About Us
Finding Inspiration in Every Turn
My love for carousels started when I was just 10 years old.
My family took me to Lake Compounce, a theme park here in Connecticut, and the moment I heard the music coming from the Wurlitzer Band Organ, I was hooked. Every visit, I'd go straight to the last horse on the inside row — the one closest to the organ — and I wouldn't want to ride anything else.
At 13, I started helping out on weekends at The New England Carousel Museum. The owners were kind enough to bring me in, and I spent my time giving tours, selling tickets at the door, and working in the gift shop. For a kid who already loved carousels, it was like a dream come true.
In 1992, I started working at Lake Compounce as the Carousel Ride Operator — and I'm still there today, more than 30 years later.
After a lifetime around carousels, opening a gift shop felt like the most natural thing in the world. I wanted to bring that same joy to people who love carousels the way I do. So Carousel Gifts By Andy was born — a family business run by me and my mom.
We've been at it for over 18 years now. Everything we carry is something we believe in. We keep our prices fair, we buy only USA-made items from our vendors, and we treat every customer the way we'd want to be treated ourselves.
This isn't just a store. It's a lifelong love of carousels, wrapped up and ready to share.
— Andy
