A Very Dartmouth Shopping Guide

Downtown Dartmouth is a great spot to spend an afternoon holiday shopping - with little shops to explore and discover down side streets and all within walking distance of the Ferry! 

We've compiled a little list of some of our favourites! Not everyone keeps the same hours so it's a good idea to check before you visit if there's one you really don't want to miss!

The Trainyard is closed on Sundays this season to give our small but mighty team a little downtime, but many other businesses are open all weekend long! 

Kept on King Street has the sweetest collection of gifts for all ages, and is especially great for kitchen classics like aprons and measuring cups. They usually have a great collection of accessories like purses & jewelry as well! 

The Dart Gallery is home to so many great pieces from local artists - including a fantastic collection of pottery and art prints (many with Dartmouth flair). They are usually open in the afternoon so check their hours before heading out to visit them just up Portland Street from us! 

New Scotland Clothing recently moved further up Portland street into the first block up from Alderney, bringing their brewery and retail shop together. Find lots of comfy and cool made in Canada clothing and great beer under one roof. 

Portland Street Pets is a new addition to downtown Dartmouth this year, with a great selection of treats, food and essentials for your four legged pals. You'll find them right next to Audrey's Little Shop of Plants, in the old Audreys/Bodega space! 

Room 152 is home to so many awesome designer clothing finds, as well as a great selection of locally made jewelry and accessories and they're practically across the street from us!

Audrey's Little Shop Of Plants has a great collection of plants and plant care, as well as the cutest planters! They also have the most delightful window illustrations!

Abundance Thrift Store is located just around the corner from us on Queen Street, operated by the Elizabeth Fry Society they offer some handmade gifts as well as lots of beautiful secondhand clothing options. Sales fund their programming, and the store provides work experience for clients.  

The Tare Shop is a great stop for zero waste meal prep, but also a great way to pick up some low impact gifts like shampoo bars, candles & locally made package free play dough! They're right across from the new home of New Scotland Clothing!

Two If By Sea, Cafe Good Luck, Portland Street Creperie & Stone Pizza are also great spots for gift cards or take home treats like coffee, preserves and merch!  You can also find great merch at North Brewing, Brightwood & Lake City Cider. 

Lake City Cider; Image via Buy Local Again/Charcoal Marketing

The many salons, spas and barbers in Downtown Dartmouth also a great place to check out for shampoo & skin care, or personal care gift ideas! Spots like that tend to bring in a little extra for the holiday season! 

The Downtown Dartmouth Business Commission has a full list of retail locations on their website, and following along with them on social media is a great way to stay up to date on new businesses opening up! 

You can also visit the Dartmouth Makers Winter Show this Friday & Saturday at Christ Church Hall to connect directly with local makers creating awesome goods here in Nova Scotia.

Your holiday support helps get your favourite businesses through the slower Winter months - and also is a great vote of confidence that you want to keep your main streets and downtown hubs vibrant and alive. No small retail or food businesses are making record profits amidst inflation or price gouging - your purchases are putting food on our tables, a roof over our heads and helping keep our staff teams employed and we love you for it.