Honesdale business growth

By TOM KANE AND SANDY LONG

HONESDALE, PA — New businesses continue to spring up in the bustling town of Honesdale, which has lately seen vigorous growth in its downtown business sector. Following the recent openings of businesses such as Decades Past, Emmy’s Boutique and Philadelphia Water Ice, in addition to major renovations prompting a new launch of the historic Hotel Wayne, six new ventures have opened their doors within the past several weeks.

Honesdale continues to buck national economic trends due to a combination of factors. “Historic Honesdale is a beautiful setting for any new business,” said Gail Tucker, executive director of the Greater Honesdale Partnership, which markets Honesdale’s increasingly successful business community. “As home of the American Railroad, Honesdale boasts beautiful architecture, rail excursions, the Wayne County Historical Society and is home base for the Wayne County Arts Alliance,” she added. “Our stores offer a wide variety of gifts and merchandise and our merchants are hard-working, fair and friendly.”

The Hanson Gallery and Decorium

An attractive renovation by Cynthia and Lars Hanson at 1037 Main Street has resulted in a new art gallery featuring the work of artists and artisans living in the Upper Delaware River region in Pennsylvania and New York. Antiques and vintage furniture are also available in its Decorium and art supplies, such as Arches watercolors, oils, acrylics, gouache, artists’ paper, brushes and pastels, are sold in the rear of the building.

The Hansons worked for years in the garment district of New York City as artists and designers.

The gallery will hold a preview of work associated with the Wayne County Arts Alliance’s Open Studio Tour, with an opening on Friday, July 10 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. The actual tour will occur on July 31 through August 2 ( waynecountyartsalliance.org ).

For more information visit www.thehansongallery.com or call 570/253-2525.

Willow River Gallery

Located at 118 Willow Avenue, Willow River Gallery is the culmination of a two-year labor of love by its owners, artist Trix Render and photographer Phil Garfield, who painstakingly renovated the beautiful gallery from its prior use as a dentist’s office.

Seven rooms throughout the house are used to display the work of regional artists. While not limited in subject matter, a considerable amount of the work showing at its recent opening draws substantially on the natural world.

The couple plans to hold at least six openings during the coming year, and to schedule a variety of arts or music-related special events. “We love this area and we’re in it for the long haul,” said Garfield.

For more information call 570/253-3013.

Maude Alley

This stunning new collection of shops at 1019 Main Street is the latest renovation completed by Paul Ludick and Bill Anton, who have been in the Honesdale area since 1988. “We were approached to see if we wanted to buy the 1845 house and we jumped at the opportunity,” said Ludick, who named the venture in honor of his grandmother.

The neighboring property at 1023 was later offered to them by its 95-year-old owner when she moved out. “We saw the potential for what could be created,” said Ludick, whose experience with a co-op in the West Village allowed him to observe how “strangers became friends.” Ludick plans to hold cultural and musical events in the garden area. “We hope to create a sense of community here,” he said.

The four merchants in the two-building complex, which opens onto an open-air courtyard complete with gardens, came together through word of mouth between mutual friends.

Featured in the light-filled spaces are Anton’s shop, Milkweed, featuring gifts and artful artifacts with a quirky quality; Mini and Floyd, whose products are aimed at living organically with style, and feature Lisa B’s clothing, Italian leather footwear and customized fragrance products, garden and home accessories and local fresh cut flowers and eggs from Katharine Brown’s Fox Hill Farms; Joan Spencer’s and Heather Hogan Spencer’s Sweet Eden, relocated from its prior location a few doors down and offering fine baked goods made from scratch with natural ingredients, along with Mannings hand-dipped ice cream; and freedlove, owned by sisters Nadine and Aril Bryant and featuring fun and funky women’s clothing and accessories along with an old-timey candy collection. A fifth merchant will soon be added.