A former barber shop in the small village of Delhi in New York's Western Catskill Mountains has been transformed into a miniature bazaar by shopkeeper, Andrea Sanders. The tiny boutique is filled with treasures from handmade objects to colorful textiles, mid-century-modern furniture pieces to home goods from designers, makers, and artisans, both local and global.

"My shop is packed to the max but doesn’t feel cluttered. It just feels like a little treasure box that people want to explore."

What year was The Stonehouse established? 2015

What makes The Stonehouse so unique? The space itself is really unique, it’s tiny and charming. I seem to have a knack finding things that are beautiful, sometimes rare, interesting and eclectic and curate them in a way that’s somehow different. My shop is packed to the max but doesn’t feel cluttered. It just feels like a little treasure box that people want to explore.

Is there a story behind the shop name? My home is a Stonehouse built by my husband and the name of our house is “The Stonehouse”. Since I only have things in my shop that I would also have at my house the name came naturally.

What are your signature products? Vintage Moroccan Berber rugs are definitely one of my “must-haves” and one of my personal favorites to have around. I love textiles in general and blankets in particular. I also treasure linens for the kitchen and bath, like napkins and towels. And then, there are incense! People are nuts about incense and since I discovered Japanese incense, I am nuts about them too.

Andrea Sanders, shopkeeper at The Stonehouse

What/who inspired you or why did you open your shop? I used to be a fashion stylist and traveled all over the world. I always picked up interesting bowls, textiles, rugs etc on my travels. There came the point that I had so much stuff that nothing new would fit in our house anymore. When I heard that my little building was for rent, i just jumped in. It was a very rash decision. Everything I do is kind of like that……there’s not much planing involved in my life. I am pretty spontaneous.

What do you love about having a shop? I love to talk with people. It makes me happy to figure out what’s the perfect thing for them to buy and explain all the stories behind the items in the shop. I want them to be 100% happy with what they get…..The best sentence: I want every single thing in here!…and I hear that a lot :)

What inspires you? I am inspired by all the beautiful things that people make! Handmade wares from all over the world or from right here. It’s totally astonishing what people create.

What did you do before having your own shop? I was a fashion stylist for the past 30 years …but i had many different lives before and in-between: Owner of a jewelry showroom, I even have a diploma as an architectural engineer, before that I worked as a kindergarten teacher.

Favorite Shops

• Tay Tea in Delhi

• Lufu Vintage in Hamden, NY

• The Hamden General Store in Hamden, NY

• Clic in New York

• abc carpet and home in New York

"We have a great future. It seems that through the pandemic people became more aware of how much they love to shop in person. People love to shop in shops, they want the closeness and interaction. Retail shops are a staple of the fabric of our society and culture."