The busyness of downtown Wyandotte tends to wax and wane. For years the little shopping and dining district flourished with quirky little shops, coffeehouses, and restaurants, only to see a mass exodus of business and a few dank, lonely years before getting back on its feet.
Luckily, it's in one of its brighter periods, with locally owned restaurants like Joe's Hamburgers and the Cheesesteak Institute of America drawing plenty of business. Standards like Nana's Kitchen, the Willow Tree, and R.P. McMurphy's are still thriving. A sushi bar, a Lebanese restaurant, Merle Norman, a couple of salons, and other businesses are drawing folks to spend their money locally, which is always a great thing.
That's part of the reason why owner Debbie Bunch moved her little resale and upcycling shop to the city back in May. Formerly located on West Road in Trenton, she says she's enjoying her new location, where she's getting great foot traffic and plenty of new customers.
The shop sells vintage furniture, upcycled items, gifts and treasures (think: handmade soaps, lotions, pretty teapots, paintings, etc.), and also does custom designs. They'll hand paint and stencil furniture, chalkboards, doors, and other items, giving them new life.
Pop into the store on a Saturday afternoon and Bunch will be milling about the shop, possibly talking a little business with her partner Kevin Wend. They'll answer your questions quickly and warmly, and though the space is tight, you'll want to spend a while milling around, looking for little (or big!) hidden treasures.
When we stopped in we noticed a trove of interesting items including an enormous wooden mantle decorated with stately carved elephants tucked in the back of the store. Other items included a 1940s bedroom set in beautiful condition, which Brunch revealed once belonged to a family member. Hutches, dressers, lingerie chests, chairs, and other items were stashed around the store as well, each having been hand-selected by Brunch from flea markets around the state. Vintage lockers, '50s kitchen tables, wicker vanity tables, and other accent pieces also littered the store.
While most pieces stocked at Feather's Nest neatly fit into the shabby chic category, some items are more just plain shabby. Some are modern or more mid-century modern. And some are deliciously vintage, like a large, ornate brass mirror that looks fit for a mansion.
With new pieces cycling in all the time, the little shop is certainly worth a look. Chances are you're going to leave with something you have no idea you needed.
