A Protest, Happening This Weekend, And The Retail Therapy Guide - 6/5/2020
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The Retail Therapy Guide - 5/22/2020
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"Genius!" The Most Shoppable Window In Beacon Right Now Is At Echo Boutique
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Don’t all rush at once…space yourselves…but one of the most innovative shop windows in Beacon right now is at Echo Boutique at 470 Main Street, on the east end of town near the mountain. This boutiques with a wide curated selection of women’s clothing, kids toys, and some men’s accessories as well, was one of the first stores to voluntarily shut down - even before the Executive Order. Now, they are one of the first windows on Main Street to organize inventory in such a way that people can shop by number from the other side of the glass.
Owner Karen Donohue has a 14 year old daughter in school. When districts closed state-wide, so too did she on Main Street. Trouble is, Karen did not have a website to fall back on while her doors were closed, and remain closed during the phased reopening across the country and in Dutchess County specifically. But Karen is no newbie. She is a veteran of Main Street, having run her shop here for 19 years, always changing its inventory and display, depending on her mood and customer reactions. “I opened the shop a short while before 9/11 happened, so I wasn’t sure I’d survive. But I’m still here,” she tells A Little Beacon Blog. Karen also lives with Lyme disease, so summoning strength can at times be challenging.
“I started in a little 10x10 space as an art gallery next door to where the Korean deli, Seoul Kitchen, used to be.” That small storefront space she is referring to changed to a home brew beer shop for a minute, and is now part of No. 3 Reading Room & Photo Books Works, who bought the building and transformed it to an artist studio live/work space. “470 Main Street is my 3rd space on the east end of Main Street. I went from the little one to around the corner, which later became Waddle and Swaddle and is now Hyperbole. Then to my current spot at 470 Main Street, which is basically two storefronts in one.”
Extremely comfortable in the visual, physical space, Karen has a degree in photography from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and went on to be a prop stylist for almost a decade. Her window displays are known in Beacon for being extremely imaginative.
When she was comfortable with reopening in her own way, she and her daughter headed back into the store to bring as much as they could to display in the windows. Parents were eager to buy the toys she carries in the store, both to support her, and also to benefit from her educational and science-based selection.
Each item in the window is labeled in a box, and a sign with ordering instructions is taped in the window. Customers are told to snap a picture or simply text 845-863-3166 with what they want, and porch delivery within Beacon will be arranged. We can tell you this, however: this is a fraction of what you’ll find inside of Echo. Karen is always going to market to bring back new designers and toy makers. If you need something else, just ask her!
As for the lovely bras you see in the window, those are from The Bra Fit Expert, Christina (Tina) Faraj, who permanently pops up inside the shop with her wide selection of high quality women’s under things and comfy PJs. The benefit of Tina was her expert fitting, but if you contact her, she can telacoach you through a fitting christina.faraj@gmail.com.
When A Little Beacon Blog first shared a video of her shop in our Instastories, the positive reaction we received was swift. Several people shared heart eye emojis and explained: “Genius!”
What Beacon’s shop owners (and shop owners across the country) have done to stay connected to their customers has been astonishing. Many don’t qualify for unemployment because of their business entities, and applying for the PPP loan could be challenging, depending on what type of business they are. Translation: some businesses receive a fraction of stimulus funds, as some business owners are stuck between a rock and a hard place with how rules around these stimulus monies work and change on an almost daily basis.
Main Street business owners are always hustling hard, and they rose to the challenge of this crisis.
Shop Echo at 470 Main Street by shopping their window (spacially distance yourself), and look in their Instagram for product postings, as well as their Facebook.
Boutiques In Beacon Quickly Build Websites To Stay In Business On Main Street
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For some brick and mortar businesses, establishing an online presence pre-pandemic may not have been a priority. Walk-in business was good enough to keep them in business, so perhaps building an online website store was not needed. Plus, a shop owner is quite busy with customers who walk into the store, so spending a lot of time online to build a web shop is not easy. That all changed with the shutdown of Main Street back in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, when the doors shut and foot traffic disappeared.
Overnight, the digital way of reaching a customer was the only way to reach a customer. Any store without a social media presence on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok was cut off from their customer base (unless they had been sending newsletters, which is even less of a percentage). Anyone who did not have an ecommerce website lost the ability to sell to the customer stuck at home - looking for something to do, or who needed that special something only available at the boutique.
Some brick and mortar shops in Beacon have not committed to the daunting task of establishing an online presence - it could be because they think it’s too hard, or feel not tech-savvy enough. When once they felt it a waste of time and money if not enough customers use it, that percentage shifted as no customers are currently walking through the door.
