BAY OF QUINTE SHOPPING GUIDE
A Day of Shopping in Quinte West
Quinte West is a good place to shop when you’d rather spend the day discovering local businesses than circling the same handful of big-box stores. Start in downtown Trenton, where independent boutiques, bookstores, galleries, vintage shops and specialty stores line the streets around the Trent River and Bay of Quinte.
Then venture a little farther afield for local markets, specialty shops and hidden gems around the city. From something new for your wardrobe to vintage treasures, locally made gifts and something delicious to take home, there’s plenty to discover when you shop your way through Quinte West.
The best part? It’s a little bit of everything — and that’s the fun of it!
Read time: 3 min
AT A GLANCE
DURATION
Half Day
WHERE
Downtown Trenton + nearby Quinte West stops
BEST FOR
Explorers, vintage hunters, collectors and gift shoppers
BEST TIME
Year-round, with seasonal shopping and markets throughout the year
First, there's Doughnuts
Because if you don’t do it first thing, you will learn the hard way that Wannamakers closes at 2 p.m. (Closed Sunday & Monday too)
Wannamakers Bakeshop
Your shopping day needs a sugar hit, so make a stop at Wannamaker’s. This family-run bakeshop is known for its oversized donuts, cinnamon buns, cookies, cupcakes and other made-from-scratch treats. Start here — and maybe you’ll have something left for the ride home.
Good for: Donuts, cinnamon buns and all sorts of baked treats.
And then there's coffee
Ease into the day with a coffee before you start browsing.
Benji's Coffee Bar
If you know the original Belleville location, you’ll recognize the familiar coffee-bar vibe here: this is Benji’s second location, bringing its coffee, specialty drinks and baked goods to downtown Trenton.
Grab a coffee before you start shopping, or save it for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up when you need to refuel.
Good for: Coffee, specialty drinks and baked goods.
Closed Sundays
Now, we browse
Brighton has something you don’t find in every small town: two independent bookstores, each with a completely different personality.
Wish Home Interiors
If your version of souvenir shopping involves something that makes your house look better, make a stop at Wish Home Interiors. Browse furniture, décor and home accents for a little inspiration — or a piece you absolutely have to take home.
Good for: Furniture, home décor and gifts.
Philosophy Boutique
Pop into Philosophy Boutique for a curated mix of gifts, accessories and lifestyle finds. It’s the sort of independent shop where you can go in looking for a gift and come out with something for yourself.
Good for: Gifts, accessories, home décor and little luxuries.
DISCOVERY A HIDDEN ART GEM
Bert Small Art Gallery
One of downtown Trenton’s best little surprises is tucked inside Riverside Music. The Bert Small Art Gallery showcases the work of prominent Canadian artist Bert Small, and admission is free.
It’s an easy stop to add to your shopping day — and exactly the kind of place you might walk right past if you didn’t know it was there.
Good for: Art lovers, local history and discovering something unexpected.
Shop for Something a Little Different
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.
Crafted Creations
This is one of the best stops for shopping local. Crafted Creations brings together the work of local makers under one roof, with handmade jewellery, pottery, candles, artwork, woodworking, clothing, bath and body products, crochet, handbags and plenty more.
If you need a gift that doesn’t look like you grabbed it on the way to the checkout, start here.
Good for: Handmade gifts, local makers, art and one-of-a-kind finds.
The Geek Shack
For the collector in your life — or the collector you are — make a stop at The Geek Shack. This fandom-focused shop is packed with pop-culture merchandise, toys, collectibles and gifts.
Good for: Collectibles, toys, fandoms and gifts for people who are impossible to shop for.
Larocque Lighting
Canadian owned and operated, Larocque Lighting & Boutique offers hand-designed lighting, unique gifts and home décor at friendly prices. You’ll also find a selection of handmade Newfoundland treasures and special finds from “the Rock” — perfect for adding a little personality to your home or finding a gift with a story.
Good for: Hand-designed lighting, home décor, unique gifts and Newfoundland treasures.
Don't forget a new outfit
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.
Vivacious Clothing & Day Spa
Vivacious combines women’s fashion with an on-site day spa, making this more than your average clothing stop. The boutique carries a wide range of sizes and highlights Canadian-made and Canadian-designed brands.
