Galapagos, Charlestown
Mention “Westerly” and “fashion” in the same sentence and people typically envision prep staples like seersucker and Lily Pulitzer or the requisite beachwear of flip-flops and swimsuits. That is not at all the case at Galapagos boutique. Albeit located just across the town line in Charlestown, Galapagos is close enough and more than cool enough to merit mention here, as owner Sandra Lanning has assembled a collection of clothes and accessories for the serious shopper. Where to begin? Shoes by Marc Fisher. Velvet pants by Avenue Montaigne. For the gents, a line of crisp, smart selections from London clothier Ted Baker. The list goes on and on. Yet, the charm and fun of the store is the enthusiasm and eye that Sandra and her staff bring to mixing and matching and creating ensembles, particularly on the fabulous second floor, which stocks daring styles one would expect to find in Boston or New York, not in a historic house out where coastal Rhode Island starts to get rural. But Galapagos isn’t just a store, it’s the mothership of craft coffee roaster Dave’s Coffee, which is sold along with other beverages and pastries in a cafe that exhibits the stones and beams of the building’s ancient interior. Galapagos: It isn’t near anything. Getting there involves curious U-turns. But once you’re there, it will take the jaws of life to get you out.
By Dan Pearson
5193 Old Post Rd, Charlestown