Boutiques Build Their Webshops
A Little Beacon Blog traveled around the web to find new or enhanced websites that popped in some of Beacon’s Main Street businesses up post-pandemic. With so many resources available now to sell online, shop owners don’t need to be coding experts to get one up and running. Required, however, is a lot of patience to build it, and good ideas for how the shop owner wants the web shopping experience to flow. Below is a sampling of brick and mortars who expanded online:
Blackbird Attic
Website Platform: WordPress with WooCommerce
Blackbird Attic, a consignment shop on Beacon’s east end of Main Street, already had a website but didn’t convert it to an online store until recently. Prior to that, they utilized their Instagram account (@blackbirdattic) to host pop-up shops and gather sales through Instagram via Direct Messaging (DMs). Owner Michelle Caves-Deal tells us “Selling on Instagram definitely works - people like to see the items live in Instastories, They've said it feels like they’re back shopping in person…”
But this does come with some extra steps for shop owner Michelle in order for the sale to happen, like sharing additional details and photos with the customer prior to purchasing. Being a consignment shop, she needs to create two invoices, merchant account and one for the WooCommerce software they use for sales.
The Underground Beacon
Website Platform: WordPress, WooCommerce, eBay
2020 has already been a challenging year for The Underground Beacon, a well known comic book store with weekly comic book release days and in-person gaming events. First, they faced the risk of closing due to the usual pressures of personal life (family loss) and revenue streams to pay the rent, only to be saved by a new partner just earlier in March.
The shop has been hosting the weekly Magic The Gathering sessions on Zoom. They also created a website to sell t-shirts promoting love to the store in addition to selling comics through their eBay store.
Comic book shops were hit pretty hard when Diamond Comic Distributors - the main distributor for most comic book publishers including Marvel and DC Comics, announced a halt to all product distribution on March 23rd. This meant comic shops, like The Underground Beacon, would not get new merchandise coming in until further notice. Thankfully, at the beginning of May, Diamond announced they will resume distribution May 20th. Marvel and DC Comics have announced are being shipped to stores beginning in late May 2020.
Flora Good Times
Website Platform: Squarespace for the main website; Square for the Delivery Shopping
As we shared in this recent article, Corrine from Flora Good Times was concerned dealing with such a tactile store “from seeing the plants and flowers to the smell of the shop itself” she says “it was such an unknown for me whether or not people would continue to shop at Flora through the computer.” She created a second website through Square just for local orders. This was convenient since they also use Square for their point-of-service sales. “It is easy to integrate into your inventory and create a delivery radius..” Speaking personally as a customer, it was super easy to place an order for delivery (twice!).
Still a new business with just 8 months under its belt, the plan for an online shop was in the cards but current circumstances really rushed that project. “I find that a lot of people are looking to spruce up their homes during this time, and adding a plant or some flowers to their quarantine definitely appears very popular!” says Corrine.
RAVEN ROSE
Flower shops for the longest time relied upon centralized flower delivery websites to host their flower bouquet options. Raven Rose on Beacon’s east end of Main Street has a large space, most of which is filled with home goods, despite their large floral business. Years ago when owner Courtney Sedor bought the former floral shop that was located there, she relied upon a florist website service for her ecommerce, which locked her in into different template and selling options. After the COVID-19 shut-down, she dove in and put her home goods online, and now is part of the “release” news when a shop owner puts something new up on the website.
LAST OUTPOST STORE
Website Platform: Shopify
Getting a website up and running quick was a concern for a few businesses. When starting a brick & mortar business, a website could be on the to-do list but building it in stages like how Last Outpost Store was doing.
While timing was of the essence, the Last Outpost store still wanted their website to capture the feel and vibe of their shop, while wanting the online experience to be as close to the interior shopping experience as possible.
Co-owner Allison Cimino was able to finish the site 2.5 weeks after their March 17th shut-down. Allison shares with A Little Beacon Blog: “The response has been really good. The local delivery has been great as well. I have been learning just how many locals really love our shop. That alone really drives me to want to see through this so we can be there for all of our customers when we return!”
BINNACLE BOOKS
Website Platform: IndieCommerce (Drupal)
Binnacle Books, the small independent bookstore located in the middle of Main Street, always had a website, but did not always have the ability to shop on that website. They started with a form you could fill out if you wanted to order any book (possibly any book in the world?), and they would process the order. Different weeks into the pandemic brought different iterations of their website. First the ordering of any book got more advanced, and then their book collection appeared online in a searchable organized fashion. Binnacle Books offers a monthly membership that locks in a discount on book prices, and devised a way to make it easy to checkout without using your credit card so that the shop keepers could credit it against your monthly membership card on file.
