Shed Opens Friday

This Friday, a new store opens in Maplewood Village. And its owners say it brings along with it more than a new store. They’re bringing a new sensibility to the Village, they say. Shed co-owners and longtime friends Jeanne Bergman and Cindy Potters said the home furnishings store offers warm and modern fare that is meant to stand the test of time.

“[Our pieces] have a contemporary edge to them, but they’re not cold,” Bergman said. “They’re the kind of thing that when you put them in a room, people notice them.” She pointed to the modern, playful designs of Jonathan Adler—whose products they will carry—as illustrative of their approach to home furnishings.

“It’s a humorous, sophisticated palate,” Potters said of the planned merchandise, which will include European prints and glassware as well as Vermont tableware and a variety of design books.

The humor is evident in the name “Shed.” The store’s name—Potters and Bergman suggested it as a funky name for a home—is rooted in a misunderstanding.

“[Potters] called me on her cell phone,” Bergman said. “We had a really bad connection and our conversation kept going in and out. She misunderstood me, and thought I said ‘shed.’”

The pair quickly realized the misunderstanding was serendipitous, and Shed was born. The name was the final piece of the puzzle for the store. The longtime friends knew they wanted to open a store offering eclectic home furnishings and knew they wanted their merchandise to be modern but warm; the kind of things that, for years, they had been buying for each other.

“It’s our personal passion,” Bergman said. “Whenever we have a minute, we’re out shopping.  We’ve collaborated on stuff for each other’s spaces.”

The pair had planned to open a shop together for some time, and ended up opening it earlier than expected. Both are moms and had thought the store would have to wait. The opportunity to open Shed came about faster than they expected; Potters was working for someone hoping to open an area business. That endeavor fell through and Potters saw the chance to open the store.

“I went to Jeanne and asked her what she thought,” Potters said.

“I didn’t think she was serious,” Bergman said.

As a freelance writer with the Newark Star-Ledger and other outlets, Potters covered home furnishings extensively. Bergman, a former marketing professional, quickly seized on the opportunity.

They’re happy that all the pieces have fit together, but recognize the economic climate isn’t perfect for starting a new business. They’re not letting that stop them, though.

“We’re not going to let the economy hold us down because we have so much passion for what we’re doing,” Bergman said.

Also, they emphasized that warm and modern doesn’t mean expensive. Potters described their prospective customers as “people who have spent some time in an urban environment and appreciate design at a good price point."

And Maplewood native Bergman said she believes the Township will be receptive to the store, and is excited to have the store open in Maplewood.

“There’s a feeling in town you don’t get everywhere,” Bergman said. “It’s a special place."

Shed is at 100 Baker Street. The store's number is 973-763-5500.