130JUL21_cover-FINAL-NoUPC

Day Trip: Duxbury

Cape Cod Life  /  July 2021 /

Writer: Julie Craven Wagner

Day Trip: Duxbury

130JUL21_cover-FINAL-NoUPC

Cape Cod Life  /  July 2021 /

Writer: Julie Craven Wagner

A Deluxe Day

A day trip to Duxbury has everything you need for a lasting impression that will have you returning again and again.

A trip to Duxbury is more than just a sojourn, it is truly a departure from the stresses and aggravations of everyday life. It is almost as though the highway signs should indicate an intersection of “Out of this world,” and “In a world of one’s own.”

The beautifully manicured hamlet is rooted in colonial history that is evident in every turn down a tree-lined back road where well-kept homes stand proudly with just a smidge of Yankee propriety, which keeps them from flaunting any supposition of nouveau wealth. In fact, behind those majestic front doors, crested with brass door knockers and bulls-eye glass panes, are residents of a town that is closely-knit, supportive and welcoming.

A good place to start when adventuring to Duxbury is at Millbrook Station. Once the Duxbury stop on the train to Boston all the way back to 1871, this newly developed site offers dining, shopping, professional services and apartment living in one charming location. Any good day trip will involve a memorable and delicious meal. The Oysterman anchors Millbrook Station and fills the bill on the dining front. Chris Schweiger and his partner Dermott Loftus opened the small, but fiercely popular restaurant in 2016 as one of the first tenants in Michael Juliano’s charming mixed-use project. Schweiger, who has a history of working for popular pubs, bars and restaurants in downtown Boston and on the South Shore says his small restaurant features a raw bar but has something for everybody. He jokes, “We used to call it Duxbury’s living room because the place would be packed, there would be a two-hour wait, but no one seemed to mind because all of their friends were at the bar. It was like an adult house party.” COVID did change the four-deep at the bar scenario, but the demand for the great food, inventive cocktails and fresh seafood was satisfied with plenty of outdoor seating during the period of pandemic restrictions. 

Not many people open a second restaurant right next door to their existing one, but Schweiger and Loftus took Juliano up on his offer for another restaurant next door. At first The Anchor served breakfast and lunch offerings, but as Schweiger says, “As the business evolved we realized there was still a need for another place to have dinner, so we expanded the hours and the menu. For a while it was like it was the little brother to The Oysterman, but now it really stands on its own.” Schweiger says the success in both businesses is equally shared between the clients and his staff. Both restaurants are small, leaving scant extra room for the kitchen staff. “At the Oysterman, someone is behind the raw bar, behind that person is a wall with someone making salads and in that same space is our grill,” Schweiger explains. “People ask why we don’t serve dessert and I tell them we don’t even have a freezer. Besides, I opened a restaurant across from Farfar’s so why would I ever offer dessert?”

The seafood is always fresh at The Oysterman

Farfar’s, across St. George Street, is a Danish ice cream shop that has been serving up a frozen dessert for 42 years that surpasses what Americans have come to know and love as ice cream. With an increased milk fat (14%) the ever-changing flavors of Farfar’s ice cream will stop you in your tracks. A popular seasonal attraction, local school kids, families and retirees can all be found, sitting in the shade of a large tree with a euphoric expression on their face as they savor their cup of heaven. Next door to Farfar’s is a bespoke consignment shop, B Home. Related to the popular furniture consignment in Chatham, At Home, the charming space offers coastal finds and furniture for your home.

Additional shopping at Millbrook station includes other Cape connections. Three Buoys and a Mermaid is a small boutique offering women’s fashions, tableware, jewelry and small gifts. The owner also has a location on Main Street in Harwich. A few doors down, the popular Chatham beach and casual clothing shop, White Marlin also has a small boutique. When you stop in, Emily, a junior at Roger Williams University will most likely be helping you decide which pair of Slyk Shades (another Cape Cod brand) look best.


SOUTH in Duxbury

A small shop that makes a big impact, SOUTH offers unique gifts for your hostess as well as the perfect pair of jeans and luxurious cashmere. Tabletop items, candles, and fashionable accessories for both you and your home will make your visit memorable.

36 Railroad Avenue | 781-452-7656 | southinduxbury.com


Anchoring the sidewalk of the tony boutiques, is SOUTH in Duxbury, an accessories shop owned by Sarah Rhinesmith and Erica DeZitter, The two women also had a shop together in Chatham, Midsummer Nights that was very popular with their clients. Now with SOUTH, the two women bring a worldly sense of sophistication to a very small space, 600 square feet, making the careful curation of stock essential. Rhinesmith says, “We sell a lot of table top items. I think this year, with people being home, people really got into cooking and they want to make their meals a special event. Our pieces just make anything feel extra special.” The shop also offers a selection of high-quality casual clothing and Rhinesmith says that the jeans and cashmere items have been popular as women decide to abandon their yoga pants from the past year.


Frost and Found

This newly opened shop in Milbrook Station offers fresh floral and plant options as well as sustainable subscriptions and container garden planting services. Owner Bonnie Frost has built a reputation for unique and inventive arrangements often presented in unexpected heirloom or antique containers.

28 Railroad Avenue | 339-217-2171 | frostandfound.com


Another unique and intriguing shop in the complex is in the stand-alone building that resembles the Station Agent’s office of the former railroad. Frost and Found is a stunning floral shop that opened at the beginning of 2021. Owner Bonnie Frost has been providing a variety of floral and décor services for her discerning clientele online for a few years and now is welcoming customers into her uniquely appointed setting that is full of inspiration. “We are sort of known for using unusual or antique items to create floral displays,” Frost says referring to antique silver trophies and champagne buckets that spill forth with cut or planted greens and flowers. Frost and Found also offers sustainable subscriptions in a variety of options allowing clients to have regularly scheduled arrangements that change monthly and with the season.

Julie Craven Wagner

Julie Craven Wagner began her experience with Cape Cod Life in 2010 when she joined the sales team after 10 years of working with local businesses on the Cape and Islands with WMVY. In addition to sales, she is the Associate Publisher/Editor of Cape Cod LIFE, Cape Cod HOME, and Cape Cod ART. Growing up on the Outer Cape has given her a unique perspective of life on Cape Cod, from tip to bridge, and that is reflected in her appreciation and presentation of stories found within the pages of our publications. Julie lives in North Falmouth with her husband, Eric, and their yellow lab, Enzo. When she finds free time, she enjoys her Cape Cod life sailing on Buzzards Bay, spending time on the beach in Wellfleet, or exploring Martha’s Vineyard.