Velvet Mill: A Transformed Piece of History

The Velvet Mill appears to be a run-down, abandoned factory from the outside.

From the outside, Stonington’s Velvet Mill doesn’t look like much at all.

Actually, it kind of just looks like a run-down, old brick factory.

But once inside, the Velvet Mill transforms into a beautiful utopia of unique businesses creating an experience unlike any other.

I entered the Velvet Mill a little skeptical. The entrance is through an old garage and it was a bit dark. I didn’t see any other people, and it was quiet. It looked like an abandoned warehouse, with a few businesses that had tucked away entrances. There were signs directing you where you could go and what you could do, but I still felt confused and lost, almost like I was not supposed to be there.

Leading up to a ramp was a room with pictures and videos explaining the history of the Velvet Mill; it was built in 1888 to encourage the development of the velvet industry and was in operation until its relocation to Virginia in 1996. Finally, up the ramp and I entered the Plaza room: a huge and colorful, vibrant, mall food court style room with restaurants and stores lining the edges. The Plaza was much brighter and well decorated than the first floor- it was where the true Velvet Mill experience began. Beautiful artwork lines the whitewashed brick walls and there was an artist painting live in one corner. In the middle are multiple different areas for seating and relaxing. There are many businesses in the Plaza including a waffle shop and other stores and restaurants. All of the businesses in the Velvet Mill are small businesses owned by artists and entrepreneurs including jewelry shops, vintage stores, a bookstore, and more. It wasn’t just stores either- there are many places where you can do activities such as creative classes, health and wellness services, or fitness classes. There were also hallways you could walk down from the Plaza where most of the businesses resided, and stairs by the entrance to walk up and see an art gallery with tons of pieces for sale.

While the Plaza is open from 8-5 Monday to Wednesday and 8-9 Thursday to Sunday, the best time to go is Saturday 9-12 when a farmer’s market is held in the Plaza room. All of the businesses are independently owned and have their own hours, so it’s better to visit earlier in the day to make sure you get the full experience.

Velvet Mill was one of the most strange and unique places I have ever been to. It was quite different from what I was

expecting, mostly because you can tell it used to be a factory. But to me, that wasn’t a bad thing at all- it made the experience much more cool and unique. The hallways are not wide like a typical shopping center- they are narrow and the businesses don’t have big open entrances, instead they have doors to enter since they are all old rooms in the factory. I genuinely felt like I could close my eyes and imagine myself in the 1888 Velvet Mill when it was a fully functioning velvet factory.

I really enjoyed my visit to the Velvet Mill. It’s a great place to spend a few hours exploring, shopping, and dining because there is so much to discover that’s completely unexpected.