Jasper Gallery and Gifts in Midland Park is dream come true
Jasper Gallery and Gifts in Midland Park, which opened in October, was a dream — in more ways than one — for long-time friends Christina Demarothy and Denise Fleming Deutschman.
The two met while waitressing in Manhattan, and kept in touch as they pursued different paths. Demarothy pursued a career in the travel industry for 30 years, while Deutschman used her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in fine arts to advance her career as a painter.
Finally, the two agreed it was time to put their collective love of art and contemporary and vintage objects together in a gift store. Visits to estate sales, tag sales and flea markets yielded a variety of merchandise. But what would they call the store?
One night, Deutschman recalled, she had a dream about visiting Martha’s Vineyard, where she entered a gift shop. Intrigued by its offerings, Deutschman said she stepped outside to see the name of the store. A sign proclaimed “Jasper” was the name of the dream gift house. Coincidentally, it was also the name of Demarothy’s dog. Deutschman researched the name, and found it meant “treasure holder.”
“At that point we said, ‘That has to be the name’,” said Demarothy.
