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Courtesy of The Old Town Shop, 105 S. Union St., Alexandria
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Courtesy of The Old Town Shop, 105 S. Union St., Alexandria
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Courtesy of The Old Town Shop, 105 S. Union St., Alexandria
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Courtesy of The Old Town Shop, 105 S. Union St., Alexandria
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Courtesy of The Old Town Shop, 105 S. Union St., Alexandria
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Courtesy of The Old Town Shop, 105 S. Union St., Alexandria
The local gift boutique that embodies the "shop small, shop local" movement is turning four years old this spring.
The Old Town Shop opened its doors in April 2017 just off of Lower King Street (105 S. Union St.) and quickly became a favorite source for local gifts and Virginia favorites. It offers locally-flavored gifts including the popular "Spite House" Christmas ornament, OTX (Old Town Alexandria) gear, Virginia foods, art and more.
The famous Spite House holiday ornament is in high-demand every winter at The Old Town Shop.
“We owe our success to our loyal customer base, creative suppliers, supportive business partners, and our hardworking team of hospitable professionals who create a memorable experience for everyone who walks through our door," said The Old Town Shop owner Valerie Ianieri.
Over the past four years, the store has introduced a variety of Virginia goods, including the world-famous Hubs peanuts. More locally, the shop features a variety of local, curated artisan items that are normally offered only at the Alexandria Farmers’ Market. Featured vendors include Truly Life (bath and body items), Capital Candles (soy candles), Watermelan Designs (jewelry), Together We Bake (granola and trail mix) and Napier Farms (jams & jellies).
“The Old TownShop is a valuable distributor for my skin care products. This little shop is such a gem and is so important to the livelihood of our local community,” said Truly-Life founder Mellenie Runion.
In addition, customer requests have fueled new offerings at The Old Town Shop, including items from the Office of Historic Alexandria and George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate. Regional history books, toys, pineapple-themed hospitality gifts and much more round out the goods.
Even a worldwide pandemic didn't put a damper on The Old Town Shop's spirit — the shop developed an e-commerce platform, embraced curbside delivery and maintained regular store hours.
For its fourth anniversary, The Old Town Shop is offering a free gift with any purchase on Friday, April 16, a free gift with a minimum $20 purchase on Saturday, April 17 and a 20 percent off pineapple-themed products on Sunday, April 18.
In addition, four customers will be selected to win a $100 gift card.
Stop by The Old Town Shop at 105 S. Union St. Hours are 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
