This month I decided I wanted to plant all natives in the back of the building and since it’s well, August most perennials are on sale because who buys plants in August lol. Me, I do. But of course I put them in vintage buckets and baskets in front of the shop and now I can’t unsee them there, so the front of the shop looks like a little meadow with bumble bees, moths ( and unfortunately lantern flies) visiting. I do need to get them to the back so that they bloom for next summer… maybe come September.

I’ve been trying to get (back) into journaling - something I’ve done most of my life but lately it’s just been ‘thought dumps’, nothing pretty - but anything to get started. I saw The Book of Alchemy at a local book shop and ended up purchasing, it’s helping me kick start the pen to paper thing.

Speaking of pen to paper, sometimes I just like to write down other people’s words, then I go back into my journal and re- read, over and over. I tend to group by the month and this famous Mary Oliver poem is one that i’ve been returning to_: The Pond

Out of the shop I am mostly filling my free time by visiting the ocean. It’s SO nice to be back on Long Island during the summer time. The drive is way easier than when used to drive to Rockaway from Bushwick, only to find 0 street parking. Fire Island & Montauk have been my mini adventures this month.

But of course, having Northport as my new home has been so special. I still can’t believe I get to start and end my day walking along the harbor. The sunsets this month have been REAL good.

Most of this month’s sourcing has been local, and by local I mean Long Island. I scored some pretty special pieces last week in Greenport / a piece that sold in under 24 hours right here in Northport / and a special piece of art that I’m actually keeping (I rarely do that) which was gifted to me in Hampton Bays.

The next big trip for the shop is September’s Brimfield Market. I skipped July so I am eagerly awaiting this next hunt. Stay tuned for some gems that will surely come from that trip, this Fall. For the immediate future, we have our next AFTER HOURS this Saturday 6-8PM - you know the drill, vinyl set, pizza, wine & beer, local community, third time’s a charm!

One last thing, if you need something meditative to take you through the remainder of the month and beyond, my friend Liv just released an album with her partner Jacob titled Frog Temple

Frog Temple is an archive of imagined landscapes. These frogs live on in this landscape, thriving, calling endlessly through wet leaves. Plants, water, insects and weather are stretched, slowed, transformed, made anew until they become sounds that don’t quite belong to the world we inhabit as humans. Frog Temple is born from presence and reverence. When we pay attention to the incredible magic inhabiting our world, reverence follows. We can celebrate the “ordinary” and remember that we are already immersed in a world of wonder.

100% of streaming and download profits are donated to forest and wildlife conservation.

And with that, see you in September —

xx Nicole

Let’s bring it back. When I first started this Substack, I decided to call it Place Based because at the time I was studying flower essences, and a huge part of that practice/ craft is to be in relationship to place. I love the idea of being in relationship to your surroundings, whether it be with the flowers, the water, the rocks, the elements, the buildings, the architecture, the people, community…

It reminded me that we really are place based beings. At the time that I started the Substack I was living in Brooklyn and I was having this identity crisis of ‘what is my life’, ‘what direction do I wanted to take my life’… at the time I was coming back to Long Island quite frequently a place that has always felt very grounding to me because it’s where I’m from. And so I went with that (title) - also it was a little nod to Croft Place.

Today’s article highlights a place that I visited this - Block Island (first timer). Side note - how grateful I am that I have people I can trust to watch/ tend to the shop so I can get in a little summer outside of Long Island.

One of the best feelings is traveling to a new place for the first time and falling in love instantly upon arrival. As someone who grew up on Long Island I know that feeling of getting on the (Fire Island) ferry - you’re immediately hit with serotonin because you know your destination is essentially to arrive at Summerland.

Blessed with absolute sunshine on Friday morning (originally the weather was calling for clouds all weekend), I got that hit as group of my friends boarded the ferry at Orient Point, transfer in CT ultimately arriving at Block Island.

Block Island is everything I wanted out of a floating island off the RI coast. New England really does historical architecture so well. Despite the crowds of visitors overflowing the streets & shops, there was still an energy to the island that felt old world. Yes new businesses have taken over and there is that youthfulness filling the air because, summer - but I was surprised to see how much had been left as is. As someone who runs a shop filled with old things, it’s safe to say I like old things. It’s also safe to say I love a coastal town. I pretty much am constantly trying to live out my sea witch dream & this island was low key giving haunted in the best way.

