Lucy and Scott Sackett have been involved with antiques and collectibles for the last 35 years. Their knowledge of the area and the business of antiques and collectibles brought them to Bergen last summer to run the Crossroads House Collectibles store at 12 S. Lake Avenue.
“We started out in Perry, and then we were at The Mill in Elba a few years, and then the Downtown Browsery opened in Albion and Medina, and our Clarkson store has been open seven years,” says Lucy Sackett.
The Sacketts have been volunteering at Crossroads House for 15 years.
“Because of the what the House does, and what it does for the community, it fills the gap for people that don’t have any other place to go with their loved one. So, we just continue to do what we started doing, we did furniture 15 years ago, for the sale and for marketplace, and it just stuck with us. We just felt it was a need and we could do good things for good people.”
The idea for the Crossroads House Collectibles Store came about when a sponsor of their Golf Tournament told Crossroads House Director Tracy Ford that he knew of some retail space available and he was looking to have Crossroads move in. Being in the right place at the right time, Lucy overheard the conversation and jumped at the opportunity to run the store and create the displays.
To get things started, Matt Gray, of Batavia, donated some display cases from the former JCPenney’s in Batavia to help during the setup of the store last March. The Sacketts used items they had around their own home to create several displays in the store.
“Scott and I are the total design team. We used things that we had from other shops and wood from our backyard and Crossroads paid for. You know, a lot of the wood fixtures and things, but a lot of things were donated. We had a lot of display items that we weren’t using and just turn them into a nice place to shop.”
For Lucy and Scott this was a no brainer.
“We do the merchandising and the tent sale, and we work all year round. We start in March or April to price for the tent sale in July, and we follow through with a Christmas sale. Every year we do the Christmas sale in in November, and we just keep going. You never know what’s going to come in the door and what people are going to leave with their estates for people, and they’re very pleased to come back and see you know what’s here,” says Lucy.
“The lady that gave us our very first donations came to our ribbon cutting with the Chamber of Commerce, and we put all her things that she donated in one corner. And I said, let’s walk back there. And I said, we left a special place, because she was here at the very first day we came, and she and her brother had brought things from their mother’s estate, and I put them all in one space and made a display of just her things. So, I walked her back on the day of the opening of the store and showed her this is what’s left. A lot of stuff had been sold, but I wanted to put it in one special spot, because they said they’d come back. She was pleased, very pleased. So, anybody that donates can come in. If it’s not worthy of here, it goes to the tent sale.”
The Sacketts and other volunteers screen all items that come into the store and for other sales held by Crossroads House.
“We have a list of things that we take, and we don’t take. We don’t take clothing or shoes or anything that’s, you know, not worthy of sale, you know, clean furniture. I mean, we’re not in the business of refinishing furniture, but if a piece comes in that needs a little TLC, we do it and we clean it and polish it and put it out for sale.”
Items featured at the store: small furniture, home decor, ceramics, pottery, carnival glass, fine dishes, artwork, crystal, quilts, china and lamps.
The Sacketts know their stuff when it comes to the store and setting it up.
“We kind of know what sells and how to display things. You’ve got to catch the eye of people and say, hey, you know, this goes in this room, or this goes in that room. We just like doing this, it’s part of our business.”
Scott says the store is not for professional antique vendors to make deals. All items are reasonably priced.
The store is included in publications across the state, and merchandise is ever changing week to week.
“This store is filled with donations, which is a lot different than us going and shopping and filling it up, says Scott. The prices are more than fair. And if it’s been here too long, we mark it down and move it through the system.”
Scott says he’s grateful to the owner of the building, the Masonic Lodge and its President, Ralph Marsocci, for offering the space for rent.
“You can’t compare us to Goodwill or Salvation Army. We’re kind of unique, you know, and to have a guy like our benefactor here to say, Hey, I got this building. It’s sitting there empty, and rather than it sitting here empty, why don’t we put it to some good use, you know? And that’s a wonderful thing.”
Lucy and Scott are glad to give back to the community helping Crossroads House raise funds each year.
“There’s you know, things that you have to do in life to make you feel good. And when we walk in here, we feel really good that we’re giving back to the total community. People come from all over and they want Crossroads to be important in other people’s lives. So, it makes us feel really good when we walk in here, we feel puffed up. I mean, we feel like, you know, it’s giving back to the community,” says Lucy>
Helping the Sacketts run the store and the register are volunteers Janet(left) and June Lee. They also help at the Crossroads House Office at 11 Liberty Street. The twin sisters from Batavia are currently helping get ready for the July Tent Sale and are going though donated items. They usually help at the store in Bergen on Wednesdays and fill in if other volunteers cannot make it to Bergen.
“We’re hoping this will bring in more revenue because our residents are not charged a penny, so we have fundraisers, says June. This (store) is considered a fundraiser for the House in Batavia.”
Donations are accepted during open hours and by appointment. Link to the Crossroads House Facebook page:(18) Facebook
Crossroads House is always in need of volunteers of all kinds that can assist in all areas.
Link to Crossroads House information below:
Crossroads House | Comfort Care Home in Batavia, NY