Louise Phetteplace confirmed that Seasonal Home of Gales Ferry, a home decorating store located in the former United Methodist Church on 6 Hurlbutt Road, will open for business Saturday, Feb. 11 at 10 a.m.

The business will be open four days a week: Thurs. from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., on Fri. from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., on Sat. from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sun. from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The business applied for a Certificate of Occupancy from the Town of Ledyard on Wednesday, Feb. 1, which was granted the next day, according to John Phetteplace but some painting and last-minute touch-ups are needed before the grand opening.

Original story

A new consignment store in the upper level of the former United Methodist Church at 6 Hurlbutt Road in Gales Ferry will offer a new dimension to shopping for fine gifts, furniture, houseware items and antiques.

Seasonal Home of Gales Ferry will bring together more than a dozen consigners, and will include a new furniture line, antique items, original paintings by a local artist, handmade candles, glassware, pottery and more. 

The business is owned by Barbara Candler, Joyce Klett and Louise Phetteplace, wife of John Phetteplace, who purchased the former church more than a year ago. After renovating the sanctuary part of the building for the new business, Phetteplace applied for zoning approval in June.

That request took a long and somewhat circuitous path through the Zoning Board of Appeals, which reviewed plans for the building's new front steps. Phetteplace said he finally received approval in late October.

This week Phetteplace was still awaiting a Certificate of Occupancy needed to officially open the business, but he was expecting that within a week or two. He said the approval process ended up taking longer than he had expected, but he was pleased that the store would be open soon.

Seasonal Home is an extension of a small business that Louise Phetteplace and Candler had in Marlborough.

“We envisioned this as a business that would add something to the community,” said Candler, whose day job is at the Groton Public Library. “Hopefully this will be a catalyst for other new business ventures in the Gales Ferry district.”

Candler said a number of people have stopped by Seasonal Home in recent weeks and knocked on the door. “If we are up there working, we have let them come in a take a peek.”

Patch took a peek last week, and took some photos of what ought to be a great new shopping experience.