For the second year in a row, an Ellenville lumberyard has been steaming up the Internet with a pinup calendar featuring locals offering lumber (and love) advice.
When Rebecca and Jon Falcon bought Slutsky Lumber in 2021, the building-materials shop was flying under the radar: "People thought we sold only firewood and milled lumber," Rebecca says. "Our challenge was, how do we keep the yard alive and let people know what Slutsky Lumber is?"
Enter Destination Ellenville—a group of both longtime residents and new arrivals who have sparked a renaissance in the former Borscht-Belt village. The Falcons met photographer Victoria Janashvili, who suggested a spicy calendar for 2023. "It's a play on the Slutsky name," Jon says.
Victoria Janashvili
Lily Feldman, owner of Pink Clementine and Mill & Main, with Chris Weathered, owner of Mill & Main.
"I’m a contractor by trade, and I’ve been doing business with Slutsky Lumber for 40 years," says Weil. "I was asked if I wanted to be in the calendar, and I didn’t have to think too long before I said yes to it. I’m not interested in a boring life." Saward needed some convincing; what helped was that $10 of each $30 calendar is given to Family of Ellenville, a local nonprofit that offers all kinds of help to the community. "I volunteer at Family of Ellenville, and I'm on the Bashakill board, too," Saward adds. Last year's calendars garnered $1,000 for the nonprofit.
Victoria Janashvili
Scott Frost, COFFE secretary and member of Shadowland board of directors, with Johnny Frost, COFFE vice president and town councilperson.
The calendar’s spiciness can’t be ignored, though. Saward says they were stopped by an acquaintance who had heard about the calendar. “‘Could that be considered soft porn?’ she asked,” Saward says. “And a minute later, she was asking how she could buy one!”
If you'd like to score a calendar, visit the Slutsky website or visit the store any day between 7:30am and 4:30pm: 56 Clinton Avenue, Ellenville.