LUXE OPTIQUE
Website Platform: Squarespace
While Luxe Optique always had a website, they were dependent upon walk-in foot traffic. Glasses fitting on your face is a personal, physical experience. Over the years, they added the ability to buy the frames online in their Collections section of the website, and even play with the SALE button to give shoppers a discount. Luxe Optique confirms to A Little Beacon Blog that they have seen an increase to the eCommerce section during this time, and they have more to come: online contact lens ordering. “Not only can you order from us using a prescription from our doctors, but you can also use prescriptions from any other practice,” Luxe Optique tells A Little Beacon Blog. “It might seem common, but it’s not something a lot of privately owned practices do. We can’t wait for that to launch. Should be soon!”
While having an online presence allows you to expand your customer reach outside of the immediate area, it appears to be a pleasant surprise to shop owners that local residents are taking advantage and showing their support. Local customers love their shops, connecting with the owners, and want to support any way they can.
Visit A Little Beacon Blog’s Shopping Guide for a list of all of the shops on Beacon’s Main Street.
The Retail Therapy Guide - 5/15/2020
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Main Street Businesses Mourn Closure Order - While Supporting It For Public Health Social Good
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Storefronts on Main Street in Beacon have been preparing for pandemic protection for the week prior to the shutdown of all non-essential businesses mandated by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Friday, to go into effect on Sunday night (March 22, 2020) at 8 pm.
If you are vising Beacon this weekend - or any day, now that every day could be a weekend day depending on what industry you work in - you won’t find a shopping experience. We are social distancing, walking past closed shops, longing to go inside, our faces pressed up against the storefront glass. We are walking as families, as dog owners, as solo people. We are trying to stay in our spheres - meaning that tight-knit group of people you live with - to help reduce the spread of coronavirus.
The people we pass on the street might be two or four friends getting out of New York City for the day to get fresh air. Totally understandable. But you have got to get it. You have got to sphere-up. You have got to not walk so close to your friends. Seriously. It’s awkward. Every single celebrity is telling you to do it. Every single celebrity in California and New York are out of work because their production literally has been shut down, or their huge concert canceled.
We HAVE to spread out from one another and stay in out sphere if we want this thing to end and for shops to re-open and for movies to come back into the theaters.
The First Round Of Closures
The first round of closures, with the 50% occupancy mandate, was pretty shocking. Then the mandate of movie theaters and gym closures came. That was devastating to those industries. In one day, everyone got to know the Zoom app (what is this thing?!) when kids started using it for digital playdates, and the parents were using it for work meetings, therapy sessions, and now yoga and Pilates classes to retain an ounce of normalcy.
Can The Internet Hold It All?
The Internet started breaking. Gov. Cuomo mandated that data providers provide more data to customers regardless of what plan they purchased (this is a different problem than all of the bandwidth being sucked up… although it’s a freebie solution that may or may not be possible as infinite data is sucked down into smartphones everywhere).
Netflix throttled streaming in Europe, and today, Disney+ took similar action by limiting streaming by 25% in a move requested by European government. “[Disney+] said Thursday it will limit the streaming quality of its content for the next 30 days for users in Europe to relax the strain on communications networks caused by the coronavirus lockdown,” according to an article in Deadline.
Businesses in Beacon
Businesses in Beacon quickly shifted to online shopping. If some had been doing it only a little bit, they jumped in with both feet to figure out how to make it work.
A Little Beacon Blog is tracking it all in our Shopping Guide. Visit that Guide and refresh it on your phone. As we learn of updates and changes to what shops are delivering, how they are offering contact-less payment, etc. the shop’s information will be updated in the Shopping Guide and Restaurant Guide.
This Tearful (Temporary) Goodbye (But Available For Pick-Up!) From Flora Good Times
This Saturday morning, the saddest Instagram post came up. Sad but truthful and appreciated. It’s from Flora Good Times. Owner Corinne Bryson bought the shop from the former Mary Fris (read her interview with ALBB here after that transition). Within the year she has been told to shut her new business, a move she supports in the name of public health, but one that is not without deep struggle and hardship.
We will leave you with Flora Good Times’s temporary goodbye post. Read it, and then go back and buy from her. She does pickup, and you’ll want to experience whatever energy you can from that sweet shop.
From Flora Good Times via her post on Instagram:
“I know the news is changing so quickly it feels like whiplash these days.