The buildings, the houses, the coast line, the shops, the wildflowers and hilly meadows. Everything a girl could ask for.

So much of what I am trying to build with Croft Place felt reflected back to me here.

If I could bottle up a July summer weekend I would… but the best thing we can do is allow ourselves to have these experiences - travel, spend time with friends, catch a sunset, jump in the ocean, take in the history of a place, allow yourself to fall in love with a new environment.

Wherever I go, I take in the spaces - whether they are hospitality based, brick and mortar or if I get the lucky chance… someone’s home. I didn’t make it into any local homes (only took in from a far) but I did get to take in the inspiration of other shop owners, gallerists and curators.

As our short but sweet trip came to an end, I said to my friend how grateful I was that I got to return home to Northport. It’s only been a few months since I moved back to LI from living in the city. Knowing I was leaving one island to return back to another coastline certainly helped my Sunday scaries.

Okay let’s take it back to Northport now… COMING UP: our next AFTER HOURS

Saturday July 25th | 6-8PM | Extended Shop Hours, Complimentary Drinks + Vinyl Set

Last month was so fun, we had perfect weather to take us into the official summer season. We had new faces, friends of friends, return customers, kids, parents, siblings, pizza. Come hang with us at 166 Main Street

I appreciate you being here - for the rest of July if you come into the shop and spend more than $100, mention ‘place based’ and you’ll get a 20% discount as a thank you.

Happy July — Nicole

We’re days away from the Summer Solstice and with that I want to invite anyone local to stop by the shop for our first event in the space:

A new thing we’re calling After Hours - extended shop hours, complimentary drinks & a vinyl set by my friend Brendan.

This Saturday June 20, 6-8PM (store will be open during the day too of course)

As mentioned before, Croft Place started out with events so I am excited to get some people in the shop to hang during the best hours of the day, the golden hours.

Also a big update, our new website it live! Over the last two months I had gotten some feedback specifically around online inventory, sourcing + styling services.

You ask and I listen.

Slowly you’ll start to see items from the shop up on the site for purchase/ in store pickup, great for anyone who can’t visit the shop but wants to browse from afar and eventually make the trip - we hold purchased items up to 3 weeks!

What I’m most excited about is our new services.

Sourcing - an intentional sourcing service focused on vintage and collected objects. We locate pieces that bring depth, texture, and interest to interiors, exteriors and gatherings. The shop is on the smaller side so space is limited with what can be brought in but this is perfect for anyone looking for that specific addition to their space.

Styling - A refined styling service centered on thoughtful composition.
Designed for homes, editorial projects, intimate gatherings, and brand spaces.

Clients also benefit from access to our sourcing expertise, with the ability to locate vintage furniture and decorative objects that bring individuality to a space or project.

Check out the new site at www.croftplace.com

That’s all for now. Hope you have a wonderful start to the official summer season, New York thrives this time of year, let’s ride out this Knicks win energy :)

for anyone new here, I started Croft Place as a series of pop up events. starting last june, my friend and I kicked off a pop-up summer supper club series. from june to december, 9 events happened - 6 food forward, 2 market style and one good ol’fashion holiday party. labor intensive, gratifying, forward moving but ultimately there was an expiration date.

I have wanted to open a shop for quite some time. it felt like an extremely ambitious goal, one that felt quite far away. the decision to do pop-up style events felt like my version of a bridge. i challenged myself to see if I could produce design forward spaces, hauling vintage pieces, turning a space into an experience. my thought was let me play around and create phase one of what would hopefully, one day, mimic a more permanent space.

well when december wrapped, with the push from my dad, the search began for a space. I was still living in brooklyn, and as we all know we had quite the unbearable winter in NY. mentally I had committed that by Spring there would be a space, and the doors WOULD be open. in early january I thought I had found it. my excitement was high but I also felt like this may be too good to be true. real estate is sparse and I had pretty high standards of what I wanted for my space. as I crossed into early february and I still didn’t have any clarification or direction, I started to panic. the consistent snow storms made it hard for me to travel back to long island but fortunate for me, I have a retired and just as ambitious father who was hitting the streets daily keeping his eyes peeled for vacancies.

