Uncommon Goods: Saranac Lake’s Best Retail Shops
Things get personal when it comes to shopping in Saranac Lake. That’s because every storefront is independently owned, with shopkeepers eager to assist you with finding that one-of-a-kind artisan item with which to mark your Adirondack escape. Here are a few of our favorites, featuring all sorts of gifts, home goods, clothing, and accessories. The best part? Your feet won’t get tired from your retail therapy session. These are all housed within an easy five-minute walking radius of Hotel Saranac.
Gifts & Goods
Academy + Main
Don’t expect just one store, but a curated collection of 20 mini-boutiques all housed within Hotel Saranac’s original shopping arcade on the first level that sells everything from classic Adirondack blankets and Burberry scarves to cocktail glassware and body care.
Goody Goody’s Toys & Games
One of the best features of this hometown toy store on Broadway Street is its unusual selection of board games (think European and smaller American game producers; absolutely no Monopoly here), where you can “try before you buy” – meaning sit down at one of the various tables to play a round or two.
Adirondack Trading Company
Despite being stocked to the brim with Adirondack-themed knick-knacks, this downtown store with a campy vibe is easy to navigate, thanks to clearly defined departments, including a maple syrup section, a Christmas nook, and specific shelves dedicated to all things bears.
The Book Nook
The wooden shelves of Saranac Lake’s only bookstore, located near the corner of Broadway and Main, give way to the region’s widest selection of genres, featuring everything from fiction to manga. The shop also hosts special events, like story and craft nights and book signings from local authors.
Saranac Lake Community Store
Set across the street from Hotel Saranac, this 4,000-square-foot store isn’t just the place to find apparel for the whole family, home goods, artisanal items and gifts, as well as art and craft supplies; it’s very much one of the town’s proudest accomplishments, as it’s the first community-owned department store in the state (that means they control what the store carries to reflect the changing needs of the community).
Bear Stump Antiques
Owner Shane McIntosh has spent a lifetime studying antiques to bring you the most unique selection of vintage collectibles, cool retro pieces, and rustic goods, all of which are easy for perusing thanks to the shop’s big, open layout located within a stone’s throw of the Adirondack Carousel.
Piece By Piece Studio
This Bloomingdale Avenue storefront, dedicated to the art of quilting, features completed quilts for sale (handmade by owner Beth Gallagher), fabrics ranging from aboriginal designs to Civil War calicos to holiday prints, kits, and classes.
Retail
T.F. Finnigans
A regional fixture as the go-to place for men’s clothing since 1923, this family-owned store on Main Street mixes a selection of suits and sports coats by Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, and Michael Kors; sportswear by Tommy Bahama, Nautica, and Pendleton; and active wear from The North Face, Patagonia, and Kuhl. It’s also the region’s leading supplier of tuxedo and suit rentals.
Bear Essentials Apparel
Located across the street from Hotel Saranac in the same building as the Saranac Lake Community Store, this fully equipped design and print shop specializes in custom-designed Adirondack clothing and memorabilia, including Saranac Lake–themed wear, like “6er” apparel.
Lake Placid Factory Outlets
As advertised, Saranac Lake is about independent and mom and pop shops. To find bigger, brand-name options, head 10 miles southeast to downtown Lake Placid, where boutiques mingle with major outlets, like EMS, Gap, G.H. Bass & Co., ADK Outlet, and Van Heusen…and then celebrate when you can head back to your base camp away from the tourist crowds here in this authentic Adirondack town.