What happens when you turn the back half of a 1957 Ford truck into a cash wrap focal point of your boutique? Consumers will take photos, post them on Instagram, and new customers will find their way into your store organically.
So wrote Lauren Parker, editor of Accessories Magazine, in a recent blog post on the publication’s website. She was referring to the checkout at the new Taste the East End boutique, a downtown Riverhead shop which specializes in locally crafted goods like jams, honey, soaps, pottery and more. The store is located next to the Hyatt East End.
Parker, a friend of northforker and a part-time Southold resident, stopped in for a chat with the store’s manager, Alexandra Bussi. Bussi, who studied visual merchandising, is the daughter of Joe Petrocelli, the store’s owner and a principal in the nearby Long Island Aquarium.
The truck was her idea.
“It is usually the first thing customers see and comment on as soon as they enter the boutique,” Bussi told Parker. “Some have come in saying they saw it on Instagram or Facebook and came in to get a closer look.
Looking at the photos Parker posted online, it’s clear the store’s interior is gorgeous! Exposed ceiling beams are reminiscent of a barn and the white walls and light colored floors give the store a clean feel. A black and white mural of the Petrocelli family’s winery, Raphael, is displayed behind the counter.
“It’s the perfect blend of homey country and urban city,” Bussi told Parker. “East End farm goods meets downtown.”
The store opened in July and we admit, we dropped the ball on covering its opening (give me a pass, I was out on maternity leave).
But we will have to visit soon!
You can read more about it here