Good for: Women’s fashion, Canadian-made clothing, accessories and a little retail therapy.
The Red Shark
For classic menswear, The Red Shark has been a downtown Trenton fixture for generations. Stop in when the shopping list calls for something a little more polished than the everyday wardrobe.
Good for: Men’s clothing and classic wardrobe staples.
Bruinix Jewellers
If your shopping list calls for something a little more sparkly, stop at Bruinix Jewellers. This family-run business has been serving the Quinte area since 1955, with new and pre-owned jewellery, diamonds, gold and estate pieces.
Good for: Jewellery, gifts and keepsakes.
J&B Books: TWO LOCATIONS = TWICE THE TREASURE
J&B Books has been a downtown Trenton favourite for more than 30 years, and its two locations each have something different to discover.
J&B Books Hobby Store
From TCG to sports cards, find everything you need for your hobby in one convenient place. The ultimate destination for collectors.
Good for: Card collectors, comic books, gaming products and supplies.
J&B Books Book Store
Indulge in the world of books with our range of both new and used titles. Find the perfect gift for the bookworm in your life.
Good for: New and used books, and book-ish gifts.
But, what about food!
Shopping works up an appetite. Luckily, you don’t have to go far to find something good to eat. Downtown Trenton has plenty of options for a proper lunch, a quick bite or a coffee break, with even more stops just outside the core.
Tomasso's Italian Grille
A Trenton favourite since 1970, Tomasso’s serves up Italian-inspired comfort food, homemade pasta, pizza, seafood and steaks right on the banks of the Trent River. Settle in for lunch and make the waterfront setting part of the experience.
Good for: Italian favourites, pizza, pasta and waterfront dining
The Counter
The Counter is made for a good lunch break, with soups, salads and generously stacked sandwiches made with quality ingredients. Grab a seat inside or, when the weather cooperates, do it al fresco.
Good for: Incredible sandwiches, soups, salads and a relaxed lunch
Kaleido Corner
Kaleido Corner brings the scratch-made cooking of Kaleidoscope into a casual café setting. Stop in for specialty coffee, fresh-baked goods, breakfast sandwiches, focaccia sandwiches and rotating lunch specials — a handy little refuelling stop right in the heart of downtown.
Good for: Coffee, baked goods, sandwiches and a quick take-away lunch
And for Dinner?
By the time you’ve finished shopping, the last thing you’ll want to do is go home and figure out dinner. So don’t. Pick something up along the way and let someone else do the cooking.
Trenton Deli & Bakery
Pick up everything you need to make it a good one. Trenton Deli & Bakery is packed with premium meats and cheeses, fresh-baked goods, specialty groceries and European favourites — perfect for building an easy dinner, putting together a grazing board or stocking the fridge for tomorrow.
Good for: Dinner ingredients, premium meats and cheeses, specialty groceries and European favourites.
Fawn Over Market
This chef-led market is packed with house-made prepared foods, specialty groceries, seasonal produce and local finds, including take-home dinners that make feeding a crowd considerably easier. Pre-order a family dinner, pick up a fresh-baked pizza or stock up on ingredients and treats while you’re there.
Good For: Take-home dinners, prepared foods, specialty groceries, local products, pizza and baked treats.
Quinte West Pop-Ups
If your shopping trip lines up with pop-up season, make a stop at Centennial Park. The City’s little waterfront shops bring together local makers, artists, food vendors and small businesses for a fun seasonal browse — with a summer series and a special holiday market around Christmas.
Good For: Local makers, unique gifts, food, treats and seasonal finds.
SUMMER POP-UPS
Summer brings the Pop-Ups to life at Centennial Park, with local makers, artists, food vendors and small businesses setting up in colourful waterfront cabins. Browse something new, grab a bite and enjoy a little shopping with a side of sunshine.
Good for: Local makers, art, food trucks, summer treats and waterfront browsing.
HOLIDAY POP-UPS
Come back at Christmas for the Holiday Pop-Ups, when the cabins get a festive makeover and local vendors return with gifts, handmade finds, treats and plenty of holiday cheer. It’s a charming little stop for ticking a few names off your Christmas list.
Good for: Christmas gifts, handmade goods, stocking stuffers, festive treats and shopping local.
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