Sedoni Gallery: An Eclectic Wonderland
/
With an artistic background, Leslie Salant, owner of Sedoni Gallery, wanted to open a store that featured handcrafted items from artists across the country. Long Islander News Photo/Janee Law
By Janee Law
jlaw@longislandergroup.com
Walking into Sedoni Gallery is like walking into a wonderland.
The 4,000-square-foot space that’s been a New York Avenue mainstay for the past 25 years offers an array of goodies of eclectic styles, including jewelry, home décor, clothes and more.
“I was living in Oregon at the time and I never really knew the Island, but the minute I drove in down the hill on Main Street, I knew I wanted to live here,” owner Leslie Salant said. “It’s a self-contained town that had this great energy.”
With an artistic background herself, Salant wanted to open a store that featured handcrafted items from artists across the country.
The 304 New York Ave. gallery, which opened in September 1992, just celebrated its 25th anniversary. The space was originally a third of the size it is now, but always offered the same variety of goods.
“It always offered an eclectic mix,” said Salant, of Greenlawn. “My idea for opening was about sharing my vision and my appreciation for beautifully made hand crafted items, with design, integrity and soul.”
She added as the gallery has grown its collections have grown with it.
“We have been selling to generations, and that’s a nice thing,” Salant said. “We’re definitely a local neighborhood store and we pride ourselves on having every price range and being a head of the trend.”
The store offers everything from jewelry to home décor, clothes, baby items, pottery, books, artwork, and more.
“We really are different. People say they haven’t seen a store like this in the entire country,” Salant said. “There’s everything here under one roof and it’s all shown so beautifully.”
Salant said the gallery is known for their jewelry, selling diamonds and high carat items, and brands that include Heather B. Moore, Adel Chefridi, Isha, and Miguel Ases. She added that there’s something for everyone, with prices ranging from $5 to $5,000.
Another popular part of the store is the baby department, offering a variety of items, such as toys, clothing, books, shoes, and crib mobiles. The section also offers gift sets, which include onesies, stuffed animals, books and blankets.
The gallery also offers a wedding registry, a wish list for the groom, and gift-wrapping.
“We do a lot of gifts,” Salant said. “A gift is a personification of your love for someone so it’s a happy thing.”
With her position as the owner, Salant said she travels frequently for regional shows.
“I get to travel, meet artists all over the country, and connect and see beautiful work and bring it back in here and share it with people,” she said. “I consider myself pretty lucky.”
As part of its 25th anniversary celebration, Sedoni Gallery will host trunk shows featuring four artists throughout this month: Anzie on Oct. 14, Rene Escobar on Oct. 15, Dana Kellin Oct. 21, and Ray Griffiths Oct. 22.
With the fall weather creeping in, the gallery will be offering hats, scarves, gloves, sweaters, jackets and more.
For customers, Salant said walking in the store is an eye opener.
“It’s an amazing collection of the best of everything you could possibly want or want to give and it’s affordable,” she said. “There’s no reason not to shop here.”
