Gould is your go-to place for Great Gifts this Holiday!

If you know Gould, you know we focus on gifts, accessories and home decor that are handmade, local and very special! So many people think that such an assortment has to come with a hefty price tag, but it just aint so!

We have so many things to choose from: handmade ceramics and glassware, beautiful picture frames, jewelry by local artists, prints old and new.... whew. There's a lot here!


If you are looking for unique Christmas ornaments, search no further! These sweet little handmade glass orbs are just one style of handcrafted decorations we carry. We have these adorable glass kitty faces, so cute! And our colorful glass penguins will add a touch of whimsy to any tree. We have other holiday items, too, like our tin angels with crystal accents.... wait til you see the warm lights of Christmas reflect off them... beauty awaits!



We fell in love with these little prints, and we think you will too. There's a great variety of flower photographs, some traditional, some a little more artistic. A few more interesting images round out the collection. But what really made us appreciate them is the price! It's not easy to find beautiful framed prints at just $19.95, but these fit the bill! You can hang the 5x7 format frames, or use the included easel back to stand them on a table or shelf. A great gift to brighten someone's days throughout the year!




Now, if you are looking for something really unique, that you won't find anywhere else, check out our fabric mirrors! We have a great assortment of mirrors with fabric covered frames, all at just 24.95! For that person who loves to decorate, who already has everything, who looks for something a little different when accessorizing their home. A pop of pattern, a sense of fun, a touch of romance... it's all here at Gould!

Black Friday?

Everyone knows by now why today has this name... it was traditionally the day that retailers got out of the red and into the black in their accounting books. Now there is Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and wholesalers are giving Black Friday promotions to their buyers because of shorter lead times in getting product to the shelves.

Small retailers tend to get left out of all the Black Friday hooplah. Downtown, Main Street mom-and-pops; we're not in the malls. We don't benefit from all the media frenzy, the advertising onslaught, the walkby traffic. In fact, here at Gould, at 2pm on Black Friday, I have had three customers come in. Not exactly doorbusting.

And what are all those mall shoppers buying today? They are getting some good deals, on things that people want. But a lot of us small retailers think that the "Big Boxes" have so homogenized the market, people must be starting to get bored.

National grassroots campaigns like The 3/50 Project strive to impact people's shopping habits by giving them incentives to shop locally. Phoenixville merchants are launching our own 3/50 Project and continue to urge customers to look for the Local List coupon booklets around town. (Find more information on these programs at www.discoverphoenixville.com and www.the350project.net)

So what should you do tomorrow? When you've shopped the mall and are feeling dissatisfied and harried from that experience? When waiting in long lines, listening to blaring Christmas music, and being greeted, rung up and pushed out the door without even a smile, when all these things aren't enough anymore?

Find your nearest downtown shopping community, and SHOP! I guarantee you, it is a much more pleasant experience. Browsing more unique items, some that can't be found anywhere else, having an interaction with a store owner while they assist you in finding the perfect present for stuffy Aunt Martha... what could be a better shopping experience? Here at Gould, we will be serving some homemade cookies, and we sure do look forward to seeing you!

What better time to start this blog than the start of the Holiday Shopping season in Phoenixville, PA! Jeff and Christie are busy getting the storefront decorated and filled with new and exciting merchandise, as well as working on the early-bird Custom Framing and Printing orders that have come in for Christmas! Lots of exciting stuff to come...