Shop at Modern Businesses in Historic Buildings 

Retail finds await inside colorfully painted colonial houses and stately Victorian redbrick mills.

Throughout this alluring North of Boston region, meticulously cared-for buildings dating back centuries contain enchanting boutiques, antiques shops, and gift purveyors. Cross the thresholds of these stores knowing your purchases help sustain local entrepreneurs and these unique environments.

Andover Bookstore, Andover

You’ll find this cozy shop with a fireplace and vaulted beam ceilings inside an 1858 Tudor Revival building, but the company began in 1809, making it America’s oldest independent bookstore. In addition to the thoughtful selection of reads, check out the knitting supplies and locally made cards.

Canal Street Antique Mall, Lawrence

Exposed air ducts, brick walls, and timber floors showcase the industrial history of this pair of 19th-century buildings beside Lawrence Heritage State Park. Retro clothing, heirloom furniture, and vintage collectibles from around 100 dealers fill this nearly 40,000-square-foot space.

Emporium 32, Salem

In a three-story 1805 redbrick house on Salem’s Essex Street Pedestrian Mall, peruse carefully curated art and gifts by 140 independent artists as well as vintage-inspired jewelry and the shop’s own brand of soy-wax candles. There’s a second location at the venerable 1925 Hawthorne Hotel.

F.L. Woods Inc., Marblehead

On the ground floor of a creaky 1790 wood-frame house in the heart of Marblehead, this purveyor of maritime apparel and gear has been outfitting seafarers since 1938. It’s a favorite source of timelessly stylish sailing jackets, sweaters, and accessories.

Lee & Co., Amesbury

Part of downtown’s mid-1800s Amesbury Millyard, this smartly curated lifestyle and homegoods boutique sums up its aesthetic perfectly with its logo tagline: “modern meets vintage.” Artful pillows and throws, plants and vases, framed prints, and holiday decor fill this high-ceilinged space.

Mills 58, Peabody

Inside a four-story brick complex that began life in 1890 as one of Peabody’s dozens of leather mills, you’ll encounter a diverse mix of businesses, including 2nd Floor Antiques, Eleventh House Vintage, and Spiritus Arcanum magic shop, plus art studios and eateries.

The Pewter Shop, Rockport

This seafaring village’s bustling Bearskin Neck peninsula is lined with dapper 18th- and 19th-century buildings housing restaurants and retailers, including this 1935 artisan shop inside a red Victorian house. Admire the selection of handcrafted pewter candlesticks, jewelry, wish boxes, and ornaments featuring local landmarks.

Tannery Marketplace, Newburyport

This expansive retail complex comprises several striking buildings with massive windows, exposed rafters, and brick floors and patios. Built in 1845, it served as a cotton mill and then a tannery before being transformed into its present form in 1992. It’s home to more than 50 businesses, including Jabberwocky Bookshop, Affamata kitchen goods, and Riverside Cycle bike shop.

Todd Farm Antiques, Rowley

This picturesque, tree-shaded compound with a rambling pale-yellow Federal-style farmhouse and a cavernous 1890s barn houses several dealers specializing in everything from fine clocks to folk art. On Sundays, April through early November, there’s a giant flea market on the grounds.

The Village Studio, North Andover

This cheerful boutique is the retail centerpiece of the elegantly restored 1830s–1860s Davis and Furber Mills campus, which also contains residences, offices, and restaurants. Browse for kids’ puzzles and whimsical gifts, many of them produced locally, like Plum Island Soap Company bath products and Soney Bees honey.

Virgilio’s Bakery, Gloucester

Gloucester fishermen have long depended on this Italian bakery and grocery for their famous St. Joseph deli sandwiches, plus sauces, olive oils, and cannolis. George Clooney even stopped in while filming The Perfect Storm. The business dates to 1934 and has occupied this old-fashioned storefront since 1953.

Waite & Peirce, Salem

In an early 19th-century wood-frame warehouse that was rescued from the wrecking ball in the 1970s, this thoughtfully stocked general store also serves as a visitor center for the Salem Maritime National Historic Site. Many of the toys, kitchen goods, and decorative homewares—from model ships to fragrant spices—relate to Salem’s global-trade era. Several other period buildings line adjacent Derby Street, including the country’s oldest candy company, Ye Olde Pepper Companie, which was founded in 1806.

Photos: Newburyport Fish at The Tannery Marketplace by NBCVB; F.L. Woods by NBCVB; The Pewter Shop by NBCVB; Virgilio’s by NBCVB

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This blog is an excerpt from our digital guide “250 Ways to Explore, Discover, and Celebrate North of Boston”. To view the full guide, click here.