”A few things have changed for us over here today. Previously posted that we would be open tomorrow and Sunday. This is partially true, but only Saturday and only for curbside pickups or pre-orders! Our little store is not easy to socially distance within, so for the next while, only appointments/pickups allowed inside the shop. Sunday we will be closed.
”Secondly, I posted today that I wasn't sure about curbside pickups next week and moving forward. I think we will make it happen for you. I'll take orders Sunday-Tuesday for Wednesday and Friday pickup at designated times. What we have available is on our highlights, but please ask if you're looking for something you might not see. The store is full of treasures!
”Finally, I will not be focusing on flowers until I can properly reopen. We have cleaned out the fresh flower area as it's typically the part of our business running on the smallest margins with the most physical loss. We do have dried flowers available, or if you are looking for fresh flowers, I am happy to turn you to a handful of wonderful local florists who are slinging flowers however they can.
”Today has been weird. No shame in saying I've cried in the grocery store every time I've been in it this week. But, I've also spent a lot of time remembering that this pandemic is really teaching us something that I've been told all along -- health is the most important thing. And I'm grateful that I am healthy and those that I love are healthy. I hope you are also healthy and surrounding yourself with light in whatever way you can ♥️ Last thing, I heard a lovely Norwegian proverb today that I'm holding with me for the foreseeable future: "It will either go well or it will pass." Either sound great to me right about now.”
Wishing all of our Main Street business friends the very best as we soldier through this. Please continue to make your life happy by ordering the treasures you find inside. How fun to shop differently now: by gazing through the storefront window, and the shop owner brings you something.
Newburgh Vintage Emporium Expanding with Second Location
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Neighboring Beacon, right across the Hudson River just off the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge and 9W, is the Newburgh Vintage Emporium, located at 5006 Route 9W, Newburgh. Established in 2013, the Newburgh Vintage Emporium quickly became one of the Hudson Valley’s ideal locations to shop for vintage finds, antiquing, crate-diving for vinyl records, and even discovering local handmade goods. As first reported by the blog Newburgh Restoration, Newburgh Vintage Emporium is expanding due to its growing popularity!
Newburgh Vintage Emporium “Ware-House”
Artist rendition of second location.
That’s right, 11,000 square feet with 50 vendors just isn’t enough to keep all the goods in! The organizers have announced that a second location will be opening at 10 Route 17K, in Newburgh - the Newburgh Vintage Emporium “Ware-House”! The Ware-House, as they call it, will add 30,000 square feet of treasure-hunting, with 80 more vendors. The new space will house even more vintage furniture and clothing, antiques, curiosities, repurposed and locally made goods.
Room For Growth
Sound Shack Beacon moved their record collection from Main Street (Beacon) to the Newburgh Vintage Emporium five years ago (and even hosted a pop-up shop at A Little Beacon Space!) and says it’s been a fabulous transition for them. They will also be expanding into the new space. Sandy from Sound Shack tells us: “We are excited about this venture! We will be having a spot that we will call Sound Shack Annex!”
This is an exciting time for Newburgh as new businesses continue to come into the city. As noted on the Newburgh Restoration blog, “the Vintage Emporium, located at the northern end of the city, just off the I-84 ramp, attracts many customers from near and far. Now the city will have a revamped shopping destination in the west end of the city. The owners have given their first location a fresh perspective. It will be exciting to see what they do on 17K!”
If you are interested in selling with Newburgh Vintage Emporium, you can call them at (845) 562-5200 or click here.
Pop-Up Shop Season Has Started! Pop-Up In A Little Beacon Space
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Pop-Up Shop Season Has Started!
Want a venue to showcase your talent? Pop Up in A Little Beacon Space! People are always asking us, "What's coming in next?" Maybe it’s you!
We make your setup and promotion really easy! We have two black tables with smooth surfaces, which can get shorter or longer, depending on who is setting up in the room. We have the perfect nook for trying on clothing or just relaxing while others shop. Pop-up events at A Little Beacon Space are always fun and lively. A lovely surprise on your weekend stroll through Beacon!
Coming soon… new shelving we ordered, to give you more retail display options. Watch our Instagram for when it arrives and we set it up!
Click here for details >
Beacon Shops Begin To Open After Major Storm and Power Outages
/Beacon, you rock! Recognize these Open signs? Meyer's Olde Dutch and Artisan Wine Shop. Across the street from those two, Notions-N-Potions and Luxe Optique are welcoming customers too. More signs like this are popping up! Hard work continues to restore power and cable, and clear trees, etc. 🙏🏻 Thank you to everyone who continues to help bring us a safe community and modern conveniences! You are all beacons of light.
