As former actors, Saskia and I think in theatrical terms. Our business was built on our retail experience, which for us is all about interaction and storytelling. Saskia’s designs have components with amazing histories - 900-year old glass, antique Tibetan pendants, lost-wax Ghanaian brass - and conveying that to our patrons, while also engaging them on a personal level, is the essence of our brand.

Another crucial component of the “SASKIA Experience” also comes from our theater background. Just as every actor needs a stage (even if it’s “All the world..”), every retail operation needs a display. We have spent years refining our look - thinking about space, color and texture. Lighting figures prominently in creating an environment that invites discovery and promotes connection.

Every location we operate has its unique challenges. Our weekend markets need to collapse neatly into our car, while holiday booths can take up more space and require a full installation. This week - Wednesday May 1 - we open our Grand Central kiosk for the fourth year running. I love this location and am particularly proud of its construction. For those of you who have never been to Grand Central, you must visit someday. The building is historic and beautiful with over 700,000 visitors every day!! (Saskia just created a short video you can see here). Our kiosk is one of six in the Greybar Passageway, which lies in the northeast corner of the station.

To make our booth stand out, I found 100-year old wood from a horse farm outside Philadelphia and built a tiered stand that fits perfectly inside the existing structure. We decorate each level of this display with unique odds and ends Saskia has collected over time: antique cigar presses, copper plates and bowls, rough-cut wood and Indonesian busts.

With our stage built, our script written and our “acting company” in place, we are ready to welcome you all to join us. The best part of our work comes when we meet all of you in person and finally get to share our art. Come visit us soon!