Welcome to Essentials

Thank you for shopping at Shopessentials.net, the online version of our two brick and mortar stores in Western Massachusetts.

We hope our website reflects what we value and we appreciate your trust.

We are the store that makes people ask “what do you sell here? Is there a theme?” The answer is yes, although as with many things that are more complex, it requires some explanation.

We are guided by our senses, what pleases us aesthetically, what makes us smile, what makes us laugh, or what leaves us standing in awe of people’s creativity.

We are sincere without being snooty. We can appreciate custom textiles imported from France, but at the same time, enjoy the Japanese wind-up toys that dance on our counter.

We embrace the innovative and new, while acknowledging and appreciating the craftsmanship that comes from tradition and a sense of history.

And why are we called Essentials? We don’t sell food, don’t provide you with shelter, but we recognize that it takes more than that to improve the quality of your life. We think that beauty and fun are critical parts of a well-rounded life, and we hope to share that vision with you.

We are busy people too, with many varied interests and little time. There’s a lot to see on our website, and we recognize that, but we’d like to encourage you to come back and spend some time. Visit categories you haven’t seen yet (since we’re always adding something new), and be sure to sign up for our newsletter.

Have fun and thanks for stopping by!

Sincerely,

John + Sydne

Green Retailing

Being environmentally responsible is important to everybody at essentials. We see, first-hand, the behind-the-scenes world of retailing. We know how much garbage is created to manufacture, ship, and sell product. So, to minimize our impact as much as we can, we do the following: 1) we ship online orders with boxes and packing materials salvaged from shipments received from our suppliers; 2) we use the carbon-neutral Pedal People to pick-up our trash and recycling; 3) we sell as much product as we can from suppliers who are committed to sustainability; and 4) we buy from as many US companies as we can with the goal to minimize pollution and ensure that workers are treated fairly.

Directions to the Northampton Store
Please visit Google Maps. Or call us at 413-584-2327

Directions to the Amherst Store
Please visit Google Maps. Or call us at 413-256-5900.