When the pandemic began to shut everything down in March 2021, the last thing Benjamin Stricof expected was to find a new passion and launch a new business with his mom. But after adopting a dog and moving back to New Jersey from New York City during the height of the pandemic, Stricof was struck by the idea of making a dog bed that’s comfortable for humans too. Read on to learn more about & son, a concept store located at 43a Church Street in Montclair.
How It Came To Be
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“After I found out there wasn’t anything out there that fit what I wanted, I started designing a dog bed that would fit humans too,” Stricof told Montclair Girl. “I reached a point where I was like, I don’t care how much this is going to cost me, I’m going to get this done.”
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Stricof teamed up with his mom Beth, who has spent years in the retail space, to bring his idea to life. “We realized that we have a common interest in building furniture and curating art,” Beth said.
The Animal Lover Seat
{Photo credit: @shopandson}
The creation of the “animal lover seat,” a low to the ground loveseat that is big enough to lounge on with room to spare for man’s best friend, became the launching point for their furniture store & son. The duo initially planned to launch an online store while working on creating a full line of furniture, but then Beth found an open location on Church Street, and & son opened in October. “It wasn’t like this store was planned over a long time. It was one of those spontaneous things,” Beth said.
Offering A New Perspective
{Photo credit: @shopandson}
For Beth, who owned a clothing boutique on Church Street for ten years, opening the new store feels a little bit like coming home. “I’m seeing it through different eyes now,” she said. “I’m seeing a lot of young families, and I think this street gives a mix of urban and suburban styles. & son offers customers a mix of home furniture, decor, and clothing from both local artists and artists all over the world. With an emphasis on handcrafted and one-of-a-kind pieces, the store’s eclectic style offers customers a unique way to express themselves.
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Think Instagrammable vases + mugs, unique jewelry, vintage gems, and aesthetically pleasing accent furniture.
{Photo credit: @shopandson}
“A lot of people will come into the store and say we’ve been wanting a shop like this,” Stricof said. “It is really a contemporary and funky place. I want to be able to provide things that feel one of a kind. I want what people buy and bring home to be so unique it has to apply to your taste.” After the first few months of being open, Stricof is excited to build on the store and is working towards designing more customizable pieces of furniture and finding new artists to highlight in the shop. “I’m not sure we’ve fully morphed into what we are definitely going to be yet. I think it is just going to be an ongoing evolving process, and I’m excited to see where that takes us,” Stricof said. Shop & son’s decor in the shop or online and stay up to date with new arrivals via the Instagram page.
