Downtown Browsery expanding on Main Street in Medina

Browsery now has 75 vendors in Albion and Medina

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Staff at Medina’s Downtown Browsery have announced a grand opening Oct. 9, 10 and 11 to celebrate the store’s expansion. Pictured are David Sevenski, vendor and board president; Ruth Higgins, vendor and volunteer; and Erik Sinkora, vendor and store manager.

MEDINA – Taking a quote from Mary Poppins, “When one door closes, another door opens.”

Such is the case in Medina, where the closing of one store on Main Street has provided the opportunity for another to expand.

The Downtown Browsery at 413 Main St., of which Erik Sinkora is manager, has expanded its store into one next door which was recently vacated. They will celebrate a grand opening on Oct. 9 with a ribbon cutting at 9 a.m. Cookies and punch will be available and a coupon promotion will take place all week.

“We currently have three store fronts in Albion, and now have two here,” Sinkora said. “Our new space gives us room for 10 more booths and seven more shelving units.”

He said they have a waiting list for vendors in both stores. Currently there are more than 75 vendors in Albion and Medina. To become a vendor, one must also commit to volunteering a minimum of 10 hours a month in the store. Sinkora not only manages the store, he is also a vendor. He sells items made from alpaca items which comes from the alpaca he and his wife raise at Lake Shore Alpaca.

Sevenski has a booth selling Pyrex and vintage kitchen furnishings.

A day this week found Ruth Higgins volunteering. In her booth she sells Barbie items, kitchen boas, aprons and playing cards.

Other items to be found in the store are beer coaster clocks, steampunk lamps, quill greeting cards to benefit a mission for girls at risk, herbs, incense, pottery, comic books, cameo brooches, local honey and jams, spaghetti sauce from Albanese and maple products – just to name a few.

The Downtown Browsery opened in Albion in 2004 and utilizes three store fronts previously occupied by Landauer’s on North Main St. The Medina store opened in 2019 and continues to grow.

Information online reveals that consignment shops are surging in popularity among all age groups, due to economic inflation and rising costs. One site states, “With high household expenses, consumers turn to resale and consignment shops to find clothing, accessories and home goods at a fraction of traditional retail prices.”

They are also an unexpensive way for home crafters or small businesses to sell their wares. The Browsery charges by the square footage of a booth, and booths are available in all sizes. A shelf can be rented for less money.

Board president David Sevenski has filled this space at The Downtown Browsery in Medina with a collection of Pyrex and items found in a retro kitchen.

Sinkora said a lot of merchandise changes with the seasons, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas.

A recent day found sisters-in-law Emma Weeks and Angel Hoy browsing the store with Emma’s mother.

“We come her quite often and always go home with something,” Weeks said.

The store is open seven days a week from Thanksgiving to Christmas, and from Tuesday to Saturday after that. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday.