For some holiday shoppers, the act of shopping is a labor of love. For others, it’s a trying, stressful experience they’d rather avoid. Adding to the stress of finding the perfect gift can be the hectic nature of the modern American mall experience that can further exacerbate the trials of holiday shopping.

But, in Bridgton, where Main Street forms a sort of outdoor mall, you’ll find both kinds of shoppers – the wandering and the purpose-driven – enjoying the various shops and eateries as they make the rounds in search of memorable gifts.

According to shop owners and shoppers alike, Bridgton has a lot to offer – just as much, they say, in terms of uniquely Maine gifts, as the famous Maine Mall in South Portland. Shoppers have begun realizing the benefits that Bridgton’s downtown offers, and many have found interesting gifts in their backyard that rival any that can be purchased in the big boxes closer to Portland.

“This area has grown rapidly in the last few years, but I still really think that Bridgton is still a secret. People don’t realize the gem that Bridgton shopping offers,” said Greater Bridgton Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Mike McClellan.

McClellan sees Bridgton as a throwback to a quieter time when shopping for bargains at crowded malls wasn’t the “reason for the season.”

“The Christmas season has devolved into something that’s just about shopping, but when you come to Bridgton, it’s like an old-time Christmas,” McClellan said. “People are friendly. It’s not a box in the middle of nowhere. These are people’s homes that you’re shopping in, and they’re here year after year. It’s a little slower up here and people like that.”

The Bridgton Loop

Bridgton’s Main Street shopping district, starting at the right-hand turn near Food City and extending about a half-mile to the steep hill near Highland Lake, makes a perfect loop for any Christmas shopper. By walking up one side of the street and back down the other, shoppers can get a workout and perhaps some perfect presents that’ll make someone’s holiday brighter.

The first thing shoppers need is a parking spot to stow their car. There are plenty of options. There’s a “Shoppers’ Parking” area next to the Bridgton Pharmacy just as you come onto the strip. There are other parking lots tucked behind stores. Pretty much each side road you come to will lead to available parking. Some shops offer small parking lots of their own. And there’s always on-street parking along Route 302.

Once you’ve found your spot, it’s time to get the “Bridgton Mall” tour going. Starting at the Big Kahuna CafA?© at the end of the strip, which is closed in the winter, we first run into Bridgton General Store. The antiques store is accessed by appointment only, as a sign on the door states.

Moving on, we come to the Laughing Moon Boutique at 262 Main Street. Nancy Patterson of Massachusetts owns the “local spirit shop,” as Manager Jen Thorne describes the colorful shop. The store offers everything from one-of-a-kind jewelry and Tibetan prayer flags to hippie dresses and beads.

Next up is Wales & Hamblen, which unfortunately went out of business about a month ago. But former owner Lynne Talbot has strong opinions of the Bridgton shopping experience: “I haven’t shopped at the mall in four or five years. I shop Bridgton. You can get everything here. You can’t beat it.”

Making their way west along the wide sidewalk, shoppers needing a boost could stop at a trio of restaurants that spring up in a row on the north-side of the street: Bridgton House of Pizza, Bridgton Coffee or Chao Thai Restaurant. Bridgton Coffee is a new shop and offers everything a Starbucks would. And owner Art Basse says of his creation: “It’s a great place to be.”

Next up on Main Street is Bridgton Pharmacy, Key Bank, the Bridgton United Methodist Church (built in 1869) and TD Banknorth. Even the banks in Bridgton look quaint, and for Christmas shoppers quick access to cash is a must, so shoppers must say “thanks for the banks.”

Next up is Maine Street Graphics. Graphics Director Mody Botros says the company can make custom mugs, T-shirts, and apparel stenciled with whatever’s a shopper desires.

Next door is Ruby Food Chinese Cuisine. Tim Mui, who lived in China and now resides in Waterville, owns the restaurant which offers cozy tables and a wide range of Chinese choices.

Bridgton’s classic-looking downtown shopping area is now in sight. Bridgton is one of the last classic downtowns in Maine with a wide variety of shops and eateries. Shoppers can now see Reny’s across the street and the old Magic Lantern down the street a ways. But before hitting the familiar Reny’s store, there are lots of interesting boutiques yet to be explored on the north side of Main Street.

