Essex, Massachusetts has one of the most concentrated and varied shopping scenes on the North Shore, and it earns its reputation as one of New England’s premier antique destinations. More than a dozen shops line Main Street and the surrounding streets, with several of the town’s antique dealers supplying collectors, interior designers, and institutions across the country and beyond.

David Neligan Antiques has been a fixture since 1992, specialising in English and European furniture from the 17th through 19th centuries. Perim Lang Antiques occupies a beautifully restored former church on Eastern Avenue and has been featured in Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, and The New York Times. A.P.H. Waller and Sons brings nearly four decades of expertise to American and European antiques, with a particular strength in Cape Ann fine art. Andrew Spindler Antiques and Design, Howard’s Flying Dragon, and The Scrapbook round out an antique offering that is without equal on Cape Ann.

Beyond the antiques, Essex has a shopping scene that consistently surprises first-time visitors. We Dream in Colour designs and handmakes its jewelry collection in a 1740 building on Main Street, shipping pieces worldwide from a studio that has won Best of Boston recognition. Caus brings carefully curated slow fashion and handpicked vintage to 165 Main Street. Found Design Studio runs both a respected interior architecture practice and a retail shop from a restored 19th-century building at 67 Main Street. Diamonds and Rust offers vintage furniture, coastal home goods, and clothing with a distinctly Cape Ann sensibility. And The White Barn on John Wise Avenue brings a designer’s eye to consignment furniture, art, rugs, and home accessories.

Essex rewards browsers and serious buyers alike. Most shops are open year-round, though hours vary by season.