Mar 9, 2010

Scenery Hill shops, with five new entries, plan 2010 grand opening on March 20By Michael BradwellObserver-Reporter.com

Scenery Hill – The five shop owners who gathered in Annette Hareras’ “Everything But the Cat” store in Scenery Hill on Thursday morning represented the newest entries on the block of a village that’s been known for decades for its antique and craft shopping.

On March 20, more than a dozen businesses – from a new gallery and gift shop to the venerable Century Inn – that straddle Route 40 will hold a grand opening to kick off the 2010 season.

With Washington County celebrating its bicentennial this year and the National Pike Festival arriving in mid-May, Hareras and other merchants are optimistic that the shops of Scenery Hill will enjoy a good retail season. They’re also hoping that the presence of The Meadows Racetrack & Casino and the Tanger Outlet in Washington will send some more visitors their way.

Harera’s store, which sells “old made new” home decor items and linens along with dried, silk and live florals, adjoins Scott Solo’s “The Crown Jewel,” which offers antiques, jewelry and collectibles.

On Thursday, they were joined by Sandi DiBasilio, who is opening Ryan’s Reflections Gallery and Gifts with her sister, artist Dawn Andrews; Ann Charpentier of Northern Flicker, which will offer her handmade candles and soaps; and William Harvey, who with Clinton Boyer is opening Elves Lair, a store featuring Christmas decorations, locally woven baskets, historical postcards and antiques.

Both Hareras and Solo said they launched trial runs of their shops in November and December and were pleasantly surprised by the holiday shopping crowd.

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