If you happened to notice an adorable little cottage situated up on the hill while strolling the winding main street of New Preston, Connecticut and were curious as to what it contained, let me introduce you to River Song, an antiques store run by a lovely couple, Carol and John Waldman, who clearly have a passion for the art of collecting.

“Our effort to join the community here was easy,” said Carol.. “New Preston has a really great group of people, good spirited. We each have our own little niche, which is nice. It’s easy to spend an afternoon, enjoy the various shops, have a bite to eat.”

Now I’m no antiques connoisseur but I know what I like. And I liked a lot in this charming shop. The square footage might be small but there is an abundance of one-of-a-kind finds, from a tree of life cabinet with sawtooth edging to a memory block featuring someone’s pet from the past. Lefty, the headless maquette, serves as the unofficial greeter and mascot of the shop. If you haven’t gleaned by now, the Waldmans have playful senses of humor and eyes for the unusual.

“The real joy in this business is the hunt,” said Carol. “We are excited about form, we're excited about textures. We like wire and iron, you know, things, with character and history. Patina. I don't like anything ornate. Elegance and simplicity, things that have clean architectural type lines and nice colors. Whimsy. You know, fun.”

And fun is exactly what the pair seem to be having with this joint adventure. Though they’ve done shows and sold privately for years, this is the first time they’ve had a shop. The welcoming, cozy space (which once housed motorcycles, because of course!) boasts a unique mix of American and European antiques focusing largely on garden and homewares, plus architectural and high country primitive pieces.

“Now we're getting a little older, we said, let’s do it. And because it's close to the house, we can live with this or that for a minute and then we'll put it in the shop.” Their historical home — through which I was graciously given a tour and wow! — is a minimalist mix of eclectic against a neutral palette of creamy whites and grays. Old hand-hewn “mud” shoes for a horse hang like portraits. Conversation starters for certain. Upstairs, an old sugar sifter acts as another piece of curious art. You can see the shop and newly installed patio just across the lawn.

The memory block

Speaking of the patio, in addition to garden implements as decor, River Song offers a tightly curated selection of outdoor furniture, including rare and unusual pieces that you won't likely find anywhere else. The range of styles and designs is truly impressive and yet cohesive. Like the couple themselves!

“We work well together,” Carol shared as John nodded in agreement. “In terms of teamwork, he mostly does all of the repair and restoration work.  Also, all of the dragging and moving,” she laughed. “And I love the decorating side of it and connecting with people. We’re a good team that way.” John added, “When scouting, we might go in separate directions but find the same thing. That’s when we know it’s a home run.”

What I appreciated most about the shop, aside from the unique pieces, was this shared excitement. They are passionate about what they do and take great care to ensure that every item in the store is unusual, fascinating, and high quality. It's clear that John and Carol have spent countless hours scouring estate sales, auctions, and flea markets in search of the perfect goods to showcase. They aren't afraid of quirky, which adds a lighthearted touch to the sometimes serious world of antique collecting. See Lefty.

“We have busy lives, so this is definitely part-time for us, but it's full-time love,” said Carol.

River Song
12 East Shore Road New Preston, CT
(516) 216-0836
The shop is open by appointment and by chance.

Carol and John Waldman
Lefty

Share this post

Written by
Jacque Schiller