Re-Decor and More’s new location gives it room for growth

NEW HARTFORD — Re-Decor and More is settling into a new location that gives the small business more space for both its retail side and its interior-design business. Owner Doreen Castronovo had always envisioned an artistic career growing up but ended up working for many years at the family restaurant — Castronovo’s Original Grimaldi’s Restaurant in Utica. When the eatery closed, she then went to work as a library assistant in the New Hartford Central School District. Along the way, Castronovo decided to return to school to study interior design, graduating with her degree at age 50. She dabbled in interior design as a side hustle and decided in 2019, right before the pandemic hit, to make it a full-time gig. Despite the pandemic shutdowns, she forged ahead with her plans, and in late 2020, opened what was supposed to be a holiday pop-up shop. The small shop featured home décor, gift items, and other merchandise — located in just over 600 square feet at 70 Genessee St. in the village of New Hartford. It was such a hit, Castronovo says, that the planned three months turned into years. “The community loved it, and I loved it, and here I am,” she says. “It was nothing I’d ever dreamed I’d be doing, but I absolutely love it.” These days, the specialty boutique still stocks décor and gift items, but has expanded into much more including clothing, jewelry, home goods, and even floral arrangements. Things were getting cramped at the old location, so Castronovo began scouting for new options for Re-Decor and More last winter. What she found was a former physical-therapy office in a shopping plaza on Kellogg Road in the town of New Hartford — situated less than 2 miles south of the business’s prior location. The plaza is also home to a Hannaford grocery store, Rite Aid drug store, a pizza place, and a liquor store. “I built it out over the summer,” Castronovo says of the nearly 1,100-square-foot space. She worked with Against the Grain Construction and Mohawk Valley Granite on the project. Both businesses are ones she works with frequently on the interior design side of things. The new space also gives Castronovo more room for that side of her business, providing both ample space to store sample materials and a welcoming place to meet with clients. The new location also provides Re-Decor and More added space for more products on the retail side, including more housewares and gift items, she adds. “There is kind of something for everyone,” she says of the store. “The new store allows me to have much more clothing. I even have homemade crocheted blankets that I make myself.” There is also a kids’ section featuring everything from clothing to toys. To date, Castronovo runs both the retail and interior design operation on her own, but with business already picking up in the new location that may change soon. She is already seeing the benefit of foot traffic in the busy plaza. “We’re completely booked until the middle of November,” she says of the interior design side. Re-Decore and More, located at 54 Kellogg Road, is open Wednesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Other hours are available by appointment, and hours may expand if Castronovo adds to her staff.