by mid february we had gotten the contact of a landlord for a space on main street. my dad lead with ‘you’re going to think it’s too small.’ it was the first time I had been on long island since the storms now that I could finally move my car out of the brooklyn snow banks. I told him let’s go check it out. it was a sunny friday around 3pm when we arrived to a corner spot on main street. as I entered the shop and the sun was beaming through the massive glass windows I just knew. this was it. once again, it’s hard to get excited about anything but we were proactive and moved fast. there was something about the space that had promise and for the first time in the last month and half, I felt like this was possible.

one week later we met the landlord in the space. he showed me an apartment that was being renovated in the building. In that moment I made the vey fast decision, let’s do this. ‘what do you need?’ I asked him, thinking we would have to go through some rigorous process. ‘if you want it, it’s yours.’ in under 10 minutes I had committed to moving back to long island, to sign TWO march 1st leases. it was happening.

again, word of the year: ambitious. I ambitiously gave myself one month to get this store open. Fortunately I had been sourcing all winter with the hope that this would all work out, so for that reason I had inventory ready to go. I’m rather lucky that the previous tenant was able to turn the store over in near ready condition. first painting, then lighting install and then… it was ready to turn this 400 sqf space into a shop.

it’s already been TWO months since opening. I’ve watched early spring turn into a proper spring which turned into late spring and finally we are getting some warm (consistent?) weather as we head into summer. the building has literally bloomed since opening and serves as this metaphor for my life right now (theme: change).

all of this has happened in the last calendar year and it’s just been a wild ride to say the least (very year of the horse). going from a pop-up/ let’s see if this sticks… to a full blown business, taxes and all!

I hope to be a bit more consistent on here now that things are moving and grooving. if this note finds you from the past (ie: the events of last year) and you were hoping to hear news on future pop-ups, unfortunately the space just can’t host that right now - but who’s to say what the future holds.

to wrap things up, in the spirit of this newsletter being called PLACE BASED if you want to visit our brick and mortar, in NORTHPORT VILLAGE, WE’RE OPEN!!!

I will say this is an exceptionally fun time to be a collector. The plethora of fun & whimsical holiday/winter trinkets and treasures are endless. It doesn’t really matter the time of year, if it’s Summer time and I see something for holiday, I’m taking it home.

I got into collecting vintage and antique objects about 3.5 years ago when I started working at a vintage houseware shop in Brooklyn in the Summer of ‘22. By last Winter I started to feel like I had enough objects to properly say ‘I have a prop house.’ Now here we are a year later, and BOY do I have a prop house.

For every Croft event I’ve filled a UHaul (& then some) worth of decorations, furniture, glassware, flatware, vases, artwork, candle holders, books… the list goes on. It’s been a lot of packing and unpacking, trips back and forth between Brooklyn, Huntington and many sourcing trips on the North Fork… sometimes even Upstate. All of it has been worth it to see everything come together in one space.

I’ve loved Spacial Design and Storytelling my whole life. To get to play and world build over these last 6 months has been a long time coming, and something I’m truly grateful for. It’s crazy to think Croft began the weekend after the Summer Solstice and now here we are the week before Winter Solstice gearing up for the last event of the year.

As the pop-up event aspect of Croft comes to a pause, I’m planning on where to steer this ship next. There’s been a huge learning curve naturally both personally and professionally. The pop-up events were a manifestation of many ideas that I had around my birthday last year (January), so it only feels right to take a momentary breath as I conceptualize the next season of this project.

I’m biased here but, I think what we (and yes if you’re readying this you are included - you likely came to an event, or multiple or have show some glimmer of support or collaboration) created over the last half a year, is pretty dope.

Community. Creativity. Craft… Croft! I love this place.

If you want to join our last planned event for the foreseeable future (not be to dramatic) we have limited spots left for our event this Saturday, Solstice Weekend!

A seasonal soirée of food, drinks, music and holiday cheer at the historic Conklin Barn in Huntington. Each ticket includes:

Bites by private chef Kelly McConnell

Vinyl Set by Brendan Cleary

Space design by yours truly (hi I’m Nicole)

Date/Time: Saturday December 20th, 5-9PM

Location: The Conklin Barn - 2 High Street, Huntington NY

Tickets & more info can be found at www.croftplace.com

Season’s Greetings, Happy Solstice & Happy Holidays friends

My favorite month has come and gone. While I mourn the removal of all the skeletons I’m taking refuge in the November foliage that is peak autumnal energy… though today’s wind is likely taking down a loooot of leaves.

