Naturally, when I was first trying to find good shops for Christmas present buying (especially the little things, not anything too big or specific), I headed over to Newbury Street and just walked down each side of the street. I searched for storefronts that looked promising. However, I was a little bit worried that I wouldn’t find anything, even though I knew beforehand that Newbury has lots of name-brand clothing stores and some outlets. I dislike buying clothing and shoes for people for Christmas because tastes are very subjective and sizes are hard to predict. You never want something to not fit, and then they have to return their Christmas present.
However, I was saved when I stumbled upon Trident Booksellers and Cafe. It’s almost hidden amongst all the big-name stores of Patagonia and the likes, but it’s an absolute Newbury Street gem. As the name tells, the store is both a bookstore with small gifts scattered amongst the books and a cafe in the front of the store. Walking past the cafe, there’s a lot to work through. Therefore, there are a lot of options for those looking for presents, despite how small and thin the aisles of the store may seem. The small, authentic nature of the store creates a cozy, personal vibe when someone is walking around, looking for what may catch their eye. It’s easy to get lost in there for hours, moving around the aisles and picking up every little item nestled amongst the rest.
Image credit: Jaredd Craig; Unsplash
Moving on to the actual Christmas present buying, my mom, an Aries, likes checking her Co-Star and keeping updated on her Zodiac sign. The Trident Bookstore had a great table of goodies for that. There were Zodiac plates, necklaces, and trinkets related to each Zodiac sign. You name it, it was there. Since the pricing was reasonable, I picked up a little plate for her: big enough for making earrings, jewelry, or anything small and delicate that the heart desires.
Right next to all these Zodiac related gifts were a selection of adorable mugs (as all good bookstores should have, I believe). These were not just your ordinary mugs, they were deep, wide-rimmed, and with hooked handles, stretching out far from the mug itself. The kind of handle that, when you’re holding your hot beverage, no part of your hand is actually touching the hot outer rim of the mug. They were both structurally impeccable and in the shapes of cute animals—for instance, llamas—and decorated with intricate designs to add to the animal itself. Cute animals happened to be quite a common theme of the store, as there was a basket of stuffed penguins and elephants that unzipped into traveling neck pillows. I didn’t end up buying one of these, because those I know who travel don’t often carry neck pillows with them as an absolute necessity. However, if you know someone that does, carrying a penguin on to your flight or bus with you is about as precious as it gets.
Image Credit: Rumman Amin; Unsplash
As exemplified by the variety of items and gifts (along with books, of course) in Trident Booksellers and Cafe, this is a great place to be if you know what you want to buy for a friend or family member or even if you don’t. The store has plenty of amazing offerings while also providing the opportunity to enjoy brunch or just a cup of coffee before or after your little adventure. Witnessing this mighty yet tiny store first hand is definitely an experience I would recommend, it truly feels like being in an authentic, old bookstore and transports you out of the bustling city of Boston for the moments that you’re in there.
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