Laura in Sterling

One of my friends displays her handmade journals here,so I wanted to check it out. I LOVE this place. They are kid-centric and very friendly, they even have a play area for kids while you shop. I really was just browsing, and really wanted to purchase a lot of goods. They have paintings, purses, handmade dresses, etc. It is a place I plan to frequent for my holiday shopping!

This gallery features many artisans in the local area who make a large variety of products. I purchased a hand made felted item that I love. I also love knowing that they are always adding "fresh" merchandise from local crafters. Their prices are not too outrageous as far as boutique shopping goes!

When a fellow sewer told me about Zimman's at the Mill in Hudson, I could not wait to get over there, for good reason. They have a high end showroom upstairs in the building, where you can see handpainted furniture and custom draperies. Downstairs you can find a ton of decorator fabric remnants and bolts at discount prices. I get completely overwhelmed with awe everytime I visit!

My grandmother is my mentor in knitting and crotcheting. She knows all the stores on the South Shore. She was making a sweater with me for my niece and we RAN OUT of yarn right at the end. We went into the shoppe, definitely feeling as though we were looking for a needle in a haystack, so to speak, and they were happy to announce that they could have the skein in the next day! They are GREAT!

When folks began making crazy scarves, I decided to jump on the ride. The trouble was, you could not find the yarn anywhere! Someone recommended this store, and I was amazed. A quant little store tucked away in the little town of Harvard, with more selection than some stores on Newbury Street. They are extremely helpful to the novice crafter as well! I love to visit these folks, expecially when they run their annual sale!

When you enter a garden center, you think, plants, right? NOPE!!! This place is famous for their Sandwiches, they are awesome. They have a full catering menu and are the only Smith and Hawken dealer around. A scrumptious menu, coupled with live music at times, just plants? No! The staff is so friendly, they actually packaged my perennials so they would not make a mess in my truck, how nice!

Hunter services basically every appliance you can imagine. When I picked up a front loader clothes washer at a yard sale(long before they were popular), I was skeptical that the yard sale folks were telling the truth; They said that they had ordered the seal from Hunter and they were sure that they would have it there. I was scared! However, they REMEMBERED the couple who had the washing machine, and got the seal immediately!

I go into this place all the time. They are an antique dealer, but have many different items, from homemade soaps to homemade doll clothes. The dealers are all different and are happy to find what you are looking for in their travels. I love to browse and purchase all types of items from this great big space, I would highly recommend taking a look around! The ambiance alone is worth the drive!

I am a technical idiot, I really don't understand how to link a flat panel tv screen to my laptop, but Computers Down Under did. They didn't laugh at my inexperience with electronics and technology in general and actually drew me a diagram on how to hook up my system. I was so impressed with them I tell everyone about them!

I am a recruiter by profession and had to move my office home while I was pregnant. At the time, I was renting an apartment in Littleton with about 100 stairs to go to the front door. Of course, I moved my office home in the winter time, and slipped on ice. I could not get the PC to boot up for about 6 hours or so. My job was truly on the line, I had all of the company information on this pc without backup!!!! They took thier time, finally figured out the problem and got the machine up and going just in time to save my life!!!

This shop is a resale place for all types of wares, from homegoods to clothes and shoes. I love to collect vintage linens for my tables outside, and am always pleased at the selection and quality of the items that this store carries. Lots of times when going to consignment stores, you find all too many blemishes on items for sale. This store is exactly what you would expect to find with a name like Upscale!

I was looking for a crib for my mother's house for my new baby and did not want to spend a lot. Noah's Ark did not happen to have one in stock, but Sandy, the owner, was kind enough to take my name and number and call me when one came in. I was skeptical that she would remember, until she pulled out a recipe box organized system for "folks looking for stuff".. Sure enough, she called about 3 weeks later with not just 1, but 2 cribs! I love this place!

I love to go and browse this store. They have everything from tables, as the name implies to bedding and sometimes childrens toys. Tables to Teapots' pricing is in line with the region, and you are sometimes surprised to find a great piece on the "last chance" table for $1.00!

Consignment Gallery at 56 really advertises themselves as a great place for a frugal shopper. I don't agree. While they have an eclectic mix of new and used goods for the home, their prices, I feel are too high for used goods.

I was excited when I learned that a cultivator was a fast way to weed and was told to go to a hardware store to purchase one. I was in a great rush, so I did not do as much research as I should have, however, they had one in stock, but I paid $5 over the average price any place else! I was a bit upset!

