebooks this last visit that weren't too costly. If you have money and like to decorate with kitschy items, you'll be in heaven here for sure.
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August 2011 by Kathy M.
I had a wonderful experience buying wedding invitations at Essentials. Sydne and Colette spent hours with me, helping me with the design, wording, font, etc. They had a large selection of contemporary and casual as well as classic, more formal wedding invitations. I was very pleased with the result and the cost was less than I had anticipated. I never knew that Essentials had custom invitations for events. They do a great job!
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December 2010 by Ronald S.
another great store with super cool household goods that i always must stop in when passing by. but when was the last time i bought something here? still, i stop by just to look. lots of good gifty things.
