Photo courtesy of Bucko!
On the hunt for luxury handbags? Elegant wedding gowns? Fun gifts for friends? Westchester’s curated boutiques have everything you crave.
Brooklyn Hipster Retailer
Bucko!
Peekskill
www.buckoshop.com
It seems like half of Brooklyn moved to Westchester during the pandemic, and these newcomers will feel at home at this new lifestyle boutique. The one-stop shop features a highly curated, hipstery selection of men’s, women’s, and baby’s apparel and accessories, in addition to home goods and gifts. Just opened in November by husband-wife team Brian and Katie Orsi, Bucko! is a welcome addition to downtown Peekskill’s main drag.
Knitwear
Two Knit Wits
Peekskill
www.twoknitwits.com
Unique, one-of-a-kind, handcrafted hats, gloves, scarves, blankets, sweaters, and more (which you custom order) are what’s in store from a pair of yarn addicts (they’re coffee and wine enthusiasts, too) who spin hyperlocal threads in a glorious rainbow of hues. Adorable, matching baby-and-me sets are a standout top seller.
Knitting Store
Pick Up Every Stitch
Mount Kisco
www.pickupeverystitch.com
Founded in 2017 by friendly, accommodating owner Felicia Lonigro, this shop located a bit off the beaten path (behind Lefteris Gyro on Main Street) is worth seeking out for its large array of yarn for knitting and crocheting (especially brands from small, independent producers), needles and patterns, as well as help with instructions.
Luxury Consigned Handbags
LUXE Luxury Labels
Armonk
facebook.com/luxeluxurylabels
Bags by Chanel, Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Dior, and Balenciaga — you’ll find them all, along with other super-high-end brands, for less, at this luxury consignment boutique in the heart of Armonk. Buyers and sellers of luxury brands rave about the service provided by owners Lisa Dorsett and Jessica Moran. This light, bright, and spacious shop is the best place in the county to snag an enviable bag to sling over your shoulder, without totally breaking the bank.
Wedding Gowns
Svetlana Bridal Couture
Port Chester
www.svetlanabridal.com
For the unconventional bride who wants a gown you won’t find anywhere else, Svetlana Bridal Couture is a treasure trove for rare European designers. Most of the boutique’s inventory is from its eponymous line, Svetlana Bridal Couture, designed by Russian designer and owner Svetlana Kharina. The made-to-order styles offer endless customization options, for a truly unique dress.
Work From Home Fashions
Great Stuff
Scarsdale (plus two other county locations)
www.greatstuffny.com
Our most fashionable pals rave about this longtime local chain’s comfy (Hello, drawstring waists!) yet stylish “COVID clothing,” which you’ll love wearing post-pandemic, too. Featuring cozy cashmere and cotton sweats in solids, florals, camo, and tie-dye from Sundry, Amo, etc. After a day of working from your bed/desk, you’ll look good enough to see people IRL.
Apothecary
Found Herbal
Hastings-on-Hudson
www.foundherbal.com
Jessica Mullens opened Found Herbal to promote holistic healing that encompasses the mind, body, and spirit. The shelves of her light-drenched apothecary and herbal practice boast essential oils, CBD oils, salves, balms, and plant-based body creams that do just that. Additionally, the shop features a tea-and-coffee bar serving up organic, fair-trade beverages, like chai and coconut milk matcha and iced-coffee drinks.
Fine Jeweler
R&M Woodrow Jewelers
Rye
www.woodrowjewelers.com
With 35 years under its bejeweled belt, Woodrow Jewelers is another perennial presence in the pantheon of Best of Westchester winners. Specializing in many things that bling, Woodrow offers an opulent array of unique items for men and women — including not just jewels and gems but also watches, pens, custom pocketknives, purses/clutches, and much more — by many of the industry’s most coveted designers and craftsmen.
Designer Sunglasses
Eye Designs of Westchester
Scarsdale/Armonk
www.eyedesignsofwestchester.com
One look at the mother-son team that owns Eye Designs of Westchester, and you know you’re in for some special specs. With two locations to choose from, Eye Designs of Westchester offers a curated selection of sunglasses, handpicked by the owners, from little-known designers found from around the world.
