Merchant Series: Not Too Shabby: Vintage to Victorian

Editor's note: As part of their fundraising efforts for this year, the Friends of
the Hasbrouck Heights Library is asking area businesses to offer
discounts to library supporters who join their Friends Merchants
program. Friends' Justin Watrel has prepared profiles of
participating businesses, which Patch has agreed to publish one to two times per month throughout the year. Patch plays no role in selecting the
businesses or writing the profiles.

Walking off the Boulevard into ‘Not Too Shabby’ is like walking into your Grandmother’s house or into a cozy bed and breakfast by the shore. Owner and Hasbrouck Heights resident Liz Carrino offers a variety of unique and one of kind merchandise that is perfect for everything from a Victorian home to a young girl’s bedroom.

Carrino was born in Hasbrouck Heights, raised in Hackensack and now once again resides in Heights. She is the daughter of the late Anthony Carrino, a builder in town and Addie Carrino, who owns ‘Young’s Fashions’ and ‘Squire Shop’ on the Boulevard.

Carrino opened her business four years ago after a successful career on Seventh Avenue in buying, merchandising and manufacturing.

“After years on Seventh Avenue, I found that the business had changed over the last 20 years,” Carrino explained. “It stopped being creative and became a numbers game and I found that the players had changed. After my father passed away, I found that my goals started to change as well. I had always been interested in salvage and renovating, so while still working in New York, I opened this as a part time business, building the business slowly.”

Not Too Shabby opened at first just a couple of hours a week, then a few days and as the business grew and the store got busier, it opened full time. Carrino, tiring of the retail game in New York, decided to concentrate on the store full time. Taking her love of old furniture and antique furnishings and a plunge into Internet retailing, she has built the business into what it is today. The store is a full line shop of furniture, hardware, accented furnishings, decorations and gifts to furnish every room in the house.

“This is not a mall business, where people walk in and just buy something,” Carrino said. “We don’t have a lot of competition in this area. We have become a destination store and now with the Internet, where I have put all my merchandise online, we have customers not just from the tri-state area, but as far away as Minnesota and Texas. All the items sold on the online store have a picture and measurements. The best part is that I can customize to the clients liking. If you don’t want the desk or armoire in white, I can paint it any color you want, and can customize the hardware.”

“When I buy pieces for the store, I look for details in the work. I like Victorian furniture and depression-era furniture from the 20’s, 30’s and 40’s. I find merchandise through ‘pickers’, who look through estate sales and inform me when they see something I might like. I like to visit antique markets and estate sales on the weekends and find pleasure in buying pieces that I know a certain client might like. I love ornate details and lots of curves on the furniture. I have a garage full of unfinished furniture, so if there is something you are looking for, I can bring it in and let you look it over,” Carrino added.

“I can also deliver all over the country and the world,” Carrino said. “I have started working with more designers and have attained a huge business in New York City. The store also works with clients when they want to decorate their houses for the holidays and lots of mothers who want to decorate their daughter’s rooms. I will also come to your home and consult with clients on decorating ideas and help you furnish your home. I would not sell any merchandise to a customer that I would not put in my own home.”

Along with furniture, Carrino sells all the accessories to detail a room. ‘Not Too Shabby’ sells antique frames, custom mirrors, hand-stitched pillows, handmade and vintage doilies, hand beaded table runners and lampshades, chandeliers, custom window treatments and lots of different types of hardware for furniture. She has even created an item called the ‘Standelier’, which is an antique chandelier put onto a vintage lamp base.

“I don’t want to be known for just being a decorating and furniture business,” Carrino explained, “I want to be known as a place to buy gifts as well.” The store is building a big gift business with items for the holidays and gifts for housewarmings. Some of the gifts include scented soaps, handmade charms, vintage decorated tea pots, inspirational signs, vintage artwork, decorative candles and gourmet candies. “I support a lot of ‘cottage’ businesses created by women wanting to use their own creative talents. This is where I find a lot of my unique hand creams, candles and art pieces. I try my best to support other small business owners,”  Carrino said.

When looking for the unusual and unique and not sure where to turn for design ideas, a trip into Not Too Shabby will be a blueprint for all your decorating needs. “I will work with you to help design your room from top to bottom,” Ms. Carrino said. “If I don’t have it, I can find it for you. After it is found, we will customize to your liking and then ship it to your home. You will be happy with the finished product.”

Not Too Shabby will deliver all over the country. Carrino is available for in-home consultations on Mondays and Tuesdays. Parking is available in the rear of the store and those interested can visit the website at www.nottooshabbynj.com.

Not Too Shabby
206 Boulevard
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ
201-288-0419