Last month, at our event The Haunted Place I had the opportunity to let my inner witch shine. I had too much fun draping cheesecloth from the barn ceilings, then going to town poking holes to give a cob web effect. Crows, branches, brooms, pomegranates, hanging candles - I wish I could live in Halloween Town forever. I love this time of year because there is so much creative expression when it comes to spacial design. From interiors to exteriors - seeing how people dress up their homes/spaces from October through December is truly such a treat.

It’s been back to back since end of June and I couldn’t be more grateful to learn and grow each month. No event this month has allowed me to think about where and how I want to grow this small business as we round out the year. It’s been event forward up until now and I’m wanting to lean into some other arms of this creative project but of course I had to plan out one more shin dig to end the year…

Before we get into that, I wanted to share that Kelly - who has been so integral to our events, launched her Thanksgiving Catering Menu, if you’d like to have some delicious homemade food made by the best at your gathering this month, you can check out more here.

Of course, we had to plan a holiday party. Before tickets go live tomorrow via social I wanted to send them out here to you all.

Croft Place Holiday —

Our final Croft Place event of 2025: A seasonal soirée of food, drinks, music and holiday cheer at the historic Conklin Barn in Huntington, NY. Each ticket includes:

- Bites by private chef Kelly McConnell

- Vinyl Set by Brendan Cleary

- Space design by yours truly

Date/Time: Saturday December 20th, 5-9PM

Location: The Conklin Barn - 2 High Street, Huntington NY

Tickets can be purchased here

This will likely be the last event for a little bit… at least in Huntington. We started off right after the Summer Solstice, had our Autumn moment and now as we approach the Winter Solstice (not to rush it all), I want to thoughtfully approach what’s next.

Whether you’ve just joined us, been here since the beginning or are admiring from a far, thank you. I can’t believe we’re about to be in the 7th month of this project!

Until next time!

Tonight’s full moon energy has finally inspired me to sit down and write this message — one I’ve been meaning to share since our last supper club, which happened to fall on the autumn equinox weekend.

It usually takes me some time to process and reflect, but now that we’re a few weeks past, I can say with so much gratitude and joy that I’m incredibly proud of how the first season of Croft Place landed.

A lot of people have asked if this was a one-time seasonal project. Honestly, it did feel like a pilot — an experiment in what could be. I was hopeful that people would want to come to the events — our four-part supper series and two markets — but humbly, I wasn’t sure how it would all unfold.

Looking back now, it was more than I could have imagined.

From the very beginning, I knew that the people I invited to collaborate would be essential to this first season. I asked my friends to be a part of it because I believed deeply in their craft — and knew others would, too.

When it came to the supper series, it truly was perfect. I couldn’t be more grateful for Kelly — for the care and creativity she brought to every dinner, the way she built distinct menus for each night, and how she worked within the space to craft three- and even four-course meals for our guests.

The markets hold a special place in my heart because I’m a collector and a curator at my core. I love markets — the energy, the discovery, the mix of artistry and community. To bring together a florist, an artist, a music enthusiast, and so many others under one roof — those really inspire me to keep building.

Of course, starting something new always comes with learning curves, and each one offered lessons I’ll carry forward as Croft Place continues to grow. As a visionary and designer, I had the time of my life dreaming up these experiences and then bringing them to life — creating spaces people could step into and feel transported.

With my background and passion for design and storytelling, this project has been a long time coming. To now stand on the other side of our first summer season feels both grounding and surreal.

One of the hardest parts for me personally has been maintaining momentum while building something based on Long Island — a place I no longer live full-time. I’m still in Brooklyn for now, and on my own journey to make my way back to Long Island permanently. Until then, I feel strongly about continuing to grow this project there — partly because of the beautiful community that’s forming around it, and partly because it’s where the roots of Croft Place truly live.

