When Michael Merisola, owner of CooCooU mid-century modern furniture, decided that it was time to make a bold move from his longstanding retail store on Hertel Avenue to a warehouse and showroom on Chandler Street (see here), fans of the store wondered what would happen to the soon-to-be empty iconic shop that he was leaving behind. After Michael hosted a “moving sale” at the Hertel location, I learned that the empty storefront had indeed found a new owner/operator, and one that would fill the shoes of CooCooU better than just about anyone. You might recall that back in October of 2011 I stumbled upon a shop located just off of Hertel called Essential Home Decor. Well, it turns out that store owner Catherine Newman has opted to occupy Michael’s former CooCooU location in order to increase exposure for her business.
Essential Home Decor is going to be the perfect fit for Hertel. Catherine has got an incredible eye when it comes to antiques, and many of her items are mid-century modern in nature, though much different than the mono-directional pieces that Michael carried. “I really want to carry items from the 50s, 60s and 70s,” Catherine told me. “But I love the antiques, and they sell well for me… especially the dining room and bedroom sets. I also want to sell more original artwork from the local art community.”
It’s nice to see these types of storefronts filling up so quickly on Hertel. When it comes to antiques in the city, the street can’t be beat. Essential Home Decor has got amazing furniture finds and quality accessories, all at very reasonable prices. I look forward to visiting the store when it opens in just a few weeks.
All in all, this set of moves is just what North Buffalo needed. CooCooU has invested in an entirely new commercial area (along with Horsefeathers and The Kennel Club), and a quality antique store moved from the fringe of the Hertel district to a prime location on the street. Not a bad day’s work if you ask me.