Vignettes Owner Thanks Business Neighbor for Help with Closing

When Vignettes’ owner Phyllis Keller’s husband got bad medical news in the middle of their , she didn’t really know what to do with the business she had run for about 4 years.

Her friend, Susan Kritzberg, did.

Kritzberg offered to take care of liquidating the gift shop so Keller could be by her husband’s side. Kritzberg’s daughter, Leslie Sabella, owns , across Route 47 from , and a friendship had developed in recent years among the business leaders.

“I am glad to be able to help her this way,” Kritzberg said Thursday afternoon. “It’s been fun for me.”

Both businesses are offering 60 percent off regular merchandise and 70 percent off holiday merchandise today, which is the final business day for both stores.

Keller recently accepted a corporate job after running the store for about 4 years, while Sabella is moving to Vancouver, where her husband will attend school. Sabella ran Blue Orchid Studio for 4.5 years.

Owners of the two shops were coordinating their liquidation sales, but ultimately, Keller left many details – such as rearranging merchandise – to Kritzberg.

Keller said she couldn’t thank Kritzberg enough for stepping in at such a sensitive time, nor share enough appreciation with her good customers who stopped in the store to help and extend well wishes. Keller wanted to publicly thank Sabella and Kritzberg.

“(Kritzberg) has honestly been a guardian angel,” Keller said.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this article misspelled Kritzberg's name. Yorkville Patch regrets the error.