A Strange Little Shop...

When you visit Salem, you have to buy a souvenir -and no matter what your taste, you can probably find something appealing in The Trolley Depot, 191 Essex Street, or Salemdpitiy, on Pickering Wharf at 86 Wharf Street.

I was in The Trolley Depot last month, and I bought magnetic pads with floral designs for hostess gifts. Last week I went in looking for Pirate garb (dress like a pirate for The Pirates of Penzance at Salem State College and save $$ on your admission!) and I stumbled upon some great items for Earth Day - for example: lamp sets that you make out of glass bottles, and trivet kits that you make out of your corks.

And while I was there I asked Betty Bouchard, the store owner, "What is the most popular souvenir?" And she said, "The Good Witch/Bad Witch T." True enough - I bought one of said T's in 1998 and wore it until the sleeves fell off. Things have changed since '98, and now the T's come in women's sizing as well as unisex. And these are just one t-shirt of many options at The Trolley Depot.

You will also find books, handbags made from recycled products, sweat shirts, miniatures, bumper stickers, mugs, and more. It's tough to categorize The Trolley Depot, so don't try!

This is the first in a new series I'm going to do on the Blog: Salem Must Haves. If you have a souvenir, gift or item that you purchased in Salem, and you consider it a "Must Have," let me know. If not, follow along with the blog over the next few months for inspiration.

... one more thing, you may know that it's vacation week in Massachusetts - well, there are some great deals and packages on Salem.org/deals. Check'em out and take advantage!