Shop Locally in Putnam, Conn. the Antique Capital of New England

It takes some getting used to, but Putnam, Conn., ultimately grows on you. The old Montgomery Ward building (pictured here; Montgomery Ward, however, is long gone), the many locally-owned antique stores, head-on parking, a leisurely pace and a growing restaurant and retail scene help make Putnam unique, serviceable and with a rough-around-the-edges but pleasant personality.  We recently spent some time here and really enjoyed the antique stores and the modest but nice Christmas decorations around the downtown area.  If you need some other place to shop than the big box stores, Putnam is surely a worthy New England destination.

For more information on this small New England town located in the northeast sector of Connecticut, please visit read our Putnam CT travel article at VisitingNewEngland.com.

Read More

Antiques Shopping Mania in Putnam, Conn.!

Article and Photo by Eric H.

Antique shopping seems to never grow old at the Antiques Marketplace at 109 Main St. in Putnam, Conn.

Four floors of more than 350 booths showcasing over 50,000 pieces of antiques spanning three centuries make this Putnam landmark a truly fascinating shopping destination. It might be labeled as "retail," but browsing the store almost has a museum-like quality given the overwhelmingly amazing collection of historical items. Familiar and truly hard-to-find art pottery, jewelry, glassware, toys, coins, porcelain, lamps, paintings, picture frames, dishes, sterling, rugs, kitchen collectibles, furniture, and sports items almost require a full morning or afternoon of your time.

The Antiques Marketplace certainly stands of the heart and soul of Putnam antiques shopping, but this small northeastern Connecticut community also features many other antique stores, totalling a staggering 50,000 sq. ft. of merchandise! It's really a charming community, seemingly stuck in time, with nicely restored historical buildings (including the former Montgomery Ward site with the sign still intact), an inpressive network of downtown sidewalks for walking, and several nice locally-owned restaurants.

To find more information on Putnam -- including the Antiques Marketplace -- please click on the link above.

Read More

Putnam CT: Where Antique Shopping Never Grows Old

Article and photo by Eric H.

The latest travel review at VisitingNewEngland.com is on Putnam, a small town located in northeastern Connecticut, and known as one of New England's best places to shop for antiques. The antiques scene is indeed amazing with more than a collective 50,000 sq. feet of merchandise amongst the several shops! Equally appealing in Putnam is its small-town feel, perfect for a day trip of relaxation, combined with shopping. Once a dying mill town, Putnam has really come back to life with its nice downtown array of antique stores, mom and pop stores, several restaurants, boutiques, galleries and some wonderful historical preservation in its buildings.

Read More