Oct. 27, 2021 By Michael Dorgan
A new store selling discounted home décor products has opened in Woodside.
Kavka Designs, a New York-based business, opened its first brick-and-mortar store last month at 43-26 52nd St. The business had been operating solely online.
The company, which was established in 2016 by husband-and-wife duo Chintan Singh and Kelly Clifford, has taken over a 1,200 square foot space that was previously occupied by an electrical store.
Prior to establishing the company, Singh had worked in the textile industry while Clifford was employed by the e-commerce company Etsy. They both live in Manhattan.
The couple co-own the store with Woodside resident Danny Lucey, who also works in the hospitality sector. The new store is called Kavka Designs Factory Outlet.
Lucey, who joined the business after being a friend of the couple, is also managing the store’s day-to-day operations. He is new to the industry and previously had a small ownership stake in Sidetracks bar in Sunnyside.
He said the trio chose to open in Woodside since it is close to where he lives.
“It’s definitely off the beaten track but we feel when people realize how good our prices are they will find us,” Lucey said.
The company buys products like rugs, carpets and throw pillows from independent creators and then supplies them under its own Kavka Designs label to retailers like Wayfair, Bed Bath & Beyond and Walmart.
The company’s new store is selling products that it has not been able to sell to major retailers. The items are priced at levels below what they typically retail for.
“We sell our products at a massive discount, a bit like the Marshalls model but only under the Kavka Designs brand,” said Lucey.
For instance, the store is selling accent pillows for $5 instead of the retail price of $50. Other items have similar types of discounts, Lucey said.
The store sells rugs ranging in price from $10 to $150 while hand weaved wool rugs start at $150 and go as high as $350.
The store also stocks throw pillows, shower curtains, duvet covers and other bedding items.
Opening hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Mid-week appointments can be made by contacting Lucey at 347-263-5211.
To mark the opening, the store is featuring artwork created by Sunnyside artist John Dingley, who paints pet portraits. The artwork will be on display through Nov. 27 and all of the pieces are for sale.
Dingley turned to artwork during the pandemic after he lost his job as a bartender in Manhattan. He began painting portraits of a dog he rescued with his fiancé and he now works full-time as an artist, according to Lucey.