Laura Bennett is the first to confess that she isn't much of a country girl, but she enjoys her weekends in the Berkshires with the help of a few essential shopping destinations.
Gatsby's
25 Railroad St., Great Barrington, 413-528-9455
"It's a little department store, and I like it because it is one of the few stores that isn't a chain where the corporate office makes the decisions about where the merchandise is going to be from. It's one of these stores where the owner still goes to the markets and she buys the lingerie, she buys the clothing, and she buys the Kiehl's products. It has great shoes, make-up, and clothing."
Guido's Fresh Marketplace
760 Main St., Great Barrington, 413-528-9255
"It's a great grocery store. Everything is prepared nicely and their selection is impeccable. I'm not a snob, and I'm certainly not a food snob. For me dinner is a spoonful of Skippy, and I'm happy. But I can certainly appreciate a store that takes great pains to sell fresh and organic food."
McTeigue & McClelland
597 South Main St., Great Barrington, 800-956-2826, mc2jewels.com
"I went into this jewelry store one day and I was so thrown off because they had the most amazing vintage jewelry, and they make jewelry there with beautiful craftsmanship. I'm talking about huge stones and platinum, and everything's handmade. It's not like peace-and-love-looking jewelry. It's not what you'd think of from the Berkshires. It's top-notch. You'd never believe you were outside of New York City."
Catherine's Chocolate Shop
260 Stockbridge Road, Great Barrington, 413-528-2510
"They sell all handmade chocolates. The pace of life is still slow enough around here that they make things by hand, like jewelry and chocolate. The fudge is absolutely amazing. I have to be careful not to stop in too often."
