ROADTRIP: Wykoff, NJ

Image from Tiny House Blog: http://tinyhouseblog.com/yourstory/train-depots/

Wednesday, me and “running buddy” Michelle, still trying to get back to Nyack, decided to just take a local trip for a bit of fresh air. So we headed up the Garden State Parkway to route 208 into the Wykoff area of Bergen County, New Jersey, to this great little shop we know called “Then & Now.” Thinking it was the only shop in the area, we have never ventured further. But since I am doing the road trip series I decided to ask if other shops where around – glad I did. Like Nyack, the area proved to be a surprisingly fertile ground for vintage – and history….

Turns out, Wykoff was originally the site of the Sicomac "happy hunting ground," and is where many Lenape Indians, including Oratam, Chief of the Ackingshacys, are buried. It is also the place where the Minsis Indians of northern New Jersey met to barter with the Long Island Indians, and, contains a portion of the famous Minnisink Trail, which runs from the Delaware River to the Atlantic Ocean. Given as a land grant to Sir George Carteret and Lord John Berkeley (incidentally, the name of the street where TEAWINGS is located) by the Duke of York in 1664, it was finally incorporated into a township in 1926. The Township of Wyckoff comprises only seven square miles 27 miles from New York City, but alone with neighboring Midland Park, it contains some really rich digs:

Then & Now Consignment, (http://www.thenandnowclassics.com/ ), (Rear) 457 Goffle Road, Wyckoff, (201) 445-2447: Has been there for over 20 years, and was just recently turned over to new owners. Layers, layer, and more layers of stuff is the only way to describe it. New items added daily… (Check out their website, you will get a sense of what I mean – it’s a honey of a dig).

Home, 1083 Goffle Road, Hawthorn, NJ (just off 208 on the way to Then & Now), (973) 304-1080, …If I could redo my entire house it would be from this one store. Such a refreshing way of combining vintage and contemporary… It is one of those creative breaks for the senses…

New friends we made yesterday…

Stonecroft Interiors, 26 Goffle Road, Midland Park, (201) 445-5051, (just five blocks down the road from Then & Now). Owned by Carole Mason. What can I say about Ms Carole (pictured above) – she’s a classic…Housed in a charming little stone cottage, she blends the best of vintage and contemporary in her work, rummaging around her shop was just fun!

Across the parking lot from Stonecroft is JCC Jewelry – Coins Antique Center, 26 Goffle Road, Midland Park, (201) 445-0070. Don’t let the name throw you… Rarely do you find a dealer with tons – did I say tons of diversity like this shop. He has been collecting since the 1970’s and the bevy of bounty proves it. Next to a funky old shop I found last year in Winter Park, Florida this is probably my favorite dig in recent years. Just plan to spend a couple of hours…

Across the street from there is The Brownstone Mill, 11 Paterson Ave # 1, Midland Park, (201) 445-3074, which has two floors of multiple dealers including: Ichabod Antiques, (201) 652-5585, Really nice sterling silver among other collectibles, I found a rare Reed & Barton sterling mustard spoon there for a good price;

Pixie’s Unique Finds, (201) 304-2514, Who has vintage broaches and accessories, she specialized in lovely photo frames made from vintage rhinestone (nothing like the real thing!);

Vintage 61, (201) 445-7707 Is a charming light, with really sweet repurposed vintage/shabby chic home furnishings and accessories. (Perhaps a dozen more dealers whose shops we did not have time to visit…Also located on the grounds is a great nursey.)

… I with my spoon, and Michelle with a really lovely rare lamp from JCC (among other finds) left Wykoff exhausted, but smiling like Cheshire cats… O’ where will we end up next? …Not sure, but really glad I am finally taking the time finally to venture out in the region…Life is much too short to live else wise.