The village of Saugerties was one of the Hudson Valley’s go-to spots for antiques in the 1970s and ‘80s. Over the last 50 years, that’s slightly changed. Places like Hudson have become known as the place to visit for antiquing, and many of the old shops in Saugerties, for one reason or another, closed. While some business owners and residents might see this as a red flag, others see it as an opportunity, with shops like Eden House and Heirloom embracing the town’s rich antiquing history with new vintage and homeware stores.
Both Eden House and Heirloom opened in Saugerties this fall, joining a number of other retailers who’ve opened downtown in the past couple years, including Quick Brown Fox Letterpress, Chambers, and Butterfly Dreams Boutique. Selling a mix of antique, vintage, and new home goods and accessories, their respective owners noticed the potential for a retail revival in the town.
“There were a lot of empty storefronts, and I was a little bit hesitant,” says Jojo Ans, owner of Heirloom, located at 230 Main Street. Before opening this new spot, Ans owned and operated the beloved Shop Little House in Woodstock. “But that was also the feeling I had of Woodstock 10 years ago—the town needed some new, fresh energy.”
Opening in Saugerties offered Ans the chance to rebrand slightly and lean into the town’s history. Whereas Shop Little House was a little more cabin-inspired and perhaps a little kitschier (embracing Woodstock’s ‘60s and ‘70s reputation), Heirloom draws on the area’s Victorian aesthetics and the value of refinement.
“I started to conceive a shop that would be a little bit more about quality over quantity,” Ans says. She was moved by the experience of cleaning out her parents’ home after they died, reevaluating what heirloom items really meant and trying to hold onto the things that were extra special. After speaking with friends, it became clear that many others spent the pandemic, especially, pruning their homes of useless clutter. With Heirloom, Ans wants to create a shop that sells items meant to withstand trends and embrace form and function above all else. “The idea is not to have a lot of things that are just dust collectors,” she says.
The store is tight, mainly featuring small antique items, like glassware and decor, like a variety of ashtrays with quirky logos and a range of beautiful antique glassware with colorful cups or delicately engraved illustrations. There are also framed needlepoint works featuring quirky sayings and intricate drawings. Scattered amongst the old are new and vintage-inspired clothes and ceramics, as well as a wall showcasing and selling works from local artists like Carole Kunstadt, Amy Ackerman, and Scott Chasse. (Ans is first and foremost a photographer).
Overall, Ans is drawn to objects that embrace the practical side of living in the Hudson Valley, “I look for what my friends would put out on the table if they’re entertaining,” she says. “It doesn’t have to be a lot of fancy stemware, because we live in the country. It’s a little bit more casual here.” The aesthetic leans Mid-Century Modern with some retro ‘70s touches, as well as global inspirations like Japanese tableware and textiles, plus woven Peruvian pillows and Icelandic shearling rugs.
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Just a few blocks away, at 28 West Bridge Street, in a 19th-century carriage house, Eden House embraces a different kind of Hudson Valley aesthetic. It’s less retro-cabin, and more moody-romantic, with a touch of rustic warmth. This collection of curated antiques includes everything from small furniture pieces to many, many varieties of candlestick holders.
“I’ve done design for so long, and I feel like I’ve been in so many homes that I have an idea of what people are looking for,” Karley Brown, co-owner of Eden House, says. “I’ve just always been drawn to vintage, so being able to create a space where people can come and shop, I’m really trying to lean into that.”
Brown, who lives in Saugerties with her husband, Joe Sgandurra, and young son, has always had an affinity for the petite blue building. An accountant had occupied the building for decades, but when it came on the market, Brown jumped at the chance to turn it into a space the community could enjoy.
Since 2018, Brown has operated The Eden Co with her husband as a husband-and-wife design-build team, with Brown serving as the lead designer. Together, they renovated the outdated space (we’re talking blue wall-to-wall carpeting) into the new store. Brown has developed an eye for the in-demand “Hudson Valley Home” aesthetic, with clients from outside the area asking her to design their homes in that image. “It’s a very romantic aesthetic mixed in with a bit of modern and edge. Mid-century will always be popular around here, popular in most areas,” Brown notes.
Her own style is more eclectic, and in this space, she hopes to showcase that more. “It’s fun to have a space that really is just my eye,” Brown says. “Because I’ve worked with so many clients and I understand so many different styles, I do pull from everything.” The collection of objects and items is sourced from estate sales and second-hand shops. At both Heirloom and Eden House, objects are sold at relatively friendly price points, creating spaces where everyone can shop and not just catering to weekend visitors and tourists.
Fostering a space for the local community is an essential mission for Brown. The new store features a large front lawn and backyard that she envisions as the perfect place to host events, with the dream of having a resident food truck. As its slightly off the beaten path, Brown wants it to be a destination beyond just shopping.
Like Ans, Brown sees the energy shifting in Saugerties and embraces this next chapter. “When we opened, so many business owners from town came to visit, just to say hi and congratulate us,” she says. “It feels like everyone wants the town to flourish and each other to flourish.”
Ans and Brown see the larger ecosystem working together to make Saugerties a destination, while honoring its history and existing community. Returning to its roots as a design and artists destination is key in that. “If we become a place where designers bring clients, or shop for clients, and have multiple options, and then grab a good coffee or a nice bite, then it feels like the town and the village are doing what they’re supposed to be doing,” Brown says.