Latest Updates This Week In The Things To Do In Beacon Guides 5-15-16
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Here's a quick list of what we added to ALBB this week so you can plan ahead this Spring. As the weather gets warmer, there will be more and more fun things to do!
- Niche Factory Sale: Set for Saturday and Sunday, June 11 and 12, offering amazing discounts - 50% to 80% off!
- Reset & Renew Your Mindset with Kate Rabe: Learn to get more profit for your business at this half-day workshop held at the Holiday Inn Express in Fishkill on June 13th.
- Compass Arts: New class dates added for June, including Mommy & Me classes
- Parent & Child Portrait Class with Maria Amor: New Art & Craft location added, Atelier Room 205 at the old Beacon High School. Classes begin in June for 3rd grade through 5th grade.
Find direct links to each of these items in our Kids Classes Guide.
- ReMade: Added to our Shopping Guide. Located next to Clay Wood & Cotton at 133 Main St., Beacon, NY.
- The Vault: Visit our latest Restaurant Guide Sponsor, at 446 Main Street.
You can always check our Restaurant Guide for the latest openings and promotions!
- The Blushery: Our newest Beauty Guide sponsor. They are giving away 20 percent-off discount cards to be used toward your next spa service. Does it get better? Yes! Enter their contest to win a free spray tan! They're giving one away to someone who checks in at The Blushery with a picture on Instagram by tagging #theblushery #BlusheryBirthday.
- Twins Barber Shop is our latest addition to the Beauty Guide. Check them out at 349 Main Street.
Find more ways to pamper yourself in our full Beauty Guide.
Do you have a class or workshop you would like us to consider adding? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, or via email at editorial@alittlebeacon.com.
Mama Wants: The Shopping & Relaxation Gift Guide for Mother's Day 2016
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Happy Mother's Day! Whether you are the mother of a child or of a pet or plant, it is because of your nurturing spirit that these things are growing, and you must be celebrated. While there are a flurry of brunch options around, let's be honest, a mother's work is never done if the kids are around, so she may need some Mommy and Me Time with Me Myself and I. Therefore, we present our Mother's Day Gift Guide for a Mama's Day Out: Shopping and Relaxation.
Brought to you by A Little Beacon Blog's Shopping Guide, a walk down Main Street from East to West is just what the day calls for.
SHOPPING SPREE!
Traditionally, you'd pick out a gift for Mom. But strolling down Main Street on a Saturday or Sunday is really fun. So give Mom the day off to shop with her friends or on her own - because even when on her own, she's bound to run into friends. But you know what makes shopping better? A stuffed money-clip. Let us begin! |
| First of all, when a Mom is shopping for Mother's Day, she may want to get dressed up and feel pretty. Really pretty. This rose pink dress is available at Lauren & Riley, on the East end of Main Street near the Beacon Bagel (also a good breakfast or early lunch location pre-shopping). |
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| Next is makeup, specifically makeup brushes. Much to your surprise, these makeup brushes, which include brushes specifically angled for liners, shadows and blush, are available at Beacon Natural Market. For the last 10 years, the Natural Market has made itself the destination for healthy living and lifestyle, and that includes mineral-based makeup for a clean finish that is easy on your skin. |
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| If her lashes could never have enough coats of mascara, there is now the Society of Lash, who can fix that! Step into this parlor (or ask for a gift certificate), and have individual eye lashes glued to each of Mama's lashes for a natural, yet full-bodied, look. |
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| Next, she's going to want to pick up some of these adorable glass and metal frames just down the street at Reservoir and Wood. These are good for showing off pressed flowers, and pictures that she could get taken and printed at The Pfotoshop in the old Matteawan train station when she stops in the Pfotoshop's walk-in photo booth to take pictures with her kids. |
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| And then yes, she'll need this wireless lacy underthing from Free People, hanging in one of Beacon's newest boutiques, Style Storehouse. |
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| Which might need to be worn under this dress...also at Style Storehouse. |
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| Fortunately for this Mama, there is a 30% off shelf at The Pfotoshop, right across the street from Style Storehouse! The Pfotoshop is the same place where Mom can duck into the photo booth for some quick pics with her girls - friends or kids, or even dogs. |
REFUEL WITH A TREAT
Alright, good job, Mama! You've hit Boutique Row, as I call it, on the East end of town. Now you need to refuel, because you're only halfway done. You're going to head next to the West end for artsy gifts with a bit of a funky twist.While the espresso pictured here is brewed with TasKafe beans down at Homespun's Dia:Beacon location near the train, Homespun's Main Street location in the middle of Main Street, near "Market Square" (think Key Food's location), is the perfect stop for coffee as you walk down Main Street in shopping mode. Also do get the chocolate mousse pie. Divine.
