We Welcome Spirit of '76 to Marblehead.Works!

Spirit of '76 Books

We are excited to announce Spirit of '76 Books, one of Marblehead's flagship stores for over 50 years, has joined Marblehead.Works! 

Marblehead in WWI

In addition to offering books written by local authors and books relating to Marblehead, we will we cater to book lovers, especially those who have a special affinity for the ocean. We will feature

Chocolate by the Sea Gift Set

gift collections that will suit all your gift giving needs. Our book-themed gifts are created for varying age groups, from kids to adults, for men or for women. Rely on us when the bookworm in your life needs a get well or birthday gift!

History of Spirit of '76

Hugobooks began as a 500 square foot store in Marblehead, Mass. on February 15, 1965, opened by Robert W. Hugo three months before his graduation from UMass-Amherst. Called The Spirit of ’76 Bookstore, it was managed by Bob's mother, Geraldine, with assistance from his

brother David, founder of the Bunch of Grapes Bookstore on Martha's Vineyard. Bob would travel every weekend to Marblehead to do all the ordering and run the store on its busiest day, Saturday. From July to September of that first year things were bleak and the fledgling store was not "making it," so Bob took an all-night job in nearby Salem building motors for small engines, then opening the bookstore from 10am to 5pm. After four months of all-night work Bob took a job as a busboy in a nearby restaurant. The hours were better and he was fed.

Heart of the Sea Gift Set

Realizing this hand to mouth nurturing of the business was too slow, as fate would have it, Bob had a motorcycle accident and needed extensive dental work which he couldn't afford. His wonderful dentist, Dr. Ray Cole, who just happened to be opening a new bank in Marblehead suggested that if Bob would move his account to the new bank, Dr. Cole would secure a loan big enough to pay for dental work and give the bookstore a substantial cash infusion. Bob moved his account, took the loan, fixed his teeth and restocked and added much more inventory. He quit the other jobs to concentrate fully on the Spirit of ’76. To keep expenses low, Bob remained in his one-room apartment for seven years.

By 1969 Bob moved his store to a 3000 square foot space in a more prosperous part of town. He purchased the building in 1976, knowing that if his business were to grow, he needed to expand. This he did by acquiring a second store in 1988 — the Book Rack in Newburyport and the Andover bookstore in Andover, Mass. in 1992. Hugobooks opened a 4th store in Swampscott November 15, 2011. The Andover store is the second oldest continually operating bookstore in America. Founded in 1809, this store celebrated its 200th birthday in October 2009. All three stores are under the corporate umbrella of Hugobooks, Inc. Bob celebrated 50 years of selling books on February 15, 2015. 

About Marblehead.Works

Marblehead.Works is an online boutique showcasing the talent of local artisans, and businesses in our coastal New England town, bringing the best of Marblehead to you. For more information, visit them on Facebook or @marbleheadworks.

Marblehead.Works Welcomes LizzyLoo Designs!

Handmade Batik Clothing

We're excited to welcome aboard LizzyLoo's batik children's clothing! Each one of a kind LizzyLoo piece is made by hand in their Marblehead studio. Each unique piece is made with love from their family to yours! 

Batik Birthday Shirts and Crowns

What is Batik?
Batik is an ancient resist-dye technique. Today, it is most prevalent in fabrics from Indonesia and the Carribean, but this technique has been used in Asia for thousands of years.

Hot Wax is applies to white, natural fiber fabrics. The wax dries and cracks, creating interesting and organic patterns. The fabric is then dyed, with the wax resisting and remaining white. Wax is again applied, the fabric is dyed again, the process repeating until the desired design is achieved. 


About the Artist

LizzyLoo began as a way for designer and owner Debbie Frost to connect with her newborn nieces, by making fun, handmade batik clothing. Since its humble beginnings in her kitchen, Debbie has been able to achieve her lifelong dream of owning her own shop in Marblehead's Historic Downtown.

About Marblehead.Works

Marblehead.Works is an online boutique showcasing the talent of local artisans, and businesses in our coastal New England town, bringing the best of Marblehead to you. For more information, visit them on Facebook or @marbleheadworks.

Marblehead.Works Set to Launch May 19th!

Marblehead.Works

Marblehead.Works Welcomes Marblehead Sail Bags!

Marblehead Sail Bag Collection

We are thrilled to welcome aboard Marblehead Sail Bags whose tote bags and accessories are the epitome of nautical style. 

Purple Sail Bag Collection

Dopp Kits

Their goods are sturdy yet lightweight, and they look terrific whether you're on the water, at the beach or cruising around town.

They combine high-tech laminate sailcloth with brightly colored spinnaker sailcloth to create beautiful, water-resistant bags of superior design, functionality and craftsmanship.           

Cosmetic Sail Bag

When sailmakers make sails for boats there are often smaller pieces of sailcloth left over. These offcuts are useless to the sailmaker and discarded, but Marblehead Sail Bags uses them to make products from a material that is both recycled and brand new. 

Sail Bag Collection

Marblehead has been called the yachting capital of the world. Marblehead Sail Bag's modern, stylish, colorful sailcloth bags allow you to carry a bit of coastal Marblehead with you wherever you go!




About the Artist

Laura Walsh-Rogalski, a sailor and Marblehead native who works for a sailmaker in Salem. Her Marblehead Sail Bags line features wallets, purses, totes, and other items made with scraps and end pieces of high-tech fabrics that were going to be thrown out.

“They’re really unique in that they combine two different types of sailcloth,” Walsh-Rogalski said, “a laminate layer on the outside and a spinnaker cloth on the inside, which is usually brightly colored. They’re highly durable, water resistant, and I do everything myself."

About Marblehead.Works

Marblehead.Works is an online boutique showcasing the talent of local artisans, and businesses in our coastal New England town, bringing the best of Marblehead to you. For more information, visit them on Facebook or @MarbleheadWorks.

Marblehead.Works Welcomes Tinkers Island Fish Company!

We are thrilled to welcome aboard Tinkers Island Fish Company and their fresh carved, hand painted wooden fish to Marblehead.Works!

David Barber, Artist Statement

Hand Carved Wooden Striper

Tinkers Island is a rocky, wind swept home to gulls and a few lucky families. It is located less that an quarter mile off the the Marblehead, Massachusetts shore and has fantastic summer fishing. 

Folk lore and artifacts point to early inhabitants that were artisans from the North Pole. Tinkers

Hand carved Humpback Whale

that sought out a slightly warmer latitude and fish to sustain them found their way here.

Ancient driftwood figures of fish were found at sites pointing to the rising sun in the east and the warm setting sun in the west. The art was extraordinary, thier meaning unclear.

Hand carved Wooden Bluefish

I grew up with these stories and have tried to honor their spirit and beauty of the island with my fish carvings. Each fish is sculpted from choice spruce. Hand painted and finished with a sparkling marble eye. 

Discover the joy of giving a fish a good home.

Discover a curated collection of artwork on Marblehead.Works in a variety of media such as: paintings, photography, drawings, mixed media, and sculptures, many with a nautical bent, from Marblehead's most talented artists.