Where it’s Always Christmas: The Christmas Loft
As seen in Holiday Shop 2025.
What started as an attic in a country store turned into 40 years of spreading Christmas cheer on the East Coast.
The Christmas Loft first opened in 1980 by Gregory Vander Veer’s parents, Ronnie and Richard. At the time, they owned Jay Country Store in Jay, Vermont, which had an unused loft area. Ronnie loved Christmas décor, so the couple decided to transform the space into a “Christmas loft,” which quickly grew popular with customers. As such, the duo then decided to open independent Christmas- specific stores and sell the country store to focus on their new venture.
Over the next 30 years, Ronnie and Richard built The Christmas Loft business to seven locations across Vermont, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. As the couple prepared to retire, they closed some store locations. In 2016, Vander Veer and his husband, Stephen O’Farrell, decided to take over the business. Today, they own and operate two stores in North Conway and North Woodstock, New Hampshire.
As owners, Vander Veer and O’Farrell expanded the offerings at the North Conway store by purchasing the building next door, which now features Halloween collections, toys, candy and ice cream treats. They also launched an online store, which has grown steadily and now makes up 40% of their annual revenue, the duo said.
Half of the store is dedicated to a life-sized, animated New England village. Guests are greeted by Bessie, a talking cow, and her friend Stumpy, the tree. From there, they walk through an enchanted forest and step into a 19th-century village on Christmas Eve.
After this immersive experience, visitors can explore several rooms filled with Christmas décor, including 20 themed Christmas trees that change every year.
Vander Veer said the customer experience has been a top priority at The Christmas Loft from the start.
“When my parents designed their flagship store in North Conway, they envisioned more than just a retail space — they created a magical winter wonderland where customers are fully immersed in the sights and sounds of Christmas,” he said.
BESTSELLERS & HOT BUYS
The Christmas Loft prides itself on offering everything a family could need or want to celebrate Christmas and their other favorite holidays with thousands of ornaments and classic Christmas collectibles — trees, lights, ribbons and more. Their bestselling category is ornaments.
“We offer over 15,000 different ornaments and like to think we have something for everyone,” Vander Veer said. “Many of our customers return with their families every year to pick out their special ornaments.”
Customers are greeted at entrance of The Christmas Loft with Bessie, the talking cow, and Stumpy, the tree. Customers then walk through a life-sized 19th-centry village on Christmas Eve.
Growing up in the stores, he loved the magic of the snow globes. Now, he loves the German handmade Christian Ulbricht smokers that he considers “timeless and enchanting.”
Other bestsellers of The Christmas Loft include Department 56 and Lemax Christmas Villages, Snowbabies, Jim Shore figurines and some made- in-the-USA companies like Heart Gifts by Teresa, Belsnickel Bells and Buyers’ Choice Carolers.
The Christmas Loft has a thorough P.O.S. system that allows Vander Veer and O’Farrell to carefully track the store’s inventory and recognize trends.
“If an item has strong sell-through, we reorder it for the following year; if it doesn’t, we replace it with something new,” Vander Veer said.
The biggest area of growth over the years is lighting.
“There has been significant development in novelty LED lights and a renewed interest from our customers in lighting up both the inside and outside of their homes in new and creative ways,” he said.
The couple actively sources their products from over 300 vendors each year.
“While we’re always on the lookout for something new and exciting, the backbone of our business is built on the long-term relationships we’ve maintained with our larger vendors — such as Regency, Kurt Adler, Kaemingk, RAZ Imports, Cody Foster and others,” Vander Veer said.
They spend most of January buying at gift shows and visiting other showrooms, looking for items their customers will enjoy. They prefer to see all the products in person so they can assess the quality and perceived value.
“We also try to find something completely new each year that might surprise and excite them,” he said.