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| This happy little radio is a marvelous contraption that not only is a radio, but opens up like a lunch box to eat - I mean - store your phone, which can plug into the speakers and play your tunes. (Also: It's waterproof and sandproof! How cool is that?) Available at Dream in Plastic on the West end of town, or by ordering from their online store. |
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| For artful inclinations, River Winds Gallery has a plethora of beautiful pieces, like this leaf dish with a single red berry, crafted by local artists. |
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| Talk about limited time only... This artist, Karen Madden, is only at River Winds Gallery for a few more days, which includes an artist talk on Saturday from 4pm to 5:30pm. Her paintings are actually felted wool with metal. |
Brought to you by A Little Beacon Blog's Beauty Guide, a gift certificate to any of these beauty services will go over well.
RELAX WITH MASSAGE PACKAGES
This is what Mama really wants - a massage. And these two massage providers are having a Mother's Day Special on massage services. These are services you want to stock up and cash in on, because they aren't offered often!
River Therapeutic Massage is offering two free gift certificates for a 30-minute session worth $50 and for a $25 enhancement add-on when you buy a series of six sessions (60, 75 or 90 minutes). Purchases can be made by calling/texting Karen at (845) 379-1956 or emailing her at rtmbeacon@gmail.com. Her studio is on Route 52, right next to the dentist and the Karen's Place hair salon.
A full-body massage in All Sport's zen massage room is $60 for 45 minutes when you purchase by Sunday by clicking here, and can be used 12 months from now. A total deal.
FAMILY FOREVER
Because precious moments can be captured with just the right lighting, and framed forever. Eva Deitch Photography, a local Beacon photographer, has a Kids package which offers a down-to-earth family session experience. Eva's work walks the line beween documentary and fine art, her sessions playing off the intimate connection of family love and the spontaneity of life. Book a family session before Mother’s Day to receive a 10% discount on your session (valid until 8/1/2016) and a printable certificate to gift. Sessions are perfect for mothers, wives, sisters, and grandmas! Email Eva at eva@evadeitch.com.
Happy Mother's Day, everyone!
The Coolest Cooler Ever - And Only One Chance to Buy It At Beacon Flea
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Of course we had to beeline it to the season opening of Beacon Flea last Sunday, and boy, did it live up to our hopes of finding treasures - and creative genius! What we caught glimpses of via Beacon Flea's Instagram last year became reality with the appearance of custom-made furniture from local favorites like Keith Decent of Sixth Borough Studios and reMADE (formerly known as The Hudson Valley Maker and Artisan Cooperative).
This year there is a new guy on the scene: Robert Powchik, of Powchik Woodworking in Peekskill. Robert had been a vendor at the fair a few years back, and then took the year off from Beacon while he thought about opening a shop on Etsy, or getting any other kind of online presence. Meanwhile, he'd been building and designing away, and brought several of his creations to Beacon Flea and mesmerized anyone walking by, from a woodland throne to benches to this ... the "coolest cooler ever" as we dubbed it in our Instagram last week. And we weren't alone in developing an instant obsession with it!
Lately in Beacon, artisans have been showing off really neat bottle openers at their homes, made by their artisan family members. Like the family duo Pergamena and Outlast Goods. Well, Outlast made a wall-mounted wooden bottle opener for Pergamena, and it's just about the greatest looking thing ever in the kitchen.
Robert has made a standing cooler on wheels (pictured above) with a built-in bottle opener with magnetic powers to catch your falling cap. Yes, that is a standard-issue Igloo cooler nestled snugly into the wooden surround, which has a drain extension out of the wood, finished off with a metal faucet to drain the melted ice and other liquid from the cooler.
Do you need to tip the cooler? No problem! Robert installed the dish rack bar on the left side, which doubles as a bar to easily lift and tip the cooler. All of this is completed by a decorative horseshoe mount on top - or any other decoration you would like completing your cooler lid when closed. The wood has been treated to weather the outdoors, so you can use it without putting it away. Here's the best part (well, the wooden cooler is the best part in and of itself) - you can bring Robert your own plastic cooler and he'll build your wood cooler around that and knock about $25-$30 off the total sales price of the coolest cooler ever, which retails at $200.
This needs to be in your backyard. Need an excuse? Father's Day. But here's the kicker - finding Robert is tricky, as he has no website, so show up at the Beacon Flea to place your order! The Beacon Flea is located behind the gas station next to the Post Office at 6 Henry Street. It's an easy walk, or there is plenty of parking.
