by David Flint
“You never know what you’re going to find in here. Every day we are putting out something new.” Chris Horton speaks excitedly and with enthusiasm about her and husband Harry’s new venture in Stephentown – Chris-N-Harry’s Country Boutique & Thrift Store – that opened recently at the intersection of Routes 43 and 22. It’s obviously a labor of love, and her enthusiasm is contagious. The Hortons spend a lot of time selecting just the right things to display. People who drop in have demurred about calling it a “Thrift Store.” They say it’s not a thrift store because they are not finding a lot of junk and it doesn’t have “the smell of grandma’s attic.”
What it does have is five rooms full of a wide variety of interesting things. A partial list would include: clothing – some new, some “gently used” but like new – including hats and scarves for winter weather, vintage car parts, fishing equipment, skis and boots, books, CDs, movies on DVDs or VHS tapes, glassware and all sorts of gift items. There are collectibles of all kinds. Some may be antiques, but the Hortons say they are not “antique people.” And they don’t stock furniture because there is just no room for it. Some arts and crafts from local artisans can be found, but the shop is basically not a consignment store. Some of the children’s clothes are hand made locally and can be found in the “Kids Korner” There is also a Harley section reserved for items that will appeal to bikers, including items that Brad Humphrey had in his End of the Trail retail store.
If you’re looking for Christmas ornaments or decorations you might find them at Chris-N- Harry’s. They are also selling Christmas trees freshly cut in Hoosick Falls. And if you need some fire wood for roasting those chestnuts, you can get your fire wood at Chris-N- Harry’s too.
Everything in the store has a price tag. They keep their prices very low and don’t encourage haggling. Chris said that people seem to like it that way. All of the clothing articles are size tagged as well so people don’t have to guess.
The Hortons live in Berlin where they have six children, run a small poultry farm and where Harry does small engine and bicycle repair work. Fresh eggs from the poultry are sold in the Thrift Store, brown and white chicken eggs, duck eggs, goose eggs and even guinea hen eggs. Chris has been employed as a litigation secretary. She is also a Notary Public and can provide notary services during store hours
The Hortons currently have a six month lease on the building. If all goes well they may exercise an option to buy. So far business has been good. Much of the business is from travelers or people staying at Jiminy Peak or Vacation Village stopping to browse and find out something about the town.
Hours are Monday and Tuesday 10 am to 5 pm, Thursday and Friday 10 am to 6 pm, Saturday 9 am to 5 pm and Sunday 9 am to 4 pm. The shop will normally be closed on Wednesday, but until Christmas it’s open from 10 am to 5 pm.
Call the shop at 733-5159 for more information.