The Vineyard Vintage ReSail bags we carry epitomize the difference between Rainy Day and your run of the mill New England gift shop.
You would be hard pressed to find these unique, hand crafted bags outside our store, and may find it impossible to snag them once you've left the Vineyard. Kathleen Young, the artisan who puts together these carefully stitched bags, offers an array of colors, shapes, and designs. It's really worth a trip to the store just to check them out!
Have you purchased any of these one of a kind bags from us in the past? We would love to see how you've added it to your personal style. Send us a picture or post on our page!
Don't leave the Vineyard without a little something to remember it by. Whether you are shopping for yourself or someone special, artisanal sea salts are never the wrong way to go. They can be the important finishing touch on a home cooked meal and a stellar talking point.
Husband and wife team Curtis and Heidi are the driving force behind Martha's Vineyard Sea Salts, which upholds a centuries old Island tradition in harvesting local salts. Once a month, throughout the summer, Heidi and Curtis drive to the South Shore of Martha's Vineyard to collect over 500 gallons of seawater. They then bring their bounty back to Down Island Farm to filter and process the water through their solar powered evaporator. While procuring and utilizing salt for preservation has been important to Islanders since the first European settlers, and was once the Island's second largest industry, Martha's Vineyard Sea Salt has been the only scale harvester of sea salt on the Island in the last 200 years!
Here at Rainy Day we sell a variety of their salts, including gift bags and mixed sampler packs. The offerings range from smoked oak to blueberry honey, so the utilization of these salts is endless! Check them out on your next visit.
We love supporting Island Made Products, and Flat Point Farm has stocked our shelves for several years. This small farm in West Tisbury keeps a heard of goats that both feed their family in milk and cheese, as well as creating their beautiful, artisanal soaps.
Each soap is handmade with consistency and care. Every new scent is an exciting arrival to the shop, and customers rave at both the beauty and quality in each bar.
Currently we're carrying the largest variety we've ever had of their product, and these are always available for personalization: weddings, showers, birthdays, or any gift giving occasion. With advance notice we are able to offer a variety of sizes to please and hostess.
Bring home a piece of the Vineyard and support our local farmers and artisans!
When you hear the words "New England gift shop" it's easy for your brain to jump to a very particular image - stuffed lobsters, taffy, fudge, piles of sweatshirts and swag emblazoned with the name of the city you're visiting. Gift shops feel tacky, a "made in China" paradise.
That's not what Rainy Day is about.
Anyone who's visited our shop knows that it's an eclectic explosion of colors and options. Our items only scream Martha's Vineyard when it makes sense, when they are really supposed to. We believe a gift shop should be exactly that - a place where you can find the perfect gift for a loved one... or yourself. We hold value in the idea that our wares are precious enough to be put on display, rather than tucked away as a forgotten memento.
We also think a lot about where our products come from. Every year we get in more Fair Trade, US Made, and Island Crafted products. It makes us feel good. It should make you feel good too. Here's why:
Fair Trade, Hand Made, or Give Backs
What is Fair Trade? Fair Trade Goods are exactly what they claim to be - fair. Fair Trade products are certified by Fair Trade USA, an organization that ensures the farmers and laborers abroad who create Fair Trade products are compensated justly. Fair Trade USA also helps farmers and communities navigate the free market and utilize the tools they need to face the competitive global economy.
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With Fair Trade USA, the money you spend on day-to-day goods can improve an entire community’s day-to-day lives." Says Fair Trade USA.
We also invest a lot of time in sourcing products that are handmade or give back a percentage of their products to global help organizations. These products, while not living under the Fair Trade title, give back to the artists, communities, and individuals working so hard to live a decent life!
Ask one of our wonderful employees about which of these products we have in stock when you stop by!
Made in USA
Why should you buy American made products? Every time you purchase something made in America, you are putting that money back into our national economy. A process where dollars continue to recycle from hand to American hand begins. American producers are also often faced with strict regulations and inspections. Most important? It's fun to support America.
Check out some of our American Made products next time you're in the shop!
Vineyard Made
This category, we are particularly proud of. We love knowing the actual artisans and crafters who make our products. Whether it be locally foraged teas, salts, rock slabs, soaps... the list goes on, we know where that money is going. And living on an island means that, like any small town, we get to learn about the intricate lives and backstories of our Vineyard producers.
When you walk into Rainy Day, you're not just walking into a gift shop. You're walking into an experience, a way of life, a perspective of the world that values small companies whose sources you can trust.
In fact, that's why we started this blog. To highlight new products and sales, of course, but also to introduce our wonderful customers to the people and companies behind the products they're purchasing.