Makers like Robert and Keith are filling the lot at Beacon Flea. While Keith may not be there this year because he's in a new retail shop on Main Street (unless he changes his mind...), other collectors are selling their vintage finds, and some of them are putting their own personal stamp on the pieces. Among the treasures awaiting you, this small door with wrought-iron hooks, selling for $40 - or your best offer.
Meanwhile, collectors of the classics will leave satisfied. This vintage drum-set is on the do-not-touch list and is going for $300.
Action figures, from Wrestle Mania dudes to Barbie to Snow White are all here, plus boxes of sorted stuff like Matchbox cars, records, and anything you need. It will show up at Beacon Flea, which is open every Sunday from 8am-3pm. But as with a lot of markets, the only way you can buy it is to show up, making every find super special.
Take pictures of your finds and tag us on Instagram with #alittlebeacon! Can't wait to see what you pick up!
Record Store Day is Saturday April 16, 2016! Where You Will Find Crates to Buy Records, and Why Folks Love Records
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| For your Beacon trivia, this E.T. is the main storefront display for local record store favorite, Audioccult. |
This year, Record Store Day is on Saturday, April 16, and you do not have a travel far to take advantage of all the RSD exclusives. Audioccult, located on Beacon's Main Street across from Key Food and next door to vintage shop American Gypsy (and host of this E.T. pictured here), will be celebrating their one-year anniversary (first opened on April 11, 2015, and covered by A Little Beacon Blog here!) and their doors will open at 9 am. There will be live music at 1 pm with a performance from Zack Campone.
Here is a list of participating stores in our area:
Audioccult (Beacon, NY)
Sound Shack (Newburgh, NY - you won't find new releases aren't here, as they are into the vintage)
Halfmoon Records (Cold Spring, NY)
Darkside Records & Gallery (Poughkeepsie, NY)
Jack's Rhythms (New Paltz, NY)
Rhino Records (New Paltz, NY)
Rock Fantasy (Middletown, NY)
The Kiam Records Shop (Nyack, NY)
Wright Gallery Records (Kingston, NY)
To see "The List" of this year's exclusives, visit www.recordstoreday.com and check out our Events Guide for more happenings coming up!
For the Love of Records
When A Little Beacon Blog's publisher, Katie, first learned about Record Store Day last year, thanks to Sound Shack's promotion of it days before they left their Beacon location for the Newburgh Emproium, Katie's interest in why people love listening to records was piqued. What is it about records that has people so passionate? Do we all need to be buying record players now? It seems so! We asked around and heard from different folks about why they love listening to records. Here is what they had to say: |
| Photo Credit: The Fleshtones |
"The difference between vinyl and CDs is emotional as well as technical. Certainly LPs sound better, crackles and all. But it's the emotional ties that go with memories of peering through record store windows at new releases, the thrill of gate-fold sleeves and the occasional poster or insert. The way choice LPs feel when tucked under your arm on the way to a party. CDs could never match that."
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| Photo Credit: The Fleshtones |
The 45’s sleeve shown here was designed by Herve Peroncini of the Italian band The Peawees. The photos are by Jacopo Benessi before a Fleshtones show in La Spezia, Italy. The songs were recorded with longtime friend of The Fleshtones, Florent Barbier, at Cold Cut Productions Studios. This release is exclusive to Record Store Day 2016.
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| Photo Credit: airbnb host. |
"I grew up listening to records and still miss the sound of the needle on vinyl. We have a fairly large collection (combined) of albums, but they've been in boxes since before we moved up here in '93 :(
I will be visiting Nashville with my mom for a family reunion this August. We were lucky to get the same airbnb that we stayed in during our last visit - and it has records and a record player. I am looking forward to spinning some country western tunes while I'm there. Patsy Cline, anyone?"
Do you love listening to records? We would love to know why! Tell us in the Comments below.
Sundays Are Complete Again! Beacon Flea Market Opens April 10, 2016
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Did you find yourself walking aimlessly down Main Street this winter, taken in with all of the shops of course, but missing your anchor, that nudge in the back of your mind of something you wanted to do but couldn't put your finger on?
That is because Beacon Flea was closed for the season, the outdoor flea market located behind the Post Office in the parking lot at 6 Henry Street that is open every Sunday from 8am-3pm weather permitting. Perfect for walking through with a cup of coffee from a nearby cafe, or full belly from brunch from these eateries or a Belgium waffle at the Yankee Clipper Diner. The flea market will be open again on April 10th through the Fall.
