I love it when a shop has a strong personality — when you get an immediate feel for the owner’s sensibility.

Stepping into Suburban Groove, I could quickly tell that Rhea Russo has a flair for style (the mid-century modern furniture and glass),

for fun (the $2 fairy tokens)

and plain-old kitsch (the pink Christmas tree topped with a peace sign).

Not everyone could pull off such a mix, but the Bedford Hills shop is eclectic in the best sense of the word.

Russo, who has a background in advertising, first opened the shop two years ago on Babbitt Road. This September, she re-opened in this new space, staying within town.

Suburban Groove is definitely the kind of place where you never know what you’ll find — and every shelf is jam-packed with goodies hand-picked by Russo.

“That’s what I love about this store — I get to buy,” Russo says, describing her merchandise as “funky and fun and cool and hopefully stuff you wouldn’t find anywhere and everywhere.”

Even Russo admits it’s hard to put a name to what her shop actually is.

Her business card calls it “An Eclectic Trading Company… uncommon finds for you and your home.”

“I always say a gift shop with a twist,” Russo says.

And that twist is what makes it so fun.

You can go in and find a mood ring for $4 or a statement-making couch ($925) that would ease right into any retro rec room.

There are 1950s drinking glasses and spiral notebooks with Crosby, Stills and Nash ($18) on the cover.

There’s a candle with a Mona Lisa image,

earrings and bracelets,

shot glasses and planters, lamps,

cards and Mr. Peanut figurines.

There’s a lunch bag made from recycled water bottles

and a bowl made out of a vinyl album ($30).

Having items made out of recycled materials — or re-thinking how an item is used is key for Russo.

It’s all about “keeping it out of a landfill,” she says.

Take this handful of silver utensils gathered on a shelf.

A tag says they are “funky artist-designed and made 1970s spreaders… or letter openers or just minimalist sculptures.”

Be sure to read all of the signs Russo’s made for her selections, such as this set of drinking glasses with a textured surface:

“Now pick up one of these Mexican-glass glasses and hold it in your hand. No. FEEL it in your hand… Are you smiling?”

You probably will be, especially after spending time here surrounded by Russo’s picks.

“I’m the one who has to look at it all day, and I want to like what I’m looking at,” she says. “It’s easier for me to sell things if I’m into it.”

Russo will accept limited consignments, so long as the items are in line with “the flavor of the shop.”

She offers gift certificates and gift wrapping and will have several holiday promotions (stay tuned; I’ll add details when they get closer).

So, stop by and say hello to Russo:

Suburban Groove is at 297 Bedford Road (Route 117). Its hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays or by appointment (with extended hours coming for the holiday season).

For more details, call the shop at 914-241-0154.
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Hope you enjoyed my visit to Suburban Groove. A version of this posting will appear in the Life & Style section of The Journal News, and here on LoHud.com, on Monday when Suburban Groove is my next Shop of the Week.