"like Barney's on the tarmac."

That's how one customer described Lili and Loo way back in 2000.  In those days it was nothing more than a couple of tables filled with merchandise, (tastefully displayed, of course) at the 79th Street Flea Market behind the Museum of Natural History in New York City.

The brainchild of Melinda Slover, a former Production Manager in a graphic design firm, the business quickly outgrew the "Green Flea" as it was called.  Within a year, Lili and Loo had moved into permanent quarters in the riverfront town of Hudson, New York - 120 miles north of Manhattan.

There Melinda's taste, running from the classical to the eccentric, took off.  Her distinctive point of view juxtaposed the sleek and the rustic, the ancient and the modern, the raw and the refined.  And it didn't hurt that the prices were terrific - each item a find at an affordable price.

Two years after Lili and Loo opened, the store had outgrown its 850 square feet and a move to bigger space was inevitable.  Now housed in three adjoining 19th century buildings, Lili and Loo has kept the feel of a private home in each of the 15 rooms at its current Hudson address.  It's not unusual for customers to ask if they can move in to the second floor.

Lili and Loo themselves, fictitious citizens of the world, would be happy to settle down here any time.  It's a seductive space that mixes the ancient, the modern, the simple and the ornate.  The store is a total environment that seems to envelope visitors the minute they come through the door.

The shop atmosphere is worldly, stylish and sophisticated with a fresh and unexpected mix of objects, furniture and art.  Several of the pieces look as if they're one-of-a-kind with a tactile presence that seems like craftsmen just added the finishing touches yesterday.

The merchandise is all about balance.  No item in the store fails the test.  A large vase will have some interesting surface to balance the size.  A linear salad bowl will be made of bright red lacquered bamboo to add excitement to simple lines.  Each product is chosen because of this inherent good design - - and good price.

With such depth and breadth, it's no wonder that Lili and Loo needs to expand again.  The merchandise mix exudes quality.  The prices exude affordability. 

Welcome to www.liliandloo.com - our newest address.