Leaving Hastings, Festivities' Taresa Caruso Will Miss Community Most

On Tuesday afternoon, 5-year-old Erik Ghalib—with his mom and little brother Kai in tow—came into the soon-to-close Festivities gift shop in Hastings and confidently walked up to owner Taresa Caruso thrusting two dollar bills in her direction.

"If you don't close, I'll give you two dollars," the Hillside kindergartener said. "This is my most favorite store; I love that it always changes for the holidays."

Within the course of just a half hour on one weekday afternoon, many Rivertowns residents echoed Ghalib's innocent sentiment.

Even Lisa Globenfeld, owner of Chelseas on Warburton, was at Festivities reaping the benefits of the 25 percent-off closing sale.

"I love the merchansise here, but mostly I love the store's owner," Globenfeld said. 

Within the next five weeks, Caruso will be closing her shop. But within the five days since she posted the sign in her window announcing her decision, the shop has practically been cleaned out.

Earring racks are bare, hundreds of cards have flown off the shelves and lots of other gifts have seemingly disappeared into thin air.

"It's not just the economy that drove this decision," Carsuso said. "I've been thinking about it for a long time."

Valentine's Day is the end of the commercial holiday season, and Caruso said she just couldn't think about beginning the process of buying again for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine's Day etc.

"Honestly, I was tired," she said. 

Caruso has no idea what she'll do next. Before opening Festivities in 1994, she was an insurance underwriter, but she can't imagine going back to that kind of work.

"I loved the creative processes involved with running the store," she said. "The buying, setting up displays inside and of course the seasonal window displays."

Believe it or not, even without any formal education in art, Caruso has done all of her own window displays.

"When you own a small business, it's a one-woman show," she said. 

Festivties opened for Valentine's Day, and it will close with the end of the Valentine's Day season. "In some ways, I think it's symbolic," she said. "The 18 years here were a labor of love."

She also thinks it's somewhat amusing to be closing on April 1—April Fools Day. 

When festivities closes, it will be the first time a Caruso has not had a shop in Hastings in 35 years. Caruso's in-laws owned a luncheonette during the '70s, and her husband Bill's mom owned a card shop in the '80s and his brother ran a print shop. 

Twelve years ago, the Carusos moved from Hastings to Montrose, but Taresa feels as if she really never left. 

"My best memories here are just the interactions with people here," she said. "People tell me they come here to make themselves feel happier and that brightens my day. It's retail therapy, I guess."

Since the store's closing went public, Taresa said the responses she's received from residents have brought her to tears. "It's the community I'll miss—even more than the store."

She said her favorite holiday to prepare for was Halloween. "Christmas, Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day tend to be standard, but Halloween always has something new and surprising. Besides, I love the fall, when the weather's just getting crisp, not hot and sticky anymore."

Ann Vandenberghe, a Dobbs Ferry resident from Belgium, said Festivities was a standout Rivertowns store because "You can always find things here that you can't find at Kohls or other discount stores. It takes a lot of courage to sell different things—especially in this economy."

But in all her years running Festivities, Caruso never compromised.

"I loved the buying and the creativity it required," Caruso said.

Caruso was a good sport in agreeing to answer what she envisioned in her space once she vacates it in the spring.

"I've been in some pretty serious talks with some local restaurants," she said. "Slices or New China may move here; so  haven't had time to think about many other possibilities."

Two potential renters are Slices and New China. 

Despite having to alter the space tremendously to facilitate an eatery, Caruso said the rent is so much cheaper that it might be worth it for the restaurant owners to move in.

So, no, Caruso dd not accept Ghalib's two dollars—without his buying a gingerbread ornament and a piece of chocolate with it.

The store will indeed close in five weeks.

"Right now, I'm definitely not thinking about opening another small business, but  didn't plan on opening this one either. So I never discount the possibility."

Festivities is set to close on April 1. Candy orders will arrive for at least the next three weeks. All items—but candy—are still 25 percent off.