Charlottesville Shopping

This shop has 250 titles of books—including one of the most comprehensive selections of Jefferson-related books and some very comfortable reading chairs. I sat in one waiting for my sister to finish browsing. Other departments of the store contain exclusive Monticello reproductions, educational games and toys, home décor pieces, Virginia wines, gourmet food products, posters and prints, collectibles, and souvenirs.

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Mountaintop Museum Shop is located along Mulberry Row, south of the Monticello House. The modern building is attached to the office and charming stone dwelling - the Workman's House. To be honest the architecture of those buildings was more interesting for me than the items they sold in the shop: a lot of various gifts and items related to Monticello, Thomas Jefferson and his times.

What to buy: If you are on a budget hide your credit card and do window shopping. Otherwise... I paid attention to some books, CDs with revolutionary music and DVD on Monticello.

What to pay: As usual in US museum shops everything is either expensive or very expensive. CDs cost some $15 up, DVD almost $30, books over $20, T-shirt over... 20$; I can make the writing MONTICELLO on my printer :-).

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This open-air shop - located near the ticket office - offers numerous plants and seeds including of some historic plants unavailable from commercial sources. I didn't buy anything there. It's illegal to import any plants or seeds to my country.

What to buy: The plants offered on sale depend on a season. I liked some white and red roses in fall.

What to pay: $6 - $15 per plant.

This is a family owned shop where they care as much about the customer as they do about the flowers they are selling. Folks still stop in just to chat in the middle of the afternoon, and Elaine and Sharon are never too busy to answer your personal questions or requests. Can't afford to pay the price as listed on the website? Elaine will make sure to find you an appropriate arrangement in your budget....now that's service!

What to buy: Any fresh flower arrangements, plants, or balloons for any occasion.

What to pay: Prices are fair and they will work with your specific budget.

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Every attraction nowadays has a gift shop and Monticello is no different. I did like this gift shop though since it had a nice variety of items ranging from books, wine, Christmas decorations, food items, furniture, clothing and home accents.

I did find a few things I like here and bought an antique style globe as well as a book of Colonial sailing. Liz was eying a piece of furniture but was unsure how it would fit in our house and compliment the other furnishings. Well be back if she really wants it.

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An eight-block Main Street pedestrian mall and narrow side streets (beware of confusing one-way roads) offer a lot of small - European style - boutiques and shops. Among them Van Dyke Goldsmith offers wide selection of custom gold, platinum, and silver jewelry created on premises.

What to buy: Urszula likes silver jewelry and she liked some silver works there. Although there is much better choice in gold than in silver jewelry there.

What to pay: I am not sure about jewelry prices in the USA, but the yellow and white gold and silver works of art seemed to me very expensive (I remember gold bracelets for over $1,000).

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The shop located in Monticello Visitors Center offers a lot of various gifts and items related to Monticello, Thomas Jefferson and his times: books, CDs, DVDs, furnitures, decoratives, ornaments, toys, collectibles etc.

What to buy: If you are on a budget hide your credit card and do window shopping. Otherwise... I paid attention to some books, CDs with revolutionary music, DVD on Monticello and mahogany-and-brass telescopes (copy of those used by Jefferson).

What to pay: As usual in US museum shops everything is either expensive or very expensive. CDs cost some $15 up, DVD almost $30, books over $20, T-shirt over... 20$ (I can make the writing on my printer :-), the Jefferson's telescope around $200.

This is the official store for Monticello. It includes books, table items as well as gifts and children's books and toys all with a Monticello/Colonial America theme.

What to buy: Nothing is cheap here, but look for the sale items. The best "bargains" are things like potholders and tea-towels with the symbol of hospitality, the pineapple, on them.