Published February 6, 2026

Beyond the Throws: What You'll Find at Nantucket Looms

Since 1968, Nantucket Looms has welcomed visitors from near and far, earning its place as one of the island's most beloved destinations. Inside our Main Street shop, every corner tells a story. Furniture and home accents are thoughtfully chosen and arranged, showcasing pieces that capture the spirit of Nantucket, and treasures both timeworn and new.

From local paintings and worldly antiques to photography and contemporary carvings, every item is selected with care. Visitors often tell us they notice something new each time they return, whether it's been two years or two days. Our merchandising team loves to reimagine vignettes throughout the shop, highlighting handwoven creations, distinctive artwork, and the occasional funky find.

Customers remark that there is always something more to uncover — that hidden gems reveal themselves only after a few slow laps around the showroom. What they may not know is… we know. In true Nantucket Looms fashion, inspired by the philosophy of our founders and their successors, not everything is meant to be seen at once.

Here are a few of the things you might not expect to find on one of those leisurely laps around Nantucket Looms:

On-Site Artistry

Though we do our best to share it far and wide, many visitors don't realize that our handwoven throws, table linens, and apparel are created entirely by hand in our weaving studio on the second floor of 51 Main Street. Guests are welcome to step upstairs to see our impressive Macomber looms and watch our talented weavers at work — a rare opportunity to witness craftsmanship in real time.

Our weaving studio, located just above the shop. 

Custom Furniture Options

For decades, Nantucket Looms has proudly represented Lee Industries, a North Carolina–based maker of fine upholstered furniture. Our sales team is happy to assist customers in choosing from hundreds of styles — sofas, chairs, ottomans, benches, even beds — all available for shipment nationwide. A dedicated hallway in the shop showcases Lee's range of fabrics and styles, where guests can browse swatches, ask questions, and take samples home to consider.

Rara Avis

Always unique, often eccentric, sometimes downright peculiar — rare treasures have a way of finding their home within our walls. While our owners and buyers always have an eye out for exquisite antiques and curiosities, Nantucket Looms is also known for housing the occasional misfit.

Among our current favorites is a recently acquired Pretzel King shop sign. Admittedly ungainly, there's something fiercely compelling about the unusual patisserie advertising. Though its exact origins remain uncertain, the three-dimensional tin design likely dates to the late 1800s, when shopkeepers relied on symbols to convey meaning before literacy was widespread.

It's these types of vagaries that captured founders Bill Euler and Andy Oates, whose signature aesthetic wove together the refined and the unexpected. Today, our team of leading ladies continues the tradition — Liz Winship with her ever-growing collection of skulls, and Stephanie Hall with her trove of unusual advertising pots.

We love to incorporate antique flags in our shop and into our designs by Nantucket Looms Interiors Pretzel King antique sign. Give us a call for more info: 508-228-1908.

Gourmet Treats

Nantucket Looms not only offers serveware for the epicurean, we also stock a thoughtful selection of treats to enjoy on it. Local preserves celebrate flavors of the Cape and Islands, like Rose Hip and Beach Plum, as well as the universally timeless Hot Pepper. (For an easy hors d'oeuvre, spread it over goat or cream cheese on an Effie's Oatcake. This is a favorite snack of owner and master weaver Becky Peraner.)

Partner Bess Clark, raised in both the Nantucket Looms tradition and a family of food lovers, has always had a natural gift for entertaining and cooking. Her collaboration with longtime friend and cookbook author Sarah Chase led to the creation of the ultimate nut mix — a blend of nuts, dried cranberries, and wasabi peas. Aptly named Nuts for Nantucket, it's the perfect bring-along for gatherings near or far. But get them when you can, they go fast!

Our best-selling "Nuts for Nantucket" Nut Mix. We'll have it back in stock soon!

Retail Dogma

Nantucket Looms' four owners, each of whom has spent most of their lifetimes with the business, lead a dedicated team of weavers, designers, and sales staff in what can only be described as the Looms Family. And, like any family, we have our traditions and our quirks. Amongst them, a trait so unlike each owner it borders on comical — superstition.

Many moons ago, founders Bill and Andy, along with their protégé Liz, happened upon an antique sampler of who was later identified as Saint Homobonus, the Italian patron saint of merchants. Though not particularly religious, the significance of this finding was not lost on the trio, and they brought it to the shop where it has hung behind the counter, bringing good fortune, for nearly fifty years.

Today, the embroidery is a nod to where Nantucket Looms started and the people who helped shape it along the way. It's not just a superstition, it's a symbol of traditions worth keeping. As the Looms Family keeps growing and changing, Saint Homobonus stays put behind the counter, keeping watch. Just one more unexpected (and beloved) detail one might glimpse at Nantucket Looms.

Saint Homobonus sampler

Whether you visit to admire the art, feel the texture of a freshly woven throw, or simply wander in search of something unexpected, Nantucket Looms offers an experience that continuously evolves, each day and with every step through our doors. We invite you to linger, explore, and discover what treasures await on your next visit to 51 Main Street.