Wellfleet Crafts Gallery — Attraction in Wellfleet

What’s not to love about Wellfleet Crafts? My wife and I happened in there completely by accident just before closing - after a performance of “Church” by the Harbor Stage Company. Everything is by individual artisans working all over America – not China – making beautiful things for short money – and apparently making a living at it. Imagine that, creativity and manufacturing in this country – for which there may be hope yet. For that feeling alone, I could love this place. And these individual artists are identified by name and by links in the Wellfleet Crafts website – in an almost unheard of act of generosity and accountability.

My only regret was being unable to decide what to buy before having to let the proprietor go home for the night. So what were his last words as we left his shop? That the next time we were in Wellfleet we absolutely had to try the authentic French bakery PB Boulangerie Bistro on Lecount Hollow Rd in South Wellfleet.

A note: Sometimes you come across a dead wrong review on a product you love and know intimately. I assume such complaints are the work of a unethical competitor - or a thorough crank. Then again, as developing good taste requires considerable effort, we can hardly expect everyone to respond well to authentic and beautiful things. Which makes it all the more wonderful that the town of Wellfleet and such gems as Wellfleet Crafts continue...

My family has been coming to Cape Code for more than 20 years. Usually, we stay in Wellfleet. If not, we make sure to visit downtown and spend time in the shops we love. This used to be one of them. Ownership appears to have changed, and not for the better. My 13-year old daughter let my wife and I know the man behind the counter had been staring at her and watching her every move while we were in the shop. We left and entered the shop next door. He followed us there and spoke to the woman behind the counter, at which point her eyes began to follow our daughter around her shop. We left and waited outside as our daughter described her discomfort with the situation. A minute later the first shop owner exited the neighboring store. My wife politely explained to him that our daughter wasn’t trying to steal anything to put his mind at ease. The proper response would be something along the lines of, “I’m sorry. No one intended her to feel that way. It’s just a misunderstanding.” Instead, he immediately grew defensive, snapped at my wife and demanded she apologize to him! I run one of the largest vintage toy stores in the Midwest. If one of my employees had made a child feel so uncomfortable that her parents felt compelled to say something, and his response was to demand a public apology from the customer, he would no longer be...

Very nice proprietor; he was very friendly and knowledgeable and even suggested that I bring my dogs inside, as they were waiting for me in the car. He gave them treats and had also offered to mind my fiesty one while I shopped!

Offered within, is a nice selection of Made in America ceramics, posters, linens, jewelry and some food items. It was my first time within the shop after regularly vacationing on the Cape for many many years, and I was delighted to discover what will be a new "annual stop" in the future.

Side note: The petty, negative comments a few have posted, were due to a controversial garment one shopper had chosen to wear into the shop, which could have been interpreted as offensive and polarizing to other customers. The proprietor had every right to insure that all of his customers have a pleasant shopping experience. Moral of the story? Don't...