Exploring Everything at the Mad River Green Shops in Waitsfield

We’re back exploring more of our beautiful valley, giving you all the must-do’s across town when you visit this summer! If you missed it, check out the first installment of these blogs, Exploring Everything in Historic Waitsfield Village at Bridge Street. Whether you’re a first time visitor, or a seasoned explorer of Vermont, you’ll want to check out what you can find in every corner of Waitsfield. Between new shops and old favorites, there just might be something unexpected for you to find. Today, we’re exploring everything to see and do at the Mad River Green Shops.

In this charming shopping center, you’ll find almost all of your necessities and shopping desires. There’s stores for kids, adults, there’s clothing, home goods, food and drink, art and more. It’s truly a one stop shop. Whether you’re a local or not, I’m sure you’ll find yourself at the Mad River Green Shops at some point while in the Mad River Valley!

Shopping

There’s lots to find for perusing and splurging at the Mad River Green Shops. A favorite of pretty much everybody’s is The Collection. This toy store and gift shop is known for their hand-picked selection of toys and games for all ages. Here, you can also find stationary, home decor, made in Vermont staples, and so much more. Just down the sidewalk lives Whippletree Designs. Here, find the perfect souvenir to take home or give as a gift! This clothing store specializes representing the mountain lifestyle. Find designs that feature Sugarbush, skiing/riding, paddling, hiking, and Vermont in general, or get something customed embroidered! Product Think Tank, owned by designer, Annemarie Fury, sells a selection of thoughtfully curated clothing for all body types. By choosing carefully where the products are made, to what they’re made of, this is the root of the style at Product Think Tank. Lastly, is Stephanie Grace Ceramics. Owned by native Vermonter, Stephanie, her shop crosses the lines of fine goods and her rural, rustic roots. Discovering her way as an artist, she loved the idea of crossing boundaries. You’ll find handmade porcelain items at her ceramic shop ranging in products from hurricane lamps, to bud vases, platters, serving bowls, and more.

Food & Dining

Arguably my favorite section of these types of blogs, the food, drinks and dining has my heart! There’s nothing better than getting a little treat to sip on while you shop and the Mad River Green Shops is just the place to do that. In this case, I’m going to emphasize quality over quantity. Because, well, there’s only really two places here to stop for food and drinks but they sure are quality. Let’s first talk about the newly renamed, 5th Quarter Butcher + Provisions and The Local Wine and Beer Outpost. What was, the Mad River Taste place, is now taken over by the butcher! This shop specializes in Vermont-raised meat, housemade sausage, cut-to-order cheese and curated provisions. If you’re looking for high quality, local ingredients, I promise you, you will want to stop in this shop. Even more recently, they are partnering with The Local, as the home base for their new Outpost. The Local’s original location is in Middlesex, where you can find wines from small, family farms and other curated beers and cider. And now, you can find their specialty goods in Waitsfield too! For a dine-in experience or treats to-go, Three Mountain Cafe is where it’s at. Recently under new ownership, this re-envisioned space has all the cozy charm you want in a coffee shop! Open 7-days a week (this is a big deal here in the Valley!), they offer specialty coffees and espresso, bakery goods, breakfast and lunch. It’s the perfect place to stop and chat with a friend, do some remote work, or grab a bite and a drink to go.

What else can you find in the Mad River Green Shops?

The Mad River Green Shops has more than meets the eye! It’s a great place for some of your basic needs too, whether you’re a local or just passing through. Bisbee’s is our local hardware and home center. Find everything there from gardening supply, plumbing, electric, and more for contractors and weekend DIY warriors. Plus, with their home center you can easily start that renovation you’ve been dreaming up! You’ll also find the Waitsfield Post Office in this center too. If you need to mail packages, post cards, or anything else, they’ve got you covered. One of the other unique locations here is Inklings Children’s Books. This is a family-owned bookstore, founded in October 2023 by children’s book author Brian Wray. From familiar classics to exciting to new titles, Inklings offers a diverse collection of books. The store hosts weekly story times under the cherry blossom tree, welcomes authors to share their work, and has a full time art area open to all. It would also be remiss to not mention that this is also the location of the Waitsfield Farmer’s Market! Every Saturday from May through October, in the green area closest to Route 100, find vendors of all kinds set up to sell their goods. If you ask me, the perfect summer, Saturday morning includes a trip to the farmer’s market to see the unique collective of Vermont farmers, makers, and bakers, followed by a meander around the Mad River Green Shops.

What’s Nearby?

I have one honorable mention today, because it is so close by that I just had to include it! Not technically within the Mad River Green Shops, but just a hop, skip and a jump away is Addison West. This home goods store is the second location of the retailer. Specializing in interior design, gifts, and clothing, they effortlessly blend luxury with Vermont charm. They offer a carefully selected range of furniture, decor, and lifestyle products, as well as personalized design plans, full-service design projects in collaboration with builders and architects, and flexible a la carte options like product sourcing, 2D floor plans, and mood boards. It’s a great shop to mosey into, because even if you’re not looking for anything, you’re guaranteed to have something catch your eye in this shop.

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