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Mary Shustack shops around

When you want it… all

April
24

Some shops have something that catches your eye.

Others have nearly everything you want — and those are some of the most fun ones to visit.

That’s how I felt when I stepped into ML Gifts & Accessories in Nyack last week.

The shop officially opened April 12, moving a few blocks down Broadway to an airy space that’s more than double its original size.

ML Gifts is today’s “Shop of the Week,” with a feature in today’s Life & Style section of The Journal News and also here on LoHud.com.

Check the story out, but here’s a bit more about the place:

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The “old” ML Gifts was a satellite of Maria Luisa, a retail mainstay in the village having been owned and operated by Maria Luisa Whittingham for more than 20 years.

She opened the second shop a few doors away from her original, a cozy space jam-packed with great jewelry, funky bags and lots of gift items, from frames to soaps.

Whittingham told me she had the chance to buy the building where the new shop is — something she couldn’t pass up. (There’s even a full basement and backyard… so stay tuned to see how this all develops!)

Anyway, the new street-level storefront has given her room to display more of what she had — and some new categories, such as clothing (long featured at the original Maria Luisa).

There’s a real emphasis on eco-friendly and Fair Trade goods, but there’s no sacrifice on style.

Look at these market totes ($15.99) created by farmers’ wives in India:

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Whittingham, who’s long been active in the local community, even ran a contest for students of the Upper Nyack Elementary School, which encouraged them to create items that sum up the “recycle, renew, reuse” philosophy:

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The space is just filled with so, so much — but it doesn’t overwhelm, thanks to white walls and airy displays. Eventually, Whittingham says she’ll make changes but all seems to be working fine for now.

Just take a look at some of what caught my eye:

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And here’s Whittingham herself, on the left, along with ML Gifts’ manager Jessica Hans:

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ML Gifts & Accessories is at 75 S. Broadway. It’s open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. Call 845-358-1293.

The original Maria Luisa remains at 14 S. Broadway.

Why not visit them both this weekend, when Nyack holds its first street fair of the year? SpringFest will feature vendors lining Main Street and Broadway from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more details on the fair, contact the Chamber of Commerce of the Nyacks at 845-353-2221.

And by the way, I’m going to be out of town this weekend — so let me know if you go to ML Gifts & Accessories, Maria Luisa or the street fair… and tell me what you bought, of course.

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 24th, 2008 at 9:34 am by Mary Shustack.
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About this blog
Mary Shustack has been living — and shopping — in this region her whole life. This blog will follow her never-ending search for beautiful things, from home-decorating accents to funky tote bags to quirky collectibles. Come along as she browses through the shops, boutiques, markets and fairs of the Lower Hudson Valley.

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About the author
Mary ShustackMary Shustack was born in Nyack and has always lived in Rockland County, save for those four years she attended the University of Missouri in Columbia. READ MORE
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