OCEAN CITY — Before Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday, there was Ocean City’s “Earlier than the Bird” Downtown Shopping Extravaganza between Sixth and 14th streets on Asbury Avenue
On Nov. 22, at a check-out line at Stainton’s Gallery of Shops, more than 40 shoppers became antsy, so a jolly helper appeared in a sequined “naughty” hat to conduct an impromptu auction.
Whoever guessed a secret number won Ocean City souvenirs as prizes, and all were entertained. It was an example of sheer customer service brilliance and a manifestation of Stainton’s tagline — “Shopping with Purpose and Supporting What Matters.”
Simply put, shopping with a purpose means shopping locally. With 85 vendors under one roof, Stainton’s is an incubator for entrepreneurship. Proprietor Brad Jacobson describes it as “a true co-op and village that works as a team.”
And what matters is supporting the community.
More than 100 years ago, the original owner, Howard S. Stainton, became a key part of the community, built the largest department store in Cape May County and, when he died, left everything he had to Ocean City. This spirit of giving is what fuels the city’s Christmas spirit today.
The core of the festivities is Stainton’s Christmas Village, where 85 artisans, artists, collectors and assorted vendors offer something for everyone.
At Pumpkinbuds, gorgeous and distinctive gifts for every child can be found. Owner Barbara Hensyl touts her designs as “a whimsical collection filled with mermaids, dinosaurs and other childhood favorites.”
Gifts for fashion-forward women appear at Bird’s Eye View, whose apparel is stylish, unique and funky.
Cute and current garb for young women can be had at Curated Style. Proprietor Stacey Murphy describes her offerings as “something special to enhance their wardrobe.”
Unique artsy gifts can be purchased at Spoken Word Portraits, which overlays photos of athletes and other celebrities with words describing them in a poetic, eye-catching manner.
Treats for canine loved ones define Doggie Beach Boutique, while cutting-edge fashion gifts for four-legged friends can be found at Bully Bows. Both vendors support rescue organizations.
A myriad of secret Santa gifts and stocking stuffers — ranging from zoologically themed coffee cups made by ASOM Studios to men’s grooming products at Dr. Squatch — are found throughout Stainton’s marketplace.
Across the street, at the Shoppes on Asbury, quality presents for the dapper gentlemen are found at 8th and Crown. Its eye-catching apparel includes lush sweaters, perfectly tailored jackets and dress shirts sized up to 2XL. Its counterpart, Sea Grass Boutique, offers elegant women’s wear featuring rich neutrals in sumptuous fabrics — think merino wool and silk.
Also among the Shoppes are three jewelers (Ferka, Dune and Flirt!) two yoga/fitness wear retailers (Bala and Beyond Yoga) and milliner (Amy J. Garbutt), who bills her hats as “wearable art.”
Speaking of wearable art, in the stores and on the streets, scores of shoppers sport Christmas-colored and Grinch-themed pajamas, as the “Earlier than the Bird” extravaganza embraces a dress code reminiscent of Whoville itself.
For their efforts, patrons creatively costumed in yuletide pajamas receive discounts at certain vendors and a chance to win a prize. It all adds to a majestic holiday atmosphere, where elaborate decorations adorn Asbury Avenue and each venue displays distinctive ornamentation.
As to specialty shops, Kay Jay’s Doll Shoppe has a variety American Girl dolls and outfits, distinguished by bold colors, stylish silhouettes and lots of sequins. There are board games and some traditional boy toys, including high-quality miniature vehicles, which seemed to captivate the small chap seen playing with them. Top sellers, however, are K-Pop Demon Hunter dolls, “Wicked”-inspired handmade costumes for dolls and 3D Print toys.
For the bibliophile, Three Little Birds Bookstore satisfies diverse literary tastes, from current best-sellers to heart-warming children’s tales to local gems, such as Cape May Christmas in July by Kimberly Brighton.
Searching for the perfect gift for the music lover? Turn to Grassroots Records, which offers a full line of instruments, music lessons, new and used CDs and more than 10,000 vinyl records.
During this time of year, Christmas albums are the top seller.
“We got everything from Sinatra to Parton, from Punk Goes Christmas to the jazzy soundtrack for ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas,’” owner Christian Lee Trager said.
While Ocean City continues its shopping events as Christmas approaches, including Festive Fridays on Dec. 12 and 19, exceptional shopping experiences also exist throughout Cape May County.
Wildwood has Holidays at Hen-ville, located in the Mudhen complex. The outdoor Shopping Village runs every Sunday until Christmas and features more than 20 local vendors. There is the added bonus of being able to drink hot cocoa or apple cider, Tony Cunha’s latest brew or Tara’s coquito (Spanish eggnog) while shopping.
Non-stop Christmas shopping can be found in Cape May City. At its center is Washington Street Mall, home to 75 businesses. Here is a sampling:
— Madame’s Port stands out as a perfect one-stop shop, including seasonal fashions for women and men — think comfy yet stylish sweaters — quirky crafted jewelry and enticing tchotchkes.
— Gifts for kids, newborn to 12 years old, can be purchased at Happy Baby Collective, which supports American artists.
— For the environmentally conscientious, World Lovers Clothing has a curated collection of sustainable textiles and aims to save the ocean. Its credo is “When you’re wearing our clothing, you’re not just making a fashion statement — you’re making an impact.”
— For cheese aficionados, the Cheese Shop is a must, with a tasty cornucopia of artisanal cheeses, breads, jams and other culinary delights. It is part of The Cape Island Foods conglomerate, which also produces delicious olive oil and adventurously yummy peanut butter.
These and other establishments will participate in Washington Street Mall’s Hospitality Night on Dec. 12, when shop owners offer special discounts against the backdrop of the joyful sounds of the Olde Town Carolers.
– Congress Hall offers its own Winter Wonderland with a vendor village through Dec. 31. In addition to a carousel and kiddie train, patrons can shop 3 to 8 p.m. Thursday’s, 2 to 9 a.m. Fridays, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays through Dec. 20. 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. December. 21-23 and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Christmas Eve.
Perhaps the most Christmasy store in all of Cape May County is Winterwood Gift and Christmas Shop. Located on the northern end of Washington Street Mall along with its headquarters in Rio Grande, Winterwood offers a wide, wide world of Christmas ornaments.
Third-generation owner Alexa Alvarado proudly pronounces and promotes, “We try to find every ornament for anything you can think of.”
Alvarado is not exaggerating. Winterwood has ornaments that celebrate Jesus and the Magi, Santa and his crew, the Grinch and Cindy Lou Who, snowmen and nutcrackers, partridges and parrots, births and weddings, famous musicians and celebrities, politicians and patriots, professionals and laborers, pets and wild animals, hunters and fishermen, meats and sweets, nautical and beach life, starfish and unicorns, athletes and ballet dancers — and on and on.
The ornaments are made of glass, tin, wood, plastic, seashells and other distinctive materials. Some are hand-painted; many can be personalized. All make excellent presents for revelers of all ages.
In addition to ornaments, Winterwood sells religious, Victorian and contemporary yuletide gifts. It’s full-on and year-round. It’s all Christmas shopping, all the time.
By MARC JOHNSON and MARLISA VINCIGUERRA/For the Sentinel
Photo by CRAIG D. SCHENCK and DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
