BAY OF QUINTE SHOPPING GUIDE
A Day of Shopping in Brighton
Brighton is the kind of place where you can park the car, grab a coffee and spend a few hours wandering from shop to shop without needing a shopping mall or a carefully planned itinerary.
Browse two independent bookstores, try on something new, hunt for antiques, discover specialty shops you didn’t know existed and pick up something local to take home. Add lunch, a sweet treat or a stroll through the downtown and you’ve got an easy-going day trip in the Bay of Quinte.
The best part? You never quite know what you’ll find.
Read time: 3 min
AT A GLANCE
DURATION
Half Day
WHERE
Downtown Brighton + nearby stops
BEST FOR
Shopping, food lovers, vintage hunters, book worms and nature lovers
BEST TIME
Year-round, with seasonal shopping and markets throughout the year
1. First there's coffee
Ease into the day with a coffee before you start browsing.
Lola's Cafe
Ease into the day with coffee and something good to eat before you start browsing. Lola’s sits right on Main Street, making it an easy first stop before you work your way through Brighton’s shops.
1. Start with Coffee
Ease into the day with a coffee before you start browsing.
Parris & Co. Coffee Bar
23 Main Street, Brighton,
Parris & Co. Coffee Bar is right on Main Street, and the downtown has several other cafés and food stops.
HOT TIP: Give yourself more time than you think. Parris & Co. is attached to an art gallery, so even your coffee stop comes with a worthy distraction. In Brighton, you never quite know what you’ll find around the next corner.
2. Browse the Bookshops
Brighton has something you don’t find in every small town: two independent bookstores, each with a completely different personality.
Lighthouse Books
Browse new and used books, Canadian titles and plenty of options for readers of all ages at this independent Main Street bookstore.
It’s a good stop for the book lover on your list — and an even better excuse to pick up something for yourself.
Good for: Books, gifts and readers of all ages.
Walking Owl Books
If you prefer your books with a little treasure hunting, head to Walking Owl Books.
This independent used bookstore is all about browsing the shelves and seeing what turns up. You might walk in looking for one particular title and walk out with something you didn’t know existed.
Good for: Used books, unexpected finds and people who love the hunt.
3. Shop the Boutiques
Brighton’s downtown is home to independent clothing and lifestyle boutiques where you’ll find fashion, footwear, accessories and Canadian-made pieces without the big-box shopping experience.
Willow Lifestyle Boutique
Look for Canadian-made clothing, accessories and lifestyle pieces at this Main Street boutique.
Good for: Canadian-made fashion and accessories.
G Boyd Boutique
Browse clothing, footwear and accessories at this independent Main Street boutique.
Good for: Fashion and shoes
The Clan Shoppe
A Brighton fixture since 1984, The Clan Shoppe is an independent women’s clothing boutique carrying everyday pieces, sportswear, dressier looks and accessories.
Good for: Women’s fashion and accessories.
4. Find Something You Didn't Know You Needed
Some of the best shopping stops aren’t the ones you go looking for. They’re the ones you stumble across and immediately wonder how you lived without.
Special Effects Lifestyle Boutique & Tearoom
Housed in a beautifully restored 1850s building, Special Effects combines women’s fashion and accessories with home décor, design pieces, gourmet products and a tearoom.
It’s the kind of shop where you can go in for a browse and come out with something completely unexpected.
Good for: Home décor, fashion, gifts and gourmet finds.
The Birdhouse Nature Store
For something a little different, stop at The Birdhouse Nature Store for bird feeders, seed, binoculars, nature-inspired gifts and other supplies for enjoying the outdoors.
You don’t have to be a serious birder. You just have to like the idea of bringing a little more nature home with you.
Good for: Birders, gardeners, nature lovers and unusual gifts.
Echelon Hobbies
Remember when hobbies meant actually making things?
Echelon Hobbies is the stop for model trains, RC vehicles, miniatures, model kits and other supplies for people who like to build, collect and tinker.
Good for: Hobbyists, collectors, kids and grown-ups who never quite grew out of playing with cool stuff.
5. Shop for Something Delicious
Shopping works up an appetite. Luckily, Brighton has a few places where you can turn your shopping trip into a food stop, too.
Northumberland Fine Food
This specialty food shop is a must for food lovers, with gourmet ingredients, cheese, meats, pantry finds and other goodies worth taking home.
It’s also a great place to find a gift for the person who would rather receive really good cheese than another candle.
Good for: Food lovers, hosts, cooks and edible gifts.
Cheer Farms
Make a stop at this family-owned farm market for seasonal produce, baked goods, locally sourced products and gifts.
Pick up something for the trip home — or something that reminds you of Brighton once you’re back in your own kitchen.
Good for: Local food, farm products and edible gifts.
Codrington Farmers' Market
If you’re visiting on a Sunday during market season, make the short drive to Codrington Farmers’ Market for local produce, baked goods, preserves, handmade goods and other farm-market finds.
6. Pick Up Something Local
Before you head home, leave a little room in the car because Brighton has plenty of smaller shops and makers where you can find handmade pieces, gifts, self-care products, décor and other locally made goods.
Wish Etc.
A mix of florals, rustic furniture, décor, entertaining pieces and gifts makes this a good stop for something pretty to take home.
Butler Creek Studios
Look for self-care products, unique gifts and seasonal flowers grown at the studio.
Saucy Dotty's Gourmet Sauce
For something you can add to your pantry when you get home, look for locally made sauces and specialty products from Saucy Dotty’s.
7. Go Treasure Hunting
If vintage, antiques and one-of-a-kind finds are more your speed, leave some room in the car.
Marion's Antiques
Browse antiques, vintage furniture, collectibles and décor at this long-standing Brighton shop.
You never really know what you’ll find, which is precisely the point.
Good for: Antiques, vintage décor, furniture and collectors.
Uncle Joe's Attic
Think of this as the treasure-hunt portion of your shopping day.
Browse vintage furniture, collectibles, lighting, wall art and all sorts of things that weren’t on your shopping list until you saw them.
Good for: Vintage finds, collectibles and people who love a good rummage.
More Places to Hunt for Vintage Finds
If you’ve still got time — or you’re the kind of person who can’t walk past an antique shop — check out:
Looking for more? Explore our guide to Vintage, Antique & Thrift Shopping in the Bay of Quinte.
8. Make a Day of It
The shopping is only part of the appeal. Once you’ve worked your way through Main Street and the surrounding shops, stop for lunch or a sweet treat, take a stroll through the downtown or make the short drive to Presqu’ile Provincial Park →
Brighton’s location makes it easy to combine a few hours of shopping with a walk, a beach stop or a little time outdoors.
Because sometimes the best shopping day is the one that doesn’t feel like a shopping day at all.
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