If you’re new here, transparency has always been a part of my creative process. I use writing as a way to bridge my personal life, work, and creative practice — and Place Based is meant to reflect that. While this newsletter is about Croft Place, it’s also about the making of it — the behind-the-scenes process, the evolution, and the honest reflections that come with building something from the ground up.

Writing has always been one of my creative outlets — alongside photography, curation, and spatial design — and I see this space as another way to be in community through creativity and storytelling.

All that to say: I’m feeling deeply grateful for how the summer unfolded. And now, as we enter October — my favorite month of the year — I can’t help but feel that familiar spark. I live for spooky season. If I could, I’d happily live in Halloween Town 365 days a year (and honestly, in some ways, I do). I like to think of my world as somewhere between Practical Magic and a Tim Burton movie.

So, with that said — consider this your official invitation to The Haunted Place, our one and only autumn event.

It will follow the spirit of our summer supper series: an intimate, three-course, supper club–style evening — this time reimagined for the season. Expect harvest flavors, haunting details, and a little bit of witchy wonder.

A seasonal harvest crafted by Kelly McConnell and an atmosphere spun with folklore and magic by yours truly.

🌙 Saturday October 18 | 6-9PM

🌙 The Conklin Barn | Huntington, NY

🌙Tickets and additional info can be found here

Until next time… Happy Harvest Moon

x Nicole

This month feels like we’ve arrived at a destination. Our Summer Supper Series was our pilot pop-up experience, taking us through the Summer months right up to the Autumn Equinox (our September Supper Series is already sold out!) The markets are still ripe with a bounty of produce. We start to see apples galore. The hydrangeas start to turn to my favorite harvest hue. I start to gravitate towards the burgundy amaranthus versus the green (tho I will deeply miss the green cascades we have had at our events).

Speaking of flowers…

Our next Market Place is this Saturday September 6th at the Conklin Barn in Huntington from 3-6PM. Erin of EMF Gardens will be back with her beautiful homegrown florals for sale. We’ve been lusting over Erin’s flowers since our July Market and cannot wait to take home the end of season blooms. We’ll have original artwork, vintage treasures and records playing — come stop by and say hi if you are in the area!

I drove upstate this weekend to one of my favorite markets to source some beautiful treasures for the upcoming market. If you’re looking for one of a kind ceramics - I’ve got you covered! I truly do love to design and decorate seasonally, so I naturally found myself taking home darker hued pieces that will take us right into the Autumn season.

Now since it’s right around the corner… I have been plotting and planning for what’s to come for the rest of the year and let’s just says we will be embracing holiday (and if you know me at all, you know that my favorite holiday happens to be associated with skeletons and black cats). More to come soon, but for now I’m wishing you all a Happy September. Try to take in those sunsets while you can and we hope to see you at the barn soon!

— Nicole

When conceptualizing events for Croft Place, in tandem with the Supper Series, I knew that a Market Place was a natural fit. On Saturday we had our first Market Place, an evening of records played, florals filling the barn, original artwork and one of a kind goods collected from past lives. A group of people coming together to browse, have a conversation, appreciate makers and take in the sensory experience that fills a place like a market.

As people started to fill the barn, it truly felt like the indoor market I had imagined, but better. Brendan curated the perfect set list, Johnny brought his colorful canvases, Erin cut her homegrown florals and I decorated the space with years worth of treasures collected from all over. Our second event done and dusted! We’ll be back again in early September for an end of Summer Market. Moving forward we’ll have a taste of the market magic at our Supper Series - come for the hospitality and leave with something special.

But speaking of Markets…

Last week we met up with Kelly McConnell, our chef in residency, to walk around the Union Square Market in NYC. We asked Kelly a few questions about her background, her love of gathering and what to expect from her cooking during the Summer season.

What first sparked your love of cooking?

KM: There truly was no spark, no day I woke up and decided to try to cook. I grew up with a family of 6 people and we were always around the table together. As a kid, I was in charge of setting the table when we got to use the “fancy” dining room. On some Sunday’s I was allowed to make breakfast for everyone; usually it was very simple, pancakes or sometimes muffins.

Most importantly, food was always experienced together. Looking back it is easy to see why I treasure gathering people around a table, to have bite and a chat. It is something I practiced for the majority of my life. I am forever grateful that being together and sharing a meal was a very important part of growing up.

