Vintage home goods store brings antiques to Main Street
Laura Napolitano really hit the nail on the head when she named her antique store, Back In Time. Step through the door and you’ll understand instantly.
Products that seem to come from a different century are placed throughout the Farmingdale shop, repurposed, reused, refurbished and every other adjective that could describe the delicate antiquity of the items Napolitano has curated for her store, which held its grand opening on Saturday, March 23.
“We buy old pieces,” the Wantagh resident said. “We actually do a lot of upcycling.” Upcycling being the process of finding old goods and making them new again.
Such examples of the store’s upcycling efforts include turning an old-fashioned stove into a mini bar and converting a bed headboard into a potted plant holder.
“We try to get new stuff in all the time. It’s all in that vintage, farmhouse, retro kind of era,” Napolitano explained, emphasizing the old phrase stating that there’s a lid for every pot. “The piece that you don’t think is going to sell, sells. We try to get unique, different stuff.”
A chalkboard hangs alongside the cash wrap area, stating, “Every piece has a journey, every journey tells a story.” This is Napolitano’s motto as she makes an effort to learn as much as she can about each piece she finds when she goes antique hunting. She especially enjoys the stories behind the people she meets along the way.
“The best part is meeting people and hearing their stories,” she said. “Everybody has a connection with a piece that they can relate to.”
The homey shop has blankets, pillows, mantles, rocking chairs, desks and more, all with paint chipped in a way that doesn’t say old, but instead says charm and conjures visions of your great-grandmother’s living room. A chandelier hangs from the elegantly architectured ceiling, only adding to the old-world vibe. Make your way through the store and find the kitchen in back, where coffee and treats await guests.
“The way the world is going, it’s moving so fast with technology and everything,” Napolitano said. “[The shop] just kind of gets people out of that hectic world.”
Back In Time is located at 441 Main St. in Farmingdale, just across the street from CVS.
