Faded Cottage features ‘comfort things’
Published 10:25 am Wednesday, February 19, 2020
- Paige Ullery, center, gets help from Ivor Mayor Tara Kea in cutting the ribbon for the grand opening of her store, Faded Cottage, on Main Street. At far left is Haleigh Power, holding one end of the ribbon during the ceremony on Saturday morning. -- Merle Monahan Tidewater News
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Opening shop has been owner’s dream for years
MERLE MONAHAN/CONTRIBUTING WRITER
IVOR
An estimated 300 to 350 people stopped by Ivor’s newest business on Saturday to look over and, more often than not, purchase one or two antiques from the Faded Cottage on Main Street.
From 11 a.m. til noon following the ribbon cutting, the small one-room shop was crammed with shoppers. Some had chosen to buy signs or pillows displaying the name of their hometown, or other items like a century-old chair half painted white and pictures of everything — animals, buildings, even houses like “grandpa and grandma used to live in.”
Paige Ullery, left, talks with customers waiting to pay for items they bought in her store, Faded Cottage. — Merle Monahan Tidewater News
One senior shopper was heard to remark about a wooden garden swing, “Oh, I remember this. We used to have one when I was a child.”
“The largest crowd was here for the first hour,” said owner Paige Ullery, “but we were busy all day.”
“We were very, very pleased with the turnout,” she added with a smile.
She has dreamed of owning a shop such as this for years.
“I love the things like we have for sale here,” said Ullery. “I call them comfort things, they’re cozy and homey.”
A young mother of two small boys, she, with the help of her career Navy husband, Chris, have collected her wares across the United States, including Hawaii.
A few years ago, Ullery decided to join several events as a vendor.
“Wherever he was stationed, we’d find a place for me to set up shop,” she said.
Now stationed in Norfolk and living in Suffolk, Ullery said she and her family were just riding through Ivor one Saturday and saw the “For Sale” sign on the former veterinary clinic.
“I really wanted my own shop, and we thought this had possibilities,” she said, “So we decided to look into it. Long story short, we did and here we are. So far, I’m extremely happy.”
The store is packed with “something for everybody,” Ullery said. “I’ve tried to arrange things in a manner to attract young and old, although the merchandise is antique.”
She named some of the things that are featured: “Scattered throughout the store are dressers, tables, chairs (for both inside and outside), bookcases and chests. Also, handmade signs, pillows, old books, jewelry, old bottles, vintage clothes, handmade soap and an early typewriter. From the early barnyard are metal chicken feeders, oil and watering cans and other items too many to mention.”
Ullery said she also takes merchandise on consignment. So crafters should stop in and take a look.
Her hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday.
