 |
|
Antiques Store in The Plains Adds Tea Room for Patronsby KRISTEN ARMSTRONG, Staff Writer
|
|
| Cresthill Antiques in The
Plains carries all the vintage furnishings, china, crystal and silver
you'd expect in a high-end antique shop, but owner Sally DeLuca recently
added a twist to the space - a tea room. The reasoning behind it was simple: “There wasn't a place here in The Plains to just sit casually and get something light to eat,” she said. To remedy the situation, DeLuca expanded the shop to include an area for customers to relax and enjoy a cup of English tea with snacks such as scones, fruit and sandwiches. Although DeLuca is a New York native, she has lived in Virginia for more than 30 years (in Fauquier County since 1995), and her love for the area is reflected in a mural of rolling hills and landscapes that decorates the wall of the tea room. And along with the mid- to late-19th-century and early-20th-century American and European antiques for sale in the store's showrooms, if something in the tea room, perhaps a lamp or a chair, catches a customer's eye, DeLuca is happy to sell it. Cresthill also carries a broad selection of American ceramics from Homer Laughlin, Hall, Weller and McCoy, as well as Minton, Wedgewood and Coalport English bone china. And for the holidays, the shop is having a “Bling Fling,” selling vintage jewelry from designers like Christian Dior and Givenchy. Although there are some very-high-end items for sale at Cresthill, DeLuca has tried to make her store a place where everyone can feel comfortable. “Sometimes there are places where people are afraid to touch anything. [My shop] looks nice, but also is accessible,” she said. “It's got a little bit of something for everyone. There are some very fine antiques, and then there are antiques for the rest of us.” And if Cresthill doesn't have exactly what you're looking for, DeLuca offers personal shopping, and will help find the antiques clients are looking for when she goes to auctions and estate sales. DeLuca also strives to reach out to the business community with a program she has instituted for decorators and interior designers, giving them discounts on projects for their clients. “The other shops here have been very supportive, so I like supporting other people's businesses,” she said. Cresthill is DeLuca's first retail business, and, so far, she is enjoying the experience immensely. “I love it, it's so much fun,” she said. “I get to meet people who come in and see something their grandma had, and they get that faraway look in their eye. It's neat to watch that happen.” For more information on Cresthill Antiques, call (540) 253-5790. |
 Cresthill Antiques recently opened a tea room, where customers can enjoy a warm beverage and light snacks as they consider their options for purchasing fine antiques. |