2 new co-ops celebrate grand openings in Orleans

Uptown Browsery and Cobble-Ridge feature many vendors

Provided photo – Albion Mayor Dean Theodorakos joins the vendors at the Uptown Browsery for a ceremonial ribbon-cutting on Saturday morning. The site is located at 118 North Main St.

Two new co-ops with antiques, collectibles and other items celebrated their grand openings on Saturday.

The Uptown Browsery is located downtown Albion with 15 vendors. Uptown is a spinoff of the Downtown Browsery at 14 East Bank St. Downtown Browsery opened eight years ago.

That site became too crowded for more vendors. Browsery leaders found additional vendors and some of the same ones decided to expand their merchandise at the Uptown location. The two sites collectively have 20 vendors.

Photo by Tom Rivers – Some of the vendors at Uptown Browsery pose for a photo on Saturday. The group includes, from left, front row: Lucy Sackett, Karen Appleman, Maureen Bennett and Kim Remley. Second row: Kevin Lake, Scott Sackett, Erik Sinkora, Liz Groat, Elizabeth Penafiel, Susie Gaylard and Mary Lou Smith.

Karen Appleman was one of the founding vendors of the Browsery nearly a decade ago. She said the vendors share the costs and workload in running the stores.

“We have a big variety,” Appleman said.

The Uptown site is a little more upscale than the Downtown Browsery, she said.

“We’ve had some big-ticket items go out the door,” she said.

The Uptown Browsery also sells coffee and there are plans for baked goods and sandwiches to be sold at the site.

The Cobble-Ridge Co-op on Ridge Road opened on Saturday with 10 vendors. Kim Rowe is owner of the site at 14462 Ridge Rd.

Rowe also is the owner of U Make Scents shampoos and conditioners. She welcomed vendors for the site, wanting to create an old-time variety store.

Photo by Tom Rivers – Some of vendors at Cobble-Ridge Co-op include, from left: Betsy Meisenzahl, Lisa Mannella, Linda Roberts, Chris Nelson, Paula Brooks, Earl Treese Sr., and Kim Rowe.