Archive for the 'Retail in Westchester' Category
As some of my readers know, I am currently on a quest to promote local businesses and merchants in lower Westchester NY. Westchester retail has come a long way since I was a youngster shopping at the local army and navy. But local merchants face an uphill climb from big-box creep. So far the focus has been on Mamaroneck, Larchmont, White Plains, and the River Towns – particularly Tarrytown. After a while, I realized that I was in as much of retail rut as the rest of the world. Sure I have my favorite haunts – but all of us need to stretch beyond and try new things!
To be totally candid – I had never been into Wendy Gee before this past week. From the outside, it looked to be well above my price range – and if the truth were to be told some of the higher end items certainly are. However, you can find just something for just about everyone at Wendy Gee from higher-end but comfortable furnishings for adults to toys for tots. Even the family pet is included. Many of the items are geared to adding a sense of style and whimsy to a room. An accent piece from this store can actually change the feel of room, by adding a splash of the unique. As my stager for properties (Marie Graham) would say ” a touch of whimsy an color go a long way.” Just one or two pieces could help transform a room from dull to dynamite.
This is a great place to shop for the remaining people on your list for the holidays and beyond. This is not a big-box bland place to be. Enjoy the video below an be sure to visit their website: WendyGee.com. Better still – stop by for a visit and get some ideas. Wendy Gee is located at 1949 Palmer Ave. in Larchmont NY.
© 2011 – RUthmarie G. Hicks – http://thewestchesterview.com – All rights reserved.
This is my final post in this series but just because Small Business Saturday ends today, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bookmark these posts and visit them during the holiday season and beyond. Most of these suggestions have been on the Westchester View before. I had a rather busy black Friday – people were shopping for homes as well as for the holidays.
Located at the corner of Palmer and Larchmont Ave., this is a store that lends it self to reviews….I couldn’t put down my camera when I wrote a review last September. Everywhere you turn around there is something very unique. I was in the store yesterday and they are having specials for Small Business Saturday. I love going in there because there is always something new and totally unique in there. Here are some new things that stirred my interest:
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This is my second installment on Small Business Saturday. Small businesses are the bedrock of our community and I’m thrilled to see that the small brick and mortars are getting some attention because Black Friday has largely become a big-box affair. To see my first entry on small businesses in White Plains NY click here. You will also find more information about why small business is so important to a community. Marie Graham also wrote a very eloquent post about the value of small business and why we should skip Black Friday and make Small Business Saturday rock.
Here are a few picks for the village of Tarrytown. in general Tarrytown NY has done a good job of keeping their small brick and mortars as a dominant feature. As a result it is a very unique village with a great deal of character and personality. The three main stores are located on Broadway (Route 9) about a block south of the main drag on Main Street whereas Coffee Labs Roasters is right in the center of town on Main Street.
Bark & Meow is celebrating 5 years in Tarrytown. Located just a half block south of Main Street – it is easy to get to, but easy to miss if you don’t know that its there. They have very unique products for dogs and cats including adorable collars and coats, rain jackets. It also has a wonderful supply of dog and cat food at reasonable prices. I’ve seen stores in other locations charging far more. The photos below are nice stocking stuffers for both pet lovers and pets. The dog biscuits might even tempt a human, the ornaments are terrific and that wallet makes an amazing gift.
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Small Business Saturday had its debut last year. But they are upping the publicity and ante this year. In my opinion – a program like this is a step in the right direction. In Washington they jawbone about supporting small business – but talk is not action. Yet small business, including bricks and mortars have traditionally been the backbone of American exceptionalism and success. They need and deserve our patronage and support.
Our love affair with big-box stores and rock bottom prices has come at a price. Service? What’s that? Knowledge of the product? You’ve got to be kidding me? In addition there have been bankrupt businesses, lost jobs that paid decent wages and less money coming into the community. Consider this: when you spend $100 with a local merchant, $68 returns to the community. When you buy at a national chain – only $43 is returned to the community. Thats a 37% difference in direct economic stimulation.
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Mamaroneck NY has been growing in leaps and bounds when it comes to boutiques, fine dining and specialty shops. Among some of the newcomers to the area is Chocolations – located on East Boston Post Rd in Mamaroneck. In fact they just had their first birthday this week!
Congratulations Chocolations and Maria Valente for having a successful first year! I had heard the “buzz” about Chocolations for months - filled with specialty chocolates – it is Westchester’s own chocolate factory. I admit to being more than a tad worried about venturing into such an establishment. We all have our weaknesses. For some its alcohol – for me its chocolate. So it seemed inconceivable that I would manage to leave without gaining at least 10 lbs!
