New business owners Brendon Wolf, and Christine Dempsey, along with Matt “The Pickle Guy” Gleason, are part of a business renaissance along the lower end of Partition Street. (photo by Robert Ford)
A renaissance of sorts is taking place along a stretch of Partition St. that, until recently, was marked by a lot of vacant storefronts. Aside from the candy store, a laundromat and a spa, the foot of Partition St. was a place many drove by but few stopped.
That all began to change last year. While Diamond Mills is certainly the biggest new addition to the area, small businesses are opening up shop as well. Matt “The Pickle Guy” Gleason opened his popular Brine Barrel Pickles in 2011, and it’s quickly become a must-stop for those who love pickles and great deli sandwiches.
It was Gleason’s intrepid spirit and search for low rent that led him to eschew the more fashionable upper section of Partition and Main Streets, which have been booming for quite some time now. But there isn’t much room to grow in the other three directions, so it was only a matter of time before brave entrepreneurs set up shop down the hill.
In the past few weeks, two new businesses have opened: Wolf Moon Pet Barkery Boutique and Gallery, and the Crimson Gypsy and BDY Wear, a shop that specializes in custom-made corsetry and Renaissance-era inspired clothing, along with more traditional dresses and dance wear.
Safe, local goods for pet-owners
For Brendon Wolf, 25, this is his first foray into business. The idea came from a brain-storming session with his mother, Miriam Adams, who owns the popular Renwick Clifton House B&B in town.
With the poor economy and unemployment in Ulster at more than 8 percent, Wolf said it was time to open his own business. He realizes it could take time to become successful.
“Pets have always been my passion,” Wolf said. “I saw the larger pet shops selling products such as chicken jerky from China that was not always good for animals, and decided that a shop that went in a different direction was needed.”
Pet food and products sold at the Pet Barkery have natural, local ingredients, such as meat from Woodstock Meats. Dog sweaters are knitted by a woman from Highland and the pet paintings are done by a local woman, as are the pet toys made by a woman in Port Ewen.
Wolf chose to locate his shop on the lower end of Partition St. rather than opening in one of the several vacant storefronts on Main St. or upper Partition St., “because I thought we would stand out better here. We are trying to bring business down to this section of the street,” he said.
And it seems to be working, according to Wolf; people and their pets have been finding the unique shop and stopping in. “A lot of people staying at Diamond Mills have been walking up to pay us a visit,” he said.
His shop is located at 235 Partition St. It’s open five days a week, 12-5 p.m., on Wednesday, 12-7 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and noon until 4 p.m. on Sunday. He stays open until 9 p.m. on First Fridays. For more information, visit www.wolfmoonpet.com.