By Kate Bartlett
Lynn Timon is the manager of the charmingly eclectic gift shop “Alexandra” at 10 Washington Street in the village of Ellicottville. “I’ll never forget the sunny day that the owner, Joan Ess, interviewed me at SPoT Coffee in late August of 2000.” After working at the store for 22 years, Lynn still loves her job.
Alexandra, named for Joan’s daughter Xandra, opened its original store in downtown Buffalo in May of 1993. “The inspiration was to fill the store with unique products, mainly handmade with various price points. Not long after, the store relocated to the Walker Center in Williamsville, where it was a much-loved go-to gift shop for many years. I still hear people say how much they miss that store, almost 10 years after it closed.”
The first Ellicottville store was located at 27 Washington which opened in the summer of 1997. “We were fortunate to be able to move into our current location at 10 Washington Street during August of 2001, and we love it. Joan chose to open a second location here because Ellicottville seemed like a wonderful village to have a store. And it is.”
The shop welcomes guests with brick walls and wooden floors that are over 100 years old. “The atmosphere inside the store is almost enchanting in a nostalgic way. People walking in often ask what the scent is; they want to buy it! Unfortunately, it’s the combination of soaps, candles and diffusers that give our store its distinct fragrance.”
“We carry a variety of candles: scented jar candles from Votivo, Milkhouse and Swan Creek (made from soy), Woodwick and Voluspa (made with coconut wax). We also carry taper candles in different lengths and colors from Northern Lights (located in Cuba, NY) and Pointe a la Ligne (from France).
“We have beautiful hand-crafted pottery from Mosquito Mud in Connecticut and Hilborn Pottery from Ontario, Canada. We also carry pottery from Casafina (made in Portugal) and we feature bowls and baking utensils from Mason Cash featured in The Great British Baking Show. Locally hand painted glassware from Golden Hill Studio, Guatemalan glassware from “Sobremesa”, Italian beverage glasses and American glassware from Rolf give our customers many options for home decor and gifts.”
Additionally, Alexandra stocks bath and body products from Beekman, Barr-Co., Archipelago, Thymes, Inis, B. Witching Bath & Body Co., Cottage Greenhouse, Duke Cannon, Dr. Squatch, Zum and more. They also feature handmade jewelry pieces by local artisans, Stephanie Robb, Madelyn Feldman, Karol Kirberger, Sheila Petrocy, Cindy Crawford and Donna Sturgis as well as jewelry from Lotus, Silver Forest, Aid Thru Trade, Patricia Locke, Ania Haie, Leslie Curtis and Keva.
And if you’re looking for a special hostess gift, Alexandra’s got you covered. They carry jellies, jams, grille sauces and squeeze sauces and aiolis’ from Stonewall Kitchen and Terrapin Ridge as well as an array of artsy and original cocktail napkins and coasters.
“One of my favorite things about my job is that I get to choose the greeting cards. Joan handed that job to me about a decade ago and I LOVE IT! It’s time consuming, but thanks to Joan’s card sleuthing skills, I have lots of wonderful card companies to pick from. We have more than a few folks that come in once or twice a year to “stock up” and I usually hear “you have the best cards!” at least once a week. It’s a labor of love.”
Lynn has enjoyed living and working in the Ellicottville community since she moved here from Southern California in 1984. “At first, the lack of anonymity was a bit disquieting. Over the years, I have become increasingly grateful for the “extended family” quality of connection that exists in this village. I cherish this ‘small town with a big attitude’. Thanks to the influx of people from all over the country and the world, we are given the opportunity to embrace all kinds of people; something only cities are typically privileged to experience.”
Lynn and Joan are busy getting the shop ready for late Spring and Summer, which has become a fantastically busy time of the year for Alexandra. “May is our 29th Anniversary and we can’t think of a better place to celebrate it! Stay tuned…” Be sure to check out their website https://www.alexandragiftsonline.com/ and follow them on Instagram.