Here’s the scoop. And here’s the proof.

(There’s a good reason nearby Mt. Battie is called Mt. Battie.)

The clever window boxes on the storefront are your first clue that this is a really cool shop.

And once you’re inside, you’ll see the happy result of the merger of Erika Soule’s two Wiscasset shops – Smitten and Rock, Paper, Scissors. (Both have been mentioned on this blog.)

She has recently, and artfully, combined her two charming shops into one, and kept the Rock, Paper, Scissors name.

Young and old, can double their pleasure now by checking out all the design treats filling her shelves.

Which makes it the perfect place to find perfect gifts.

Those quirky things not usually found on the main streets of Maine’s small towns. She has an especially nice selection of Japanese goods. (But Abby is not for sale.)

Rock, Paper, Scissors is much more than a children’s game. The following from Wikipedia illustrates how the game has been used to make million dollar decisions.

“When Takashi Hashiyama, CEO of a Japanese television equipment manufacturer, decided to auction off the collection of impressionist paintings owned by his corporation, including works by Cézanne, Picasso, and van Gogh, he contacted two leading U.S. auction houses, Christie’s International and Sotheby’s Holdings, seeking their proposals on how they would bring the collection to the market as well as how they would maximize the profits from the sale. Both firms made elaborate proposals, but neither was persuasive enough to get Hashiyama’s business. Unwilling to split up the collection into separate auctions, Hashiyama asked the firms to decide between themselves who would hold the auction, which included Cézanne’s “Large Trees Under the Jas de Bouffan”, worth $12–16 million.

The houses were unable to reach a decision. Hashiyama told the two firms to play rock-paper-scissors to decide who would get the rights to the auction, explaining that “it probably looks strange to others, but I believe this is the best way to decide between two things which are equally good”.

The auction houses had a weekend to come up with a choice of move. Christie’s went to the 11-year-old twin daughters of an employee, who suggested “scissors” because “Everybody expects you to choose ‘rock’.” Sotheby’s said that they treated it as a game of chance and had no particular strategy for the game, but went with “paper”.

Christie’s won the match, with millions of dollars of commission for the auction house.”

Wonder if Erika used it to make her decision of how to merge the two shops. And you might even find it helpful in deciding what to get at this wonderful shop.

Rock, Paper, Scissors, 68 Main Street, PO Box 120, Wiscasset, ME 04578, 207-882-9930.

Housewares, stationery, greeting cards, gifts, toys, artwork, home furnishings, jewelry, decorative items, glassware, tabletop, art supplies, bags, books.

Nope.

This stylish shop is in another hotspot where folks with a certain sophisticated taste level gather.

You know the types — fashionistas, hipsters, trendsetters.

They flock to places where style and design is an artform.

And they shop in only the coolest shops. Like this one.

This stunning space is a joy to walk into, with it’s high ceilings, nice proportions, and great light.

And if you’re looking for some really cool loot, cancel the Amsterdam flight. You can visit Black Parrot right downtown in Portland, Maine. Thanks to owners Sherrie Gibson and Warren Selig.

Black Parrot, 131 Middle Street, Portland, ME, 207-221-691, blackparrot@maine.rr.com. Here’s the website. ***Update — They’re moving to 193 Middle Street.