Downtown Plattsburgh business landscape changes

PLATTSBURGH Some new faces are visible in downtown Plattsburgh.

Carolyn Tetreault opened A Beautiful Mess gift shop at 74 Margaret St. on Nov. 30. There is a second entrance at 43 Durkee St. and up one flight of stairs, which provides easy access from the Durkee Street parking lot.

Tetreault said she used to own The Station Cafe and Gifts in Chazy until it closed in September 2011.

I really missed the whole atmosphere of the business so I knew someday I would open another gift shop, she said.

Former Merkels store

Tetreault, a certified public accountant for more than 20 years, continues that practice in Chazy and hopes to add new clients in the Plattsburgh area.The new space has its own office space, so she can concentrate on that when business is slow at the gift shop, as well as meet with clients before or after store hours by appointment.

The new store was once home to Merkels department store. The interior still features brick walls and a tin ceiling, features that attracted her to the property.

A Beautiful Mess specializes in unique gifts, including re-purposed furniture she finds at flea markets and yard sales. The sales counter is a antique buffet she found at a yard sale and converted.

The shop offersMaison Blanche Paint Co. paints for restoration of older furniture pieces. Tetreault plans to offer workshops to show people how to restore their own pieces of vintage furniture.

She carries the Homestead Maple products line, produced by Angela and David Swan in Chazy. Also available are skin-care products from the Farmhouse Fresh line, which features natural vegan, gluten-free,paraffin-free products.

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Downtown Plattsburgh business landscape changes