Mr. Ed's affordable and adorable items

NORTH CANAAN — At his school job at Taconic Hills High School in New York, students affectionately call Ed Smith “Mr. Ed.�

“They don’t remember that great old TV show, but I like it,� Smith said, from behind the counter of Mr. Ed’s Emporium, the new shop that he and his wife, Sara, opened recently.

Sara was beaming on that afternoon, a sunny smile on her face that was made brighter by the thrill of having pulled together a sweet little gift shop full of things she and her husband love. They can’t wait for others to see it all. There’s even penny candy — that really costs a penny!

The storefront shop is on Railroad Street, in the old Fuller Hardware building. The Smiths own the building. Except for a try at a game room by the Olde School Deli next door, the space has been vacant for several years following the departure of the Sidetracks gift shop. The Smiths decided if they couldn’t lease it out, they’d run their own business there.

The former gift shop moved to West Stockbridge.  Local shoppers say they miss its assortment of tasteful and affordable gifts and decorative goods. The Smiths say they are delighted when customers come in and get a sense of déjà vu.

“Sidetracks was a great store,� Sara Smith said. “That’s pretty much what we’re going for here.�

And like its predecessor, Mr. Ed’s is one of those shops where it takes several turns around before one might have seen everything available.

It has been a true family effort. The Smiths’ three grown sons, Ed Jr., Andrew and Adam, helped with store design and small construction projects. Andrew is responsible for the artful window displays.

On family trips to Pennsylvania Dutch country, the Smiths fell in love with the style and craftsmanship of products made there, including foods such as pie fillings and relishes, which are widely featured in the store.

Sara is a shopper with an eye for quality and value, which she brings to the store. She listens to customers, and even before the store opened she knew that this should be the place to go for affordable gifts — including items children really want. For area shoppers, last-minute party invitations are no longer a problem.

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