Keeping on with our circuitous path up one side of Maine Street and down the other, we come to Down Home & Company, owned by Lucinda O’Brien. The shop offers locally crafted sweaters, hats, mittens and scarves, spinning wheels, needles, tole paintings and hand-spun yarns to sewing enthusiasts.

Judilyn’s comes up next. According to friendly owner Judilyn Green of Denmark, the store offers “high end shoes but not high-end prices. The “irresistible” ladies shoes come from Italy, Brazil and Spain. Scarves and jewelry complete the offering.

Longplayer Stereo and Home Theatre Center is next door to the shoe store and offers everything you’d need in that department. Main Street Variety is next and offers another eating possibility for weary shoppers. It provides all your favorite grill items, candy, chips, soda with tables to sit and enjoy them.

The Flower Pot, owned by Nona Gilman of Bridgton, is next on the Bridgton shopping tour. At 142 Main Street, this store offers cut flowers, arrangements, plants, ornaments, cards, statues, wreaths, silk and dried Christmas arrangements.

One of the anchors of the downtown Bridgton shopping district has to be Bridgton Books. In business for 12 years under owners Justin and Pam Ward of Lovell, the comfortable store offers a wide range of books, magazines, newspapers, music, and a healthy bargain book section.

Moving on, the Alleluia Gift Shop next to The Bridgton News offers religious gift items ranging from statuettes and books to pillows and artwork.

Next in line is Gallery 302, an artist’s cooperative that offers museum quality works of art by local and regional artists. If you aren’t looking to buy pieces of art for Christmas gifts, it’s worth a stop just to see the beauty inside. And who knows, you may see just the thing for that hard-to-buy-for character on your gift list.

Another anchor in downtown Bridgton has to be The Cool Moose, owned by Adria and Fletcher Carr of Bridgton. Manager Sarah Lowell says the store, which offers two floors of souvenirs, clothing, jewelry, children’s books, Vera Bradley quilted bags, Burt’s Beeswax products, and Crabtree & Evelyn bath and body products, was founded in 1968 and was recently expanded.

“A lot of people come back every year to get their cool moose goods,” Lowell said. “A lot of people remember coming here as kids and they bring their kids and grandkids.”

At the end of the Main Street strip is The Shops at the Maine Difference. The Shops is an amalgam of six stores owned by dynamic Bridgton businesswomen. Combining their distinct offerings into a fun shopping experience, the newly renovated layout of an old farmhouse and attached barn allows shoppers to roam from room to room finding new and different treasures in each room.

As you come in the front door, to your right is Home, owned by Anne Overman. Home offers mainly kitchen and home dA?©cor items. To your left as you come in the front door is country antique store Ezekiels, owned by Donna Lord.

Upstairs is Simply Relax, owned by Jessica Church, a licensed massage therapist. Those who need a break from shopping to restore their vitality may need a few minutes to allow Church to loosen them up their shopping muscles.

In the middle of the building is Angel’s Flight, owned by Deb Snyder, an active member of the Greater Bridgton Lake Region Chamber of Commerce. She describes the store as a “mystical journey of spirit and whimsy” offering readings and spiritual gift items.

Down a hallway toward the back of the building is Mainely Gift Baskets & More, owned by Lisa and Robert Dunning of Naples. The store offers custom-made gift baskets. Clients pick out what they want in the basket from an assortment of Maine-made syrups, coffees, cookies, pancake mixes and spreads, and the Dunnings take care of the rest.

Next door is Sweet Peas, owned by Sarah Anderson of Bridgton. Sweet Peas is a gift boutique offering “affordable luxuries” such as French soaps, handbags, baby items, gifts and jewelry. The owner, a former staffer at ABC News with Peter Jennings, is a big proponent of shopping locally rather than at big boxes.

“Small stores are shutting down left and right because of big box stores,” Anderson said. “People think they’re getting good deals but really they don’t know that small retailers can offer competitive prices and offer uniqueness that you can’t get at big boxes. People need to explore the little shops in their own community before giving up and going to the big box stores.”

If you go any farther on this side of the street, you’ll probably end up swimming in Highland Lake, so now that we’ve hit the half-way portion of our shopping journey, let’s cross over to the south side of Main Street and come back down the opposite side of the street.

