Anna Newhoff
NCR Reporter
The Old Farmhouse rises from the ashes.
The 105-year-old home turned storefront had a devastating fire in the fall. For the past four years, the house has served as the heart of the décor, gift and boutique shop. But on the night of Nov. 19, tragedy struck when the cloth wrapped around electrical wiring caught fire, igniting the south side of the house.
“A fireman was off duty and actually came over the viaduct right here and smelled it,” said owner Christi Park. “It was night, so he couldn’t see anything, but when he turned the corner, he could see the flames going up the wall outside.”
The firefighter immediately called it in and used Park’s hose to begin putting out the fire.
“He saved us for sure,” she said.
Although the building was salvageable, the aftermath brought other challenges.
“No income was a big one, and then you don’t know if you’ll still have a following,” Park explained.
She feared that losing her storefront would cause the community to forget about her business, but her fears were wrong.
“There are a lot of caring people,” said Park. “You can’t go into The Pig (Bar-B-Q) without somebody asking when we are going to reopen.”
After four months of insurance investigations and two months of renovations, The Old Farmhouse is finally ready to reopen its doors. The grand reopening at 45309 Mickler St., Callahan, is scheduled for May 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Regular store hours will be Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The tragedy opened new doors. Several new local vendors will now be featured in the shop.
“In the first room, it’s going to be Boutique Londyn and The Dappled Peach. Upstairs, we now have 351 Boutique,” said Park.
Alongside these new vendors, Park will be offering diamond art and refurbished vintage furniture. But The Old Farmhouse is more than just a retail space to her — it’s a space for community creators.
She has continued to host local markets even while the storefront was closed, helping other vendors sell their handmade goods.
“I started doing the markets because people make some amazing stuff and people need to know how to find them,” she said.
The markets also gave Park the chance to watch local entrepreneurs develop.
“It’s nice to be able to share that with people and to see them grow,” she said.
More information about The Old Farmhouse and its new offerings can be found on its Facebook or Instagram pages.
reporter@nassau
countyrecord.com