I was thrilled when someone recommended I try this place for brand name bedding at discount prices. I am a bit of a label snob and really wanted to purchase high quality bedding for my guest's, but could not afford it. My grandmother was coming into town and the room was half done, I needed something quick! While they don't have a huge stock of bedding, what they do have is mostly good quality with decent color schemes!

I was driving to my brother's new house and realized that I was without a gift, so I pulled into Cauley's Garden Center. I was so happy to find a helpful staff member who could recommend a very low maintenence plant for my brother's new house. Whenever I am in this area, I stop in to see what they have!

What a treat to the avid gardener. This place is a bit tough to find at first and their hours are a bit funky, but what a great place to shop. Hearts & Hands has a few different outbuildings filled with great finds, from gardening gloves, to garden sculpture. They are always happy to have just "browsers" too!

This is by far my favorite place to shop around. They have an entirely unique array of plants not only for the outdoors, but some hard to find house plants as well (sensitive plant and jade). I go there quite often over the growing season to add to my gardens! I have gotten many plants here that my mother ( a gardener for 40+ years) has never heard of! It is a true treat to visit Heirloom plants, where they remember your name (and your kids' names), and even remember what you have purchased in the past!!!!!

I went to Whitetail Greenery with a friend from my town who knows the owner very well. I loved the feel of the store and the quality of the plants they do carry, however, feel that their prices are a bit high.

I buy LOTS of mums in the fall, I love them. Stonefield farm is a family favorite. My mom and I go every year to grab the best mums around in the best color selection available. They close when they sell out, so if you see that they are open, buy what you like!

Truthfully, I am extremely frugal, if not cheap. I love to make many container arrangements for my home during the growing season. I went to a supermarket one year and bought all of my annuals, they could never compare to D&D quality, ever. D & D uses only the best soil to grow in, they make sure they are not selling leggy or diseased plants, and they are fun to visit each year. You have to hurry, though, their reputation is excellent and they sell out of popular annuals quickly.

Every year my folks take me shopping for a tree or shrub in my yard, my choice of garden centers. I love Cavicchio because they are knowledgable in their space and in their pricing. They have a staff that is willing to assist you in the correct shrub/tree selection for the area you are trying to plant!

I have owned my home for 4 years now and am an avid gardener. I purchased cheaper quality mulch the first year of my residency. It was all sticks and big pieces of wood and did not last the season. I was told that this place had the best mulch around, although a bit pricier than the average place. I have not had to re-mulch for 2 years now, as I simply turn over the mulch again each season. It is rich in color and still beautiful on year 2! This place also has amazing food treats for the organic shopper as well! Well worth the drive :)

You would never imagine a garden center was as large as Kennedy's is, being located right on Route 27 in Acton, but it is HUGE! Their staff is friendly, smart, and they know where all of their stock is located on the grounds. I am an avid gardener and have gone to ALL of the local retailers and wholesaler's around the state, and find Kennedy's to be a bit pricey, but they have what you need and they will help you find it with a smile!

I only gave the former Spags Garden Center, now Building 19, a 4 on recommending the company because I had to go back 2 times to get the shrub that was advertised on sale. They were extremely apologetic that the stock for the sale ran out prior to the sale ending, however, they told me accurately when the next shipment would arrive, I was thrilled to take home and plant 2 rose bushes that very day!

If you are a "looker" when it comes to shopping, this is the place to go. It has the feel of a rummage sale at this store, without high prices that you would expect, and often some unexpected suprises! I had been looking for curtains for my new home for a while and really wanted to buy botique velvet curtains, but couldn't absorb the cost. I was so excited to find them at Christmas Tree Shop that I would go back to find many more decorating surprises!

I decorate my home a lot for the holiday season. I really wanted to buy a dark shade of pink and someone recommended Colonial. I am a very frugal shopper, however, their prices seemed much higher than other centers in the region. I could tell, also, that they are used to a crowd that shops without a budget, however, were decent to me otherwise!

I was a skeptic when this company came from the Cape Cod area to our area. We got a sale flier and went with great skepticism that they would have any of the sale shrubs in stock. To our utter amazement, they not only had the advertised "deals" in stock, they had a few clearance shrubs there as well. When I purchased my home in Sterling, it was a large enough financial undertaking with out having to re-landscape the entire property. Mahoney's staff is helpful, articulate, and can fully understand a customer's hesitation to spend a fortune on re-doing their entire landscape. The woman helped me design a basic foundation structure that I could add on to over the years. It is well worth the drive from Sterling!

I go to Cupp and Cupp for my personal fall decor each season because they have various colors and types of fall mums. Their selection of mums and their quality of plants is surpassed by none in the area. They are always willing to help you load your car too!

I was looking all over the countryside it seemed for a shaped shrub for a clients' entryway to their home. I installed several garden beds for this particular client, the one thing missing was an evergreen topiary to finish off the front door area. I went to about 10 different places and all I found were common, everyday selections with outrageous prices. Weston was a bit pricier than we had hoped to spend, however, they had the shape we both loved and agreed the extra price was worth it!

This is a small town garden center where we get everything from mulch, shrubs, to our annual Christmas Tree. The staff members are always helpful and educated about what you may need help with. They actually offer an opinion about the shape of the Christmas Tree you are looking for, and actually pull them out of the bunch for you to look at. They are truly a neighborhood center, service with a smile!

I went into the store to find a filter and it was like a imposition to the staff to assist me in finding the filter. I was in a rush as a small business owner and needed this filter fast. I was upset to find the filter to be more expensive than other places I had purchased them at previously. I will not frequent this establishment, not only because of price, but service.

I needed a vacuum belt in an emergency. The owner of the company was swamped with repair business and at first seemed unable to help me. I explained to him that I was in dire need with a time deadline and he accommodated me with a smile. Usually in these circumstances you're sent away but he made time in an already busy day.

I looked high and low for vacuum bags for an old vacuum cleaner. A friend told me about this store. I walked in and was absolutely amazed that they had them in stock, and for a reasonable price.

They were extremely courteous, professional, and punctual when appraising my Tiger Maple Sideboard. Skinner knew their market space well, compared to other antique dealers. They basically knew the correct appraisal on the spot. I would highly recommend them for any antique appraisal.

I broke my hand trimmer and needed the cable right away to finish mowing for a party. In all fairness, this was about 3 years ago, I don't know if their inventory system has improved, but it was like a huge fumble in football. They knew they had the part, but didn't know where, and it took a long time to locate it. Eventually they found it and I was off!

Rotti Enterprises is exceptional with service, quality, price and professionalism. I told them that I have an ancient tractor, and was in doubt as to whether or not I should fix it. They set an appointment with me, showed up on time and gave me an honest opinion about the machine. They told me that the clutch was not working and it would cost about 89.00. The man said he had to go and get the parts for the tractor and would be right back, they were, wrote the bill out, and I was off to mowing!

I used gas for my cooking stove and did not fill up very often. We ran out of gas and called them They were a day late and came the next morning. However, they did quote one price and when I got the bill in the mail, the amount was completely different. When I called the company to refute the charges, they were not very professional. I was basically out of luck, and unhappy.

These folks are amazing. Their pricing far outweighed their competitions in the area for Irish related decor. I work as a consultant to a lot of my clients who are completing home decorating projects and when I found this place, I found a goldmine! They have very different items from throw blankets to statues. They helped me put together an entire look in just a few short hours, really helpful, educated staff who was interested in my project and input, they treated me in a winning manner!

I went in all excited that there were so many things to look over and to peek at, but then I realized that I have already seen a lot of these items for sale in other places. I asked for advice in decorating my kitchen and did not receive any "warm and fuzzy" feelings about the process, so I left :) It was not that they were not friendly, I just think that they are spread too thin, they don't really specialize in any one thing.

This store has it all, from country furniture to wreaths for the front door. I love going into the store just to browse and never feel pressure to buy anything. The decor is country and the owner is always friendly and helpful if you are looking for a particular item. We purchased a gift for our in-laws' 40th anniversary party, and she actually put something Ruby together specifically for us!

I called Cleghorn Oil last heating season and asked for the lock in rate. I had missed the boat, too late! ( Or so they said on my first phone call). I was calling around, and low and behold, on my incoming caller ID was a call from Cleghorn Oil. They proactively called my back with a BETTER offer on a lock in rate, I found this to be unbelievable. Although heating oil is bound to fluctuate in price, the service, the happy and compassionate employee's will make me a loyal customer for life!

I was so happy when I purchased my home in Sterling, at the time 4 years ago home heating oil was 1.11 per gallon. What a deal! As we all know, it has gone way up since then! I got a delivery last year and found out my neighbor was locked in 15 cents cheaper per gallon and they locked in after we did!

I was painting my shed and didn't know where to turn for some advice. This house is about 30 years old and I would assume the shed's are not that new. Jerry gave me prep advice, paint advice, and actually put the painting products into my car! He said " I see you have your hands full with 2 little one's!"..talk about service with a smile!