The first store we come to is Craftworks, owned by Judith Evergreen. The store offers home dA?©cor items, women’s high-end clothing, Stonewall Kitchen jams, Lovell Designs jewelry, a wine selection and out-of-print bargain books. In summer months, the attached former church building is open, but in the winter, the store focuses on their main building adjacent to the church.

Moving on, we go by the gas station and summer-only outfitter and into Blueberries & ME, a purveyor of mostly Maine products. The store is owned by Elaine Kilborn of Bridgton. Opening in 2000, the store offers Silver Forest jewelry, Union Pottery, The Cat’s Meow products, Village Candles, and Christmas ornaments. There’s also a nice selection of embroidered pillows, snow globes and puzzles, as well as moose-related gifts.

“For those who don’t want to go to the mall and buy, they can come to Bridgton and walk around just like they used to. It’s a classic hometown,” said Elaine’s husband Art who tends the shop when he’s not busy running the pro shop at Bridgton Highlands Country Club.

Walking east now, we head past the currently under-construction Magic Lantern Theater and into arguably the main anchor in Bridgton, Reny’s. Reny’s is Maine’ s homegrown version of Wal-Mart in that it has everything one could need from household needs to clothing of all sorts.

After spending awhile perusing Reny’s wide offerings, shoppers can come back outside and into CafA?© DeCarlo, the Internet cafA?© with the most Internet hookups in Maine, according to owner Dennis Lone. Employee Lucas Damen will whip you up 54 different varieties of Carrabassett coffee, which can be enjoyed with a bagel, pastry or muffin.

All warmed up both inside and out, we head back out in the cold December weather, and if it’s between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday or 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, don’t miss the Bridgton Hospital Guild Thrift Shop for some good Christmas items.

Next door is another anchor of the Bridgton strip, the very visible Corn Chop Trading Company. Owner Mark Grenda offers shoppers everything an old-fashioned country store would including moose-related stuff, bumper stickers, antique “lodge-look” items, maple syrup, jams and jellies, Native American jewelry. The store also features a stocking stuffer bar.

Next door at 203 Main Street is Hezekiah’s Cupboard, owned by Janet Valley. Open Friday through Sunday, the store mostly features rubber stamps for scrapbooking. Old fashioned bottles, high-quality handcrafted shawls, table clothes, mats and doilies can also be found.

Near the top of the small hill on Main Street in Bridgton near the old fire hose hanging building (for lack of a better description) is The Lamp and Shade Shop, owned by Dale and Carol Honaberger. As the name implies, the store, in business for 18 years, sells fine-quality handcrafted shades and lamps.

Down the street from the lamp shop is Chapter #11 Job Lots, owned by Bob Dinan, the son of Bob’s Discount’s owner. Located in the former AG food store, Dinan offers “everything” from clocks and sweaters to mops, fancy scarves and office supplies. Downstairs is a wide selection of furniture.

Behind Chapter #11 is Warren’s Florist, owned by Warren Libby of Limington. Libby’s offers Christmas shoppers flowers, plants, gifts, candy, balloons, cards and centerpieces.

If you find your stomach is growling, you should stop into Ricky’s Diner, next door to the flower shop. With 1950s style tables and famous 50s movie stars looking down from the walls, the cafA?© owned by Bridgton resident Rick Lewis offers a yummy selection of homemade pies and brownies, not to mention a “massive menu for a diner.”

If you need a haircut, a good place to do it in Bridgton is Durf’s Barber Shop, owned by John Durfee of Bridgton. Durfee has been cutting hair for 35 years, and, at $10, it’s not a bad deal to trim those scraggly locks before you find yourself under some seasonal Mistletoe.

The last stop on our shopping tour of Bridgton is Pegalegpete’s Leather. Owner Peg Marston offers her patrons motorcycle-related clothing including jackets, vests, T-shirts, hooded sweatshirts, hats and gloves. Special items include Luminex wristwatches, fancy Las Vegas-style slot machines and motorcycle patches.

Bridgton has much to offer Christmas shoppers and while this loop represents the bulk of the downtown shop offerings, there are other restaurants and shops located outside this downtown area that require a visit. (Tom’s Homestead Restaurant, and Black Horse Tavern are just a few such offerings.)

So, when you find yourself driving north rather than south this Christmas season – away from the hustle and bustle and city lights – just remember you’re getting a little closer to the magical North Pole with each mile you drive toward Bridgton, a shopping alternative to the Maine Mall.