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Gotta admit – Fall is my favorite time of year. It is a time of new beginnings and fresh starts. I look at the fourth quarter of the calendar year as the first quarter of the next year…and I think others feel the same way. About a week ago I was at Carlson’s Floral and Gift on route 100B on Dobbs Ferry Road in the White Plains PO. They are always ahead of the curve. The early signs of fall were there – but summer hadn’t quite left the building. The flowers below were of the late summer variety. The Mums weren’t quite blooming, the Halloween pumpkins hadn’t arrived – yet some of the trappings of fall – like our pumpkin friends in the photo on the right had made their appearance. Carlson’s is a great store for quality arrangements and the displays can be really uplifting after a long hard day. I took these photos with my iPhone and will go back to take some more photos as the fall season gets under way!
When I first poked my head into the Voracious Reader, it made me wish I was a child again. Being a book maven, this is a place I would have called my home away from home! Today when I look at thoughtfully laid out store like this with all its nooks and crannies – I can only smile and say there IS a viable anti-big-box book store model out there! The store even brought to mind “The Shop Around the Corner” that Meg Ryan ran in You’ve Got Mail.
They have first books for toddlers, books for new readers, and plenty of selection through the teen years. I noticed of a Star Wars corner – a nook with Winnie the Pooh and of course the Harry Potter series.
As if that wasn’t enough – the Voracious Reader has expanded to include a tea house (A Proper Cup) that serves a variety of teas, lemonade with mint and cold drip coffee – which is excellent. There are also cupcakes, cookies and pastries including a selection that is gluten-free.
This is one of the reason that Larchmont homes are so popular. The type of community that surrounds the area encourages small business with a unique perspective to flourish even in our big-box world which many think dominate suburbia.
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Although I often talk about merchants in Westchester NY, I don’t often discuss specific products found in these stores. But being a dog owner with two Siberian Huskies and a Siberain/Cattle Dog mix, I am in a good position to be judging the quality of dog beds. So I can say with total confidence that I found the best dog bed EVER at Bark & Meow in Tarrytown NY.
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There are times when you see a store front and you know that you just have to stop by because its just too cool for words! Ok – so I’m dating myself by invoking coolness, but I can’t help it. Everything in Recologie is made of recycled material. Often when we think of recycled purchases we have a sense that we are doing something for the “greater good” that involves some form of sacrifice – generally in the form of style. Not so here. Everything in this store is top-of-the-line, unique, and cheesy is definitely not allowed. I spent some time photographing the merchandise and I admit I went a bit overboard on the bags. They sell far more than that in the store -but the bags were so amazing I couldn’t stop. Be sure to stop by some day, you will not be disappointed. Enjoy the video!
Recologie is located at 1934 Palmer Ave (at the corner of Larchmont Ave.) – 914-315-1535 - Click here for Recologie.com
© 2011 – Ruthmarie G. Hicks – http://thewestchesterview.com – All rights reserved.
After the crash of 2008 and the recession of 2009 Westchester had more than a few financial issues. Cities, towns and villages reeled with the loss of commerce as the public pulled in their horns and stopped spending. This created budget shortfalls as revenues from sales taxes decreased. Shops that had been around for decades were announcing final clearance sales and shuttering their doors for good. Some areas started to look almost abandoned as “for rent” signs for retail spaces started propagating like bunnies. It was a jolt to what is generally a well-heeled and prosperous community.
In early 2010 the problem dragged on. One place particularly hard- hit was a popular portion of Palmer Ave. in Larchmont just a block from the Metro-North trains station. For all practical purposes, this should be a very popular area for retail as the location is a real draw for commuters walking to and from the train. Nevertheless, the area was bereft of retailers willing to step up an plant their flag to make a go of it in the worst recession since the great depression. A few brave shops remained while the other spaces just emptied out.
But by the end of 2010 and the beginning of 2011 – a real turnaround was starting. New retailers were making their move into these abandoned spaces and storefronts in Larchmont New York were showing signs of life – the “for rent” signs were being replaced bye “Coming Soon..” signs. It was a breath of fresh air.
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As some of my readers know, I am currently on a quest to promote local businesses and merchants in lower Westchester NY. Westchester retail has come a long way since I was a youngster shopping at the local army and navy. But local merchants face an uphill climb from big-box creep. So far the focus has been on Mamaroneck, Larchmont, White Plains, and the River Towns – particularly Tarrytown. After a while, I realized that I was in as much of retail rut as the rest of the world. Sure I have my favorite haunts – but all of us need to stretch beyond and try new things!