In college I began cooking for my roommates, basically instead of going to class. Even then I didn’t realize that maybe I should shift gears, maybe go to culinary school and learn more about the one thing I was interested in. After college I was always cooking for myself and others. I began to work for people who owned service businesses and eventually I started working in service myself. One thing remained true— the more I cooked the happier I was.

If I am having a bad day, a good day, a busy day, an average day— cooking a meal gives me peace and comfort. When I can share that feeling with others that’s the best feeling in the world. Rather than just a single spark I am lucky to have an ember of excitement for cooking that remains day in and day out. It has guided me to where I am today and will hopefully continue to guide me into the future.

How would you describe your cooking style?

KM: Something for everyone; more the merrier; always be seasoning; I am hungry; salt spice and lemon; maybe more lemon; just needs salt; needs more salt; making it up; shared with everyone; seasonal, hopeful, fresh; keeping the tradition; fresh is best; keep it fun

What role does seasonality play in how you design a menu?

If you want a Caprese salad in New York in February, I will do my best to make it as flavorful and soft as possible, but the tomatoes will be nothing like how they are in August and to me that would be a waste of time. I would instead focus on beautiful carrots that thrive in the Winter months. Living in New York pushes me to cook throughout the year with a patience for the seasons and meals to come. A presence for what is on our plates today.

Giving the Winter produce the attention it deserves on the cold short days leads to beautiful stews. As the Spring trickles in, I’m reminded that I will eventually spend Summer mornings going to farmers markets, getting Summer produce to make fresh salads and fruit tarts. As the berries become ever abundant, the mornings get colder and the winds of Fall blow through, I begin preparing for soups and apple pies. Thankfully the ingredients this area provide us with are an unspoken roadmap that provides guidance for menus throughout the whole year.

When you’re planning a meal for a supper series like ours, what are you thinking about first: ingredients, mood, story...

KM: I firstly think of the season we are in and who I am cooking for. When working with individual clients I love to find out what their favorite foods are or even favorite places they have been to, to see if I can translate that onto a menu. Croft Place is meant to bring together different kinds of people, with different interests, crafts, and ideas, so the way I prepare for this meal is gone about differently. After thinking about the season we are in, I think about the menu as a whole. What would be comforting, yet interesting? There should be a little surprise combined with a familiarity. This season (Summer in New York) allows for all ingredients to truly be local, which is very special and ideal for the menus I have been putting together.

What does hospitality mean to you?

KM: Hospitality means accommodating. Putting deep care into every detail for a guest. I want to know what vegetables you love, your favorite dessert, maybe even your coffee order. Even when I have people over for a little dinner, they are always kind and offer to do the dishes but I simply have to say no. If you are coming over for dinner, that does not just mean for the meal.

In my home I want you to come here to relax. I want to serve you and for you to enjoy conversation. No work should be done on your end, let’s all sit around a table and enjoy this time together.

I will never host an event without providing something for you to take on your way out. Maybe it is a slice of focaccia bread for the next day, maybe it is a perfect cookie that you eat with breakfast. Hospitality is not only about what is on the plate, but what is around the table, at the doorway when you walk in, and even over coffee the next morning.

Can you tell us anything - even a secret about what may be on the menu for July?

KM: All I would say is the produce in season right now is a dream, perhaps a European dream.

If you’d like to experience the magic that is Kelly, she is currently partnering with us for a 4-part Summer Supper Series. Our next event is on Friday July 25th at The Conklin Barn in Huntington. Tickets are still available and if you can’t make this one we hope to see you at the next, either on August 23rd or September 20th!

x Nicole

Because I am not traveling light these days, I learned how to drive a U-haul. It was a Tetris game of filling 30+ chairs, tables, decor, florals, and enough table settings for a 3-course meal… 30 people x 3 courses… yea it’s a lot of stuff.

I had been planning and plotting and sourcing for months but I was still unsure how everything would come together. Did I have enough? Was it too much? Would things look cohesive? More importantly feel cohesive? Everything was coming down to those last hours before people walked through the doors.

Tucked just off the road in Huntington, the Conklin Farmhouse dates back to 1750. While its original barn eventually deteriorated beyond repair, a second life was given to the property in 1990 when a historic barn—originally built in 1830 on the Taylor Farm in Laurel Hollow—was carefully relocated here, beam by beam.

