Shopping

Billing itself as Vermont’s [1] oldest general store, the 1886 F. H. Gillingham’s & Sons (16 Elm St., 802/457-2100, www.gillinghams.com [2], 8:30 a.m.–6:30 p.m. Mon.–Sat.; 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Sun.; seasonal hours may vary) certainly looks the part, packed with locally made syrups, cheeses, and pottery, alongside more conventional grocery items.

The eclectic Unicorn (15 Central St., 802/457-2480) specializes in bizarre and unusual gifts, from wooden kinetic sculptures to remote-controlled whoopee cushions.

Not your average vintage store, Who Is Sylvia? (26 Central St., 802/457-1110) stocks flapper dresses, pillbox hats, brocade jackets, and other hard-to-find items dating back more than a century.

First among Woodstock’s [3] many galleries, the Gallery on the Green (1 The Green, 802/457-4956, www.galleryonthegreen.com [4], 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Mon.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Sun.show- cases paintings and sculptures of local and visiting artists.

On Route 4 between Woodstock [3] and Killington [5] is Vermont’s version of a shopping mall. Don’t expect to find Sears or Old Navy here—the three-story woolen mill, which opened in 1973, is filled with studio space for artisans and craftspeople. For example, a distant relation of Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton, Charles Shackleton (802/672-5175, www.shackletonthomas.com [6], 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Sun.–Thurs., 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Mon.–Thu., 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Fri. and Sat.), crafts simple but elegant Shaker and modern-style furniture. President Clinton once commissioned him to fashion a “peace bowl” to present to the pope. Shackleton’s partner, Miranda Thomas, complements his work with fired pottery lamps and bowls hand-carved with animal designs.