The Secrets of the Eastern Shore Pop Up Shop is back! Located at 412 Race Street in downtown Cambridge, Maryland, it’s a seasonal celebration of the stories, scenery, traditions, and artistry of the region.
The Pop Up Shop is chock full of fun finds and gift items, many of which you won’t find anywhere else. Think breathtaking photos of sweet Shore scenes, one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces, whimsical paintings of wildlife, fun regional travel books, Shore-themed greeting cards, collectibles from days gone by, and lots of other gift items to boot.
Starting Sat., Nov. 18 and running through Sun., Jan. 14. The store is open Wednesdays through Sundays, 11-ish to 6-ish. The location is right across from the famous Crab Basket Christmas Tree in downtown Cambridge.
Of special interest coming up:
• Ladies’ Night is coming up on Thursday, Jan. 11. Our store and neighboring stores downtown will be open late, with post-holiday specials running in the 4-7pm window.
• The downtown Second Saturday festivities are comig up on Sat., Jan. 13, with our store and our neighboring stores open until at least 8pm.
Here is a little sampling of what you will find inside the Secrets of the Eastern Shore Holiday Pop Up Shop:
PHOTOS by Jill Jasuta Photography …
Jill’s sweet scenes come in all manner of cool variations, including:
• Matted Prints
• Framed Prints
• Canvas Wraps (our favorite!)
• Metal Prints
• Wood Blocks
• Greeting Cards
• Magnets
The title she put on the one here is “Morning Commute.”
BOOKS by Secrets of the Eastern Shore’s Jim Duffy
Duffy is the author of Eastern Shore Road Trips: 27 One-Day Adventures on Delmarva.
He is also the author of Tubman Travels: 32 Underground Railroad Journeys on Delmarva.
Both books have ranked among the top sellers in area bookstores and online at Amazon. Signed copies are always available at the Secrets of the Eastern Shore Pop Up Shop. Personalized autographs are available during special events and whenever Duffy is manning the register.
Eastern Shore Themed CHRISTMAS CARDS
The pair pictured below are just samples. You can see the whole Secrets of the Eastern Shore holiday card collection here.
PAINTED CRAB SHELLS
…by the Kent Island artist Amy Marlett–they make
perfect seasonal ornaments!
More Fun GREETING CARDS
… by the Salisbury artist Colbi Custis, …
… and the Tyaskin painter Jenell Willey (wrapped in a bundle, below left) … and the Salisbury artist Rachel Alvarez, who makes sweet images in state shapes like the decal (below right), which is also available as a card …
One-of-a-Kind Jewelry
… by the Cambridge artist Joyce Ritz, aka Souly Joyce
Artworks & Prints
Artist Christi Messick lives way down below in South Dorchester County. As you can see, that landscape is her inspiration when working on wood cuts and paintings …
… The aforementioned Jenell Willey and Rachel Alvarez are represented not just in the greeting card aisle, but in the art gallery corner as well. That’s Jenell’s framed crab piece at left. You are going to have to visit in person and see all of the individual state scenes in Rachel’s map in order to truly appreciate it–it’s in a matted print format.
Painted WINE GLASSES 
… Jenell Willey is the one who painted these fun glasses …
Old-time TREASURES
The Cambridge artist and collector Kevin Davidson sorted through his incredible collection of regional memorabilia and picked out a few gems for the Pop Up Shop. That horse up front is from the Hebron Fireman’s Carnival grounds way back in the day. There is a shoe box in the background here that came from the old Garner’s Shoe Store in Cambridge. There are stories behind every item …
A New Old School OYSTER TIN
The creative folks over at the Hoopers Island Oyster Co. have created a brand new collectible Oyster Tin in the spirit of the ones made in days gone by. Yup, we’re carrying the tin in the shop–artwork by Cambridge-based muralist Michael Rosatto.
CRAZY PEOPLE Make You Crazy
That is the title of a wise & funny self-help book by the Baltimore writer John Patterson that’s all about doing a better job of dealing with the Crazy People you are bound to encounter in your career. Perfect for loved ones struggling in the workplace, or even young folks getting started in their careers …
… and there is LOTS MORE to see, too
I snapped the last shot below in the midst of our frantic set-up, so I hope to get some photos of the final store up here soon.
• The store is located at 412 Race Street in downtown Cambridge.
• Hours are Wednesdays through Saturdays, 11-ish to 6-ish.
• Other days by chance or appointment: SecretsoftheEasternShore@gmail.com; 443.477.4490. Or by message on Facebook: Facebook.com/SecretsoftheEasternShore.
• We should be open during all of the holiday season special events planned for the downtown area. This includes Small Business Saturday on Nov. 25; the Cambridge-Dorchester Christmas Parade & Crab Basket Tree Lighting on Sat., Dec. 2; the Holiday Second Saturday festivities on Sat., Dec. 9; the New Year’s Eve Boat Drop on Dec. 31; the Second Saturday event on Jan. 13; and whatever else our creative friends at Cambridge Main Street come up with!
Merry Christmas!