Now weathered and welcoming, the barn stands again as a place of gathering.

When we started looking for a venue in April, it only took one phone call, one visit, and we instantly knew: this was the place where we would begin. To set the table, open the doors, and start popping up this summer.

A return to something rooted, local, and lasting.

Once Kelly (our chef) arrived, everything started to feel complete. Music was blasting, I was still running around cutting flowers, which the wind kept blowing over. I could see my closest friends and family starting to arrive as I peeked through the door and I thought… I need more time. There’s a huge learning curve with a first event in a new venue. I had been clocking everything - how long does it take to load in and load out? How long does it take to set the stage?

I am a Capricorn to the core and every last detail was set with intention… but I needed more time! Ultimately I am learning that the imperfections are not noticed. As people slowly trickled in, the vision was complete. All those months of visualizing and dreaming. Moving and building. Right before my eyes, the first event was happening and it was a dream.

Though it’s not even been a full week since event one, the turnaround from end of June to beginning of July came QUICK. I’ve been filled with so much happiness from last Friday while also holding the truth that the next event - our Market Place - is right around the corner, followed by our second Supper Series shortly after that.

What’s Next This July:

July 12: Summer Market Place
From 5–8 PM, we’re transforming the barn into a bustling summer market featuring vintage housewares, floral bouquets, local artists, seasonal drinks and a DJ set. It’s a party, you’re invited.

Tickets can be purchased here

July 25: Summer Supper Series Part II
We’ll return to the table for another intimate dinner, once again featuring a three-course menu by Chef Kelly McConnell and curated décor for sale from the Croft Place collection.

Tickets can be purchased here

We’re in full Summer mode now. It’s go time. I can’t wait to see where this season takes us. Summer always feels really fast but then I remember that Croft Place was meant to slow down so I’m savoring what feels ripe and alive. Taking it all in, one moment at a time.

- Nicole

This Summer holds a different meaning to me. In just one week from today Croft Place opens it’s (temporary) doors. As the steward of this business, I have to say I am so ready.

In Winter I started plotting, planning & prepping.

In Spring I bridged my ideas into a more active reality.

In Summer, we: myself, my collaborators and the community I eagerly await to bring together, get to make Croft Place a living, breathing, experience.

When I was day dreaming of a name to call this project I knew that ultimately the thread that was pulling me was building a place. I imagined that someone would refer to ‘that place’. Where they could grab a cup of coffee, pickup an heirloom object, meet a friend or grab locally cut flowers. That was my dream, to build a place. A communal place.

When I turned 35 in January I got hit with the ‘I have to start this now’ bug.

I had the most clarity but I didn’t know where to start.

In February I sat down with close friends and poured my heart out about this business I wanted to start. It didn’t take long before the idea of a pop-up came to life.

I would call it Croft Place, after the name of the street that I grew up on. Why? Well because, place but more so because of croft. I’ll admit I hadn’t ever heard anyone use that word so to my surprise when I looked it up it meant:

Typically found in Scotland, a croft is more than a parcel of land— it is a patch of earth held close to the heart. A small, working piece of the world where life is tended gently— not rushed or scaled, but coaxed from the soil with care and rhythm.

It is a place where hands meet the land in quiet agreement,
where planting, harvesting, and the keeping of animals unfold
not for profit alone, but for sustenance, ritual, and relationship.
Here, the earth is not exploited—it is known. The wind, the weather, the weight of a season— all felt, respected, and folded into daily life.

A croft speaks of self-sufficiency, quiet beauty, and the dignity of craft.
Of compost turned with intention. Of fences mended slowly. Of lives shaped not around ambition, but attention.

It is a place of return. To memory. To making. To the kind of life that feels rooted and real.

So why Croft Place?
Croft Place draws from this spirit. We honor the essence of the croft: intentional living, seasonal rhythms, and the enduring charm of things and places… and people well-loved.

Each gathering, each antique object, each story we share or supper we serve—
is a form of tending. Of cultivating beauty and belonging in a world that too often forgets its roots.

Much more to come soon, but today I wanted to take a pause before it all ‘begins’ - though any steward of any form knows that there are eternal beginnings before it all begins. Anywho, I am just happy to be here. Happy Solstice!