In today’s age of internet shopping and instant gratification, many local gift shops have gone by the wayside. But Quartet in Chatham has succeeded as a friendly neighborhood boutique offering a fun assortment of goods. It’s a mix you’ll never find in the cyber world. “We offer cool products for reasonable prices at a place where people want to shop,” says co-owner Amy McGrath of Short Hills. “There’s something for everyone.”
The “quartet” includes McGrath, Kim Cleaves of Summit, and Vicky Anello and Jennifer Terry, both of Chatham—all friends since working together after college. Now, with 16 kids among them and multiple careers, they have added a successful business to their resumes.
Eclectic, modern, transitional and traditional all coexist. “The store reflects all four of our tastes on purpose,” says Cleaves.
If you’re looking to freshen up your home décor, you’ve come to the right place. “People can keep their same furniture, but just swap out the accessories,” she says. Recent offerings include electric-blue ginger jars, red geometric-print pillows, gilded mirrors and crystal lighting. “We love mixing old with new,” Cleaves says. The owners offer decorating services and often go to clients’ homes to stage mantels, arrange bookshelves and pull spaces together.
Quartet also carries jewelry, stationery, handbags, candles, seasonal items and a variety of products from local entrepreneurs. The inventory is continually changing and is not what you’d find everywhere else.
Situated in the center of town, Quartet, founded in 2011, is a convenient browsing destination for customers of all ages, including teens who love the monogrammed jewelry. It’s the perfect source for birthday, hostess and teacher gifts, all wrapped and ready—and even for husbands in search of the elusive anniversary present.
In addition to all the fun finds, “it’s also a place to chat. It’s a neighborhood hangout,” Cleaves says. “We offer retail therapy in all different ways.” And that’s something Amazon will never master.