Vacation Handbags
Into the Woods
Irvington
www.into-thewoods.com
Feel like you’re always about to embark on a vacay by donning Catherine Woods’ adventure-inspired handbag collection. The globally inspired collection features customizable, handmade palm bags, inscribed with locations like Bronxville, Palm Beach, Hamptons, and Sag Harbor, in bright hues and neutral colors, and clutches in fun shapes, like starfish, and geometric-shaped bags.
New Supermarket
Wegmans*
Harrison
www.wegmans.com/Harrison
In addition to good-value pantry staples, this 121,000 sq. ft. store boasts locally grown produce, favorite specialty snacks, restaurant-quality entrées, a showy meat department and seafood display, and an impressive craft-beer selection. Note: No self-respecting Wegmaniac will walk out without the store’s legendary chocolate chip cookies or a hunk of one of their standout cheeses.
Luxe Auto Group
Pepe Auto Group
Multiple locations
www.pepeautogroup.com
For more than 50 years, the name Pepe has been synonymous with luxury automobiles, and a nearly endless string of Best of Westchester awards attests to that. Boasting six top-of-market nameplates, seven locations (six in Westchester), and more than 450 skilled and attentive employees, a big part of Pepe’s claim to fame is its straight-up, no-nonsense approach to customer relations, purveying information and honesty rather than slick salesmanship and arm-twisting.
Gift Box
Culinary-Inspired Gifts
Chefanie
Harrison
www.chefanie.com
Harrison-based chef/entrepreneur Stephanie Nass’ e-commerce line that includes farfalle barrettes, caviar earrings, and elegant aprons are a whimsical pet perfect gift for the foodie in your life.
Jewelry Gift for Someone Who Has It All
Desires by Mikolay
Chappaqua
www.desiresbymikolay.com
Husband-wife team Scott and Tara Mikolay have you covered for surprising that special someone with their eponymous jewelry collections, elegant leather-bound classics, and spins on them, like Tequila Mockingbird, emoji cufflinks, and DIY jewelry kits.
Gift Shop
ROCKS Jewelry Gifts Home
Chappaqua
www.rocksjewelrygiftshome.com
From bright artwork to sparkly diamond earrings and cheeky coasters to bold costume jewelry, you’re sure to find a present for yourself or another at this adorable Chappaqua spot.
Gifts for Grief
Beyond Flowers & Food
Dobbs Ferry
www.beyondflowersandfood.com
Though it’s the thought that counts, flowers wither and food spoils. Sisters Katie McCorry and Beth Turner created this e-commerce biz after losing their mother, to offer thoughtfully crafted and curated boxes of gifts like tumblers, lip balms, perfumes, soft socks, and throws.
Supplies for Your Pandemic Puppy
Pet Pantry Warehouse
Larchmont/Rye/Scarsdale
www.ppwpet.com
Longtime choice of pet lovers, vets, and groomers, this family biz, which contributed $90,000 during the pandemic to local charities, offers extensive selection, competitive prices, and expert sales staff to help sort out what your new furry family member really needs. Bring her in to get fitted for harness, collar, leash, etc., instead of guessing at sizes online and hassling with returns.
Innovative Fashion Concept
Simple Satch
Mamaroneck
www.simplesatch.com
A trio of friends — Mamaroneck resident and registered nurse Corinne Daniels, product expert Susie Levitt, and fashion designer Chaiah Delouya — came up with the idea pre-COVID to sell sleek satchels that have a patent-pending rubber port on the exterior, through which you can pull antibacterial wipes. Once the pandemic ravished the county, they debuted the accessories line. Satchels are filled with COVID essentials: like wipes, sanitizer, and matching masks.
