Business Q&A: Cook’s Fancy

Housed in an old Victorian-style home, Cook’s Fancy is one of Rockville Centre’s most charming gift shops. This week, we spoke with owner Kerry Punzi about the gift baskets, jewelry and accessories that her customers know and love.

What type of merchandise does Cook’s Fancy carry?

We sell mostly gifts and accessories and we specialize in Vera Bradley. In fact, we’re the only Vera Bradley gold store in the area. We also sell Chamilia sterling silver beads, which are very popular. We carry products from the Mud Pie gift company, as well as tabletop goods, baby items, gift baskets and a full line of gourmet food.

You have a unique set up. What are the benefits of having a house as your store?

We’re in an old Victorian house, so it’s very quaint, especially in the spring and summer. Unless it’s snowing, we decorate the porch with our merchandise and various wreathes and floral arrangements. Inside, each room has something different. The kitchen is used to display all of our gift baskets.

What do you stock your gift baskets with?

Gourmet food, scone mixes and specialty coffees and teas. We’re known for our coffee since we grind our own beans to each customer’s liking. We also carry tea leaves that are very hard to find at other retailers.

What makes Rockville Centre a good location for Cook’s Fancy?

I have owned the store since 2004 and I love that this town is very easy to walk around. Everything is close together so people are always stopping by the shops on their way to the nearby restaurants and bars. I also own Giftology, which is across the street.

How do you ensure that your customers have a good experience in the store?

We really take the time to make sure that our customers leave with something they love, and we have become friends with about 90 percent of our regular customers. People come in with an idea of what they want — or who they want to buy a gift for — and we take the time to suggest pieces that will be just right for them.