A little over a week ago, we unlocked the doors to Catskills Cupboard for the very first time.
After years of dreaming and just 7 short weeks of actually planning, ordering, unpacking, rearranging, and wondering whether anyone would actually show up, suddenly there were people standing in the store. Lots of them.
Friends, family, familiar faces, complete strangers, and people who had driven from the Catskills, across the Poconos, and beyond just to see what we'd been working on.
And somehow, just like that, the Cupboard was open.
The first week has been a bit of a blur, in the best possible way.
We've sold out of bread, met more neighbors than we can count, learned what people gravitate toward, and already started making mental notes about what we need more of. There have been plenty of little surprises, a few things to figure out, and more than a few moments when I've looked around and thought, well, this is actually happening.
But what has stayed with me most isn't any particular sale or milestone. It's how warmly we've been welcomed.
Milford has made us feel at home from the very beginning. From neighboring businesses stopping in to introduce themselves, to customers sharing stories about the things they remember from their own kitchens growing up, it's been a reminder of why I wanted to open a store like this in the first place.
I always imagined the Cupboard as more than somewhere to buy a jar of sauce or a new set of glasses. I wanted it to feel familiar. Somewhere you could stop in for something you needed, discover something you didn't, and maybe stay a little longer than you planned.
After our first week, I think we're beginning to find our footing.
And we're only getting started.
In the coming weeks, you can expect more fresh bread, new pantry finds, interesting things for the home, and plenty of arrivals we're excited to share. We're also working on a few ways to bring the people behind some of our favorite products into the store, along with little events and reasons to stop by throughout the season.
The Cupboard will keep changing as we learn what our customers love, what the neighborhood needs, and what feels right for this little space.
For everyone who helped us get here, came through the doors, told a friend, shared a post, or simply wished us well: thank you.
You've made this first week something I'll remember for a very long time.
Here's to many more.
- Jonny