Yoga & Meditation Accessories
Yogamere
Dobbs Ferry
www.yogamere.com
Exercise equipment is not often chic. Enter interior designer Amy Ormond’s line of yoga and meditation accessories, which are created in neutral tones and beautiful patterns, so the on-the-go can have their equipment serve as an extension of their homes. To Ormond, “there’s no reason the things you bring into your home for wellness or fitness shouldn’t be beautiful.”
Slippers
Hipchik
Armonk
www.hipchik.com
An edgy boutique on Armonk’s Main Street, Hipchik is the place to find cool throw pillows, embellished outerwear, and beaded jewelry designed by store owner Andrea Rosenberg. Most of all, the store carries an array of stylish mink slippers in both clog and open-toe silhouettes in a host of bright colors. They easily transition from the inside-out, so you don’t have to forgo your quarantine-footwear routine in the real world.
Equestrian Shop
The Horse Collection
Bedford
www.horseconnectionbedford.com
As one of the county’s few brick-and-mortar tack shops, Bedford Village’s mainstay The Horse Collection is a go-to for any equine enthusiast. County native Natasha Tarasov, a rider herself, offers thoughtful customer service and carefully vets products she carries to ensure a stellar-quality collection of saddles, bridles, chaps, and breeches. “I use lots of different products to see how they work. I can see new trends in the horse-show world as they begin, because I am a part of it,” Tarasov says.
Locally Grown Organic Produce
Orchard Hill Organics
Katonah
www.orchardhillorganics.com
Originally started as the personal garden of owner David Rowe in 1994, this farm has indoor and outdoor growing facilities to offer its wares (especially a variety of greens) year-round. And once you taste the produce (especially lettuce, tomatoes, and beets), you’ll know the difference between “regeneratively grown” and “store-bought.”
Bottle Shops
Wine Shop (North County)
Art of Wine
Pleasantville
www.artofwineinc.com
Crammed onto the shelves of this shop are top-notch bottles from most wine-producing areas of the world, in all price ranges – especially Rieslings and Vintage Port. What sets this store apart from competitors is the sage advice on matching wine and food provided by third-generation owner Graeme Goldstein and his staff.
Wine Shop (South County)
Stew Leonard’s Wines & Spirits
Yonkers
www.yonkers.stewswines.com
In addition to a wide spectrum of well-priced, carefully selected brands, especially Italian notables like Amarone, Barolo and Brunello di Montalcino and “half-bottles” from Bordeaux, the knowledgeable and helpful staff (headed by Fatima Herrera) are fabulous at finding that just-right bottle or bottles.
Wine Shop (Central County)
Zachys
Scarsdale
www.zachys.com
Founded in 1944, this shop is an institution, stocking a large selection of bottles from almost all wine-producing areas, in every price range. Like many other retail outlets, it offers online shopping, but what sets it apart are its auctions (in the U.S. and Hong Kong), wine storage for customers, and wide selection of Bordeaux futures.
Wine Shop (Rivertowns)
Grape Expectations
Tarrytown
www.grapeexpectationsonline.com
Opened in 2000 by proprietor John Sarofeen, this store carries a large, well-laid-out selection of wines from around the world, at competitive prices. In addition to knowledgeable service, a specialty of this shop is a range of bottles from domestic and foreign boutique producers.
Wine Shop (Sound Shore)
Varmax Liquor Pantry
Port Chester
www.varmax.com
“Pantry” is a misnomer for this shop featuring more than 8,000 square feet of shopping space that holds one of the largest and varied selections in the county. For example, the shop stocks more than 75 different California Zinfandels – with bottles ranging in price from $10 (for a 2018 Cline Cellars Old Vines) to $120 (for a 2018 Turley Haynes Vineyard).
Kosher Wine Selection
WinesMart
Scarsdale Totally not your grandparents’ kosher wines — or the syrupy-sweet Manischewitz elixir you grew up sipping at Seders — premium kosher wines are now a thing. The knowledgeable staff here will help you choose a bottle for Shabbat dinner, a bris, or no occasion at all. Featuring 400 different offerings from across the globe, including Israel, the Napa Valley, Bordeaux, Italy, and Spain, among many others.
