Photos by Joe Del Tufo
Centreville is abuzz with visitors exploring the town for new and unique places to shop, gather and dine in Delaware.
On a stretch of Kennett Pike just south of Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, the storied village of Centreville, Delaware, still possesses the quaint charm of its 18th-century days. Perhaps best known to outsiders for the popular Buckley’s Tavern, Centreville Café and Garrison’s Cyclery (once drawing many area cyclists before it relocated to Yorklyn), the picturesque hub offers historic architecture, a scenic park (now with a new playground), diverse shopping and a monthly “wine walk.”
Resident Alan Livadas had always considered purchasing and renovating property here. “I have a vested interest in the community and cleaning it up a bit,” he says. “It’s one of those things where after retirement, you finally get to do it.” Livadas’ first undertaking was a historic structure perched on the corner of Route 52 and Owl’s Nest Road (housing DMG Marketing); last August, he purchased The Shoppes at Centreville Barns, formerly called Fredericks Country Center, after the family that had owned it since the turn of the 20th century.
He enlisted esteemed architect Richard Buchanan of Archer & Buchanan to research the enclave—comprising the old Chandler– Dixon House, a barn and what was originally a slaughterhouse. Long-term, the pair plan to restore the house to its original character and “historic grandeur,” Livadas says. Short-term, they’re repairing the grounds and other outposts, which house almost a dozen merchants. “The idea is to create a village within Centreville Village,” he says. “It’ll be even more of a walking community with pathways and places for people to sit.”
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Meet the Neighbors
Adorn Goods
Look for the gray house with white shutters, where owner Jennifer Steiner uses every space and nook to display goods and goodies (locally churned ice cream, anyone?) you’ll adore for your own home