Artique Co-op in Clifton Park is a collaborative marketplace that offers a broad range of gifts, arts and crafts, antiques, clothing, and collectibles, all in one place.
BY MAUREEN WERTHER
Preparing for the holiday season can be
a truly enjoyable time. People make time
in hectic lives to socialize with friends and
look forward to celebrating the season. It also
includes shopping.
Stores and malls are elaborately decorated
and brimming with holiday merchandise.
Shoppers cross items off their lists as they
bustle through the busy parking lot trying
to find where they parked their cars. For
some, the HDF, also known as the Holiday
Dread Factor, comes into play. It can involve
impossible-to-buy-for people on shopping
lists and efforts to find a gift that won’t get
returned, re-gifted or recycled.
Instead of buying the same gifts and gift
cards there are other options.
Artique Co-op in Clifton Park is a collaborative
marketplace that offers a broad range
of gifts, arts and crafts, antiques, clothing,
and collectibles, all in one place. Rather than
a store within a mall, it is more like a mall
within a store. Owner Angela Ledtke thinks
of it as a year round craft fair. According to
Ledtke, her customers are her best advertisement
and Artique is celebrating its sixth year
in Clifton Park and four years in the Colonie
location.
“So many people who come in here to
browse, leave with what they describe as the
‘perfect gift,'” said Ledtke.
Artique’s customers are rewarded for their
loyalty with incentives like “frequent shopper”
cards, and discounts for Facebook fans,
seniors and the military. Its website gives
customers a great overview of the co-op and
the huge and varied selection of gifts, art,
jewelry, clothing and more. Artique is located
in Plaza 8, just off Exit 8 of the Northway.
Hours are Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Extended
holiday hours and other information can be
found at www.artiqueshopping.com.
Another different shopping experience
is Lindsey’s Country Store at 1537 Route 9
in Clifton Park. A family owned business
celebrating its 28th year, Lindsey’s is perhaps
best known for having the biggest and most
unique assortment of homemade muffins.
With 50 different flavors to choose from,
including things like cherry cheesecake,
pumpkin chocolate chip, and November’s
muffin of the month, autumn citrus, shoppers
may be able to please just about any picky
palate on their gift lists.
The Sweet Shoppe at Lindsey’s Country
Store has homemade fresh fudge, gourmet
chocolates, and delectable dipped creations.
Lindsey’s offers nationwide UPS shipping for
all sweets, muffins and gift baskets, as well
as their ladies’ clothing and jewelry, home
and holiday décor, and other gifts and collectibles.
They also offer hand delivery across
the Capital Region.
There are holiday pies. Unlike some other
businesses that purchase their pies elsewhere
and have them shipped to a store, Lindsey’s
makes every pie from scratch, with 30 types
to choose from. They will be accepting orders
up until the day before Thanksgiving.
If time seems to be working against shoppers
who struggle to complete shopping, it
could be time to stop at Waterford Clock Co.
at 152 Saratoga Ave. in Waterford. Opened
in 1976, it is a family owned business whose
focus is the sale and repair of all kinds of
timepieces, including wall clocks, mantel
clocks, cuckoo clocks, and watches.
Waterford Clock Co. sells Bulova, Hermle,
and Howard Miller, and they also have some
used grandfather clocks available. If someone
on your list already has an old grandfather
clock that has stopped ticking, Waterford
Clock offers in-home repair service as well
as gift certificates.
Port of Call Consignments on 57 Broad
St., Waterford, is another shop where variety
is available for outside-the-box gift ideas.
Owner Rich Bronk has an always-changing
inventory of vintage toys, sporting goods,
household items, antiques, and what he refers
to as “man cave” merchandise. Things
like Franklin Mint die cast cars or Jim Beam
liquor decanters are among items that can be
found. For those who prefer to shop from the
comfort or a recliner, Bronk conducts nearly
half of his business online. He can be reached
at 874-6596 for more information or connect
with him on Facebook.com/Port-Of-Call
Consignments.
RM Irish Jewels is another area store to
consider. Owner Ronnie McClosky is an
importer of non-traditional artisan jewelry
from Ireland, France and Wales. She travels to
meet with European artisans and hand selects
each piece for her inventory.
RM Irish Jewels carries sterling silver and
rose gold from Ireland, allergy-free titanium
from France and pewter from Wales. Her
jewelry is fashionable and affordable and her
designs appeal to a broad range of shoppers.
McClosky has been hosting trunk shows
and home shows across the Capital Region
for 10 years. She participated in the Arts,
Crafts & Gift Fair at the Malta Community
Center in early November and will be at Kulak’s
Nursery customer appreciation night in
Rexford on Nov. 19.
She is available to host trunk shows at
people’s homes. McClosky can be reached at
703-9500. Her website is www.RMIrishJewels.
com.