UPDATE: Due to the snowy weather on April 3rd, the original opening day, Beacon Flea moved it to April 10.
When Emma Dewing, Owner and Market Manager of Beacon Flea, announced on her Facebook page that the Beacon Flea had just signed a contract with the city for another near of flea marketing, the post was shared over 65 times. Says Emma: "People are excited for the market to open. It heralds Spring, warm weather, and a terrific social event in the heart of Beacon. On a Sunday morning, customers walk to Main, grab coffee, meet friends and neighbors in the Flea Market and hunt for vintage and handmade treasures! There is a buzz that is just wonderful, and I am so thrilled for Beacon!"
When Emma Dewing, Owner and Market Manager of Beacon Flea, announced on her Facebook page that the Beacon Flea had just signed a contract with the city for another near of flea marketing, the post was shared over 65 times. Says Emma: "People are excited for the market to open. It heralds Spring, warm weather, and a terrific social event in the heart of Beacon. On a Sunday morning, customers walk to Main, grab coffee, meet friends and neighbors in the Flea Market and hunt for vintage and handmade treasures! There is a buzz that is just wonderful, and I am so thrilled for Beacon!"
Estate Sales From Beacon Flea
Those in withdraw from hunting for treasures outside could still attend Estate Sales Beacon Flea put on throughout the Hudson Valley. |
| Photo Credit: From Beacon Flea's Instagram page. |
Beacon Flea Now Accepting Vendors
Got something you want to vend? Beacon Flea is now accepting vendors. Welcomed items include vintage, retro, antique, junk, salvage, architectural elements, collectibles, attic clean-outs, yard sale, costume jewelry, art, musical instruments, and hand made items. Any questions, contact Beacon Flea directly for more information: beaconfleamarket@gmail.com (845) 202-0094.Need a Card? For Saying I Love You, Thanks, or to Address Your Inner Awesome Self
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Isn't shopping for cards fun? Should you need one today - Valentine's Day - or any day of the week, you could of course find rows and rows of them at Rite Aid, which does carry the popular Papyrus cards that are usually decorated with glitter, or you could find clever cards from artists in your favorite boutique. The best part about this route: The cards carried in each store reveal the personality behind each proprietress or proprietor. Which personality fits you?
This is not an exhaustive list, as cards show up in several shops around town at any given time, and this won't be the last stationery roundup you'll get! Keep your eye on another new shop, Wanderlust Gifts near Ella's Bellas, who has a curious collection of just the right things you need for any given moment.
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| Awwwe! A Forever Awkward Together card is precious with this gift set, from proprietress Michelle Caves at Blackbird Attic, on Beacon's east end of town near the mountain. |
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| At first glance, these lovely fonts are so innocent...until you read the kick-ass message! Find these "glitter and cleavage" or "Being a badass is exhausting" cards in one of Beacon's newest shops, Style Store House from owner Michele Williams, who is actually from Poughkeepsie! #funfact. Style Store House is on Beacon's east end of town near Utensil and the mountain. |
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| If Clay Wood & Cotton owner Kristy Carpenter had her way, she'd knit all day at home without pants. And she's got the card to prove it. Plus, find locally designed pottery for your coffee and tea drinking needs. Clay Wood & Cotton is on Beacon's west end of town near Bank Square. HOT TIP! Some of the most beautiful and creative flower bouquets from Viridescent are at Clay Wood & Cotton today - Sunday! |
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| Are you part of one of those lucky couples who shares the same schedule - and taste in shows - to hunker down on the couch and binge-watch shows together? So is Jackie Foley, owner of The Pfotoshop. |
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| And because it's Valentine's Day, you may need a larger selection of smart love cards, also at The Pfotoshop. |
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| Because really...cats will wake you up each morning with kisses... and demand to be fed. Wait a minute...aren't you supposed to get breakfast in bed on Valentine's Day? Or your birthday? Or any day? |
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| YES. One of my favorite cards at Play, on Beacon's west end of town. Because really, prehistoric reptiles are pretty cool. |
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| Should you need a Thank You card at any time for a job interview, gift, or just any reason to say Thanks, you've got options at The Pfotoshop, Clay Wood & Cotton, and Echo. |
This is not an exhaustive list, as cards show up in several shops around town at any given time, and this won't be the last stationery roundup you'll get! Keep your eye on another new shop, Wanderlust Gifts near Ella's Bellas, who has a curious collection of just the right things you need for any given moment.
Find addresses and days open for these shops in A Little Beacon Blog's Shopping Guide!
