Nothing could be more enjoyable than a laid-back afternoon spent wandering through downtown Callicoon.  

Callicoon remains the lively town I knew in my youth, although of course the stores have changed, and businesses have evolved over time. 

Yet now all Callicoon’s storefronts are filled and prospering.  You can shop for everything from estate jewelry to wine to bubble tea. There are no fewer than fourteen restaurants in this tiny hamlet, with menus ranging from haute cuisine to pizza to tapas.  Truly astounding.

On a recent Sunday, we parked by the Democrat offices and walked up Lower Main Street. Obviously, we couldn’t pass by Lee Hartwell Antiques, one of my guilty pleasures!  As usual, Lee had a highly curated assortment of antique furniture, paintings, dishes, and estate jewelry.  Did someone say jewelry? How could a girl resist? (To be honest, I didn’t!)

 We wandered along Lower Main, passing Freda’s Real Estate where photos of million-dollar homes caught our eye. There’s gold in them thar hills! Further up the street, we ducked into the Kitchen Table Café for the aforementioned bubble tea. What a treat! We passed Riverside Remedies, our local drug store, is truly a treasure and a godsend to local residents.

Our explorations continued as we took an extended wander through the ever-delightful Litt Home and Book store.  We left with a Maileg mouse skier and the World’s Smallest © Rubik’s Cube, Bop It, and Uno cards, promising massive fun!

On our way back up the street, we peeked into The Farmhouse Project’s elegant Black Walnut Mercantile, Restaurant, and Lounge. This store is a world-class addition to the already impressive restaurant scene in Callicoon. We walked down to The Wine Merchant and admired their outdoor scene.  This is the place for tapas.

We sat on the deck at Peppino’s and shared salads and pizza in the afternoon sun.  Then it was on to Ollie Grey’s for some ice cream, followed by a walk around the Delaware Youth Center which was filled with partygoers.

It is wonderful that Callicoon remains the vibrant town I remember from the days of yore.

If memory serves, when I was a girl Callicoon had two shoe stores (Popolillo’s and Miller’s), four clothing stores (Popolillo’s, Miller’s, Freda’s, and The Band Box), two grocery stores (The Victory Market and A & P), a Rexall drug store and soda fountain, a library, a bank, and a movie theater. There was a hardware store and a record shop as well.  Back then there were three places to eat: Don and Jean Molusky’s Autumn Inn (where yours truly was a waitress during those college years), The Western Hotel, and Davis’s (now Rafters) famous for Thelma Davis’s perfectly rare roast beef sandwiches.

We had everything we needed right in downtown Callicoon.  Callicoon fulfilled most all our needs back then and still remains a brilliant place to live the Upstate Life.  This river town rules!