Nantucket Official Guide 2014-2015 | Page 129

SHOPPING

Nantucket Style

Imagine a place where elegant shops define the downtown, where stylish, hand-carved
wooden signs spell out the names of businesses, the night sky is not diminished
by the glare of neon, and authentic time-honored crafts abound.
a hallmark of the island’s mercantile scene.
As has been the case for decades and
generations, Nantucket’s distinctive lightship
baskets are still carefully and lovingly handcrafted by islanders, as is the scrimshaw
that continues a centuries-old tradition
brought back to the island by whalers who
circumnavigated the world.
The island is also renowned for its artists
and artisans, including painters, weavers,
potters, jewelers and furniture makers, all
of whom create one-of-a-kind heirlooms
and treasures. It’s not surprising that R. H.
Macy (of Macy’s department store fame)
was a native Nantucketer and shopkeeper,
and that the innovative ideas he brought to
the mainland were forged during his early
business years on the island.
©Michael Galvin

This atmosphere has prevailed for centuries
on Nantucket and remains an integral part of
the island’s charm.
No, you won’t find modern malls or
sprawling megastores here. As islanders
and visitors alike will attest, shopping on
Nantucket is a personal experience, where
shopkeepers pride themselves on attention
to detail, and quality is more important
than quantity.
A stroll along the streets of Nantucket is
like stepping back in time. The shops fronting
Centre Street, for example, look much the
same as they did in the 1800s when they were
collectively known as “Petticoat Row” because
island women ran the businesses there.
Manufacturing on Nantucket continues
to carry the definition “made by hand,”
and maritime traditions and crafts remain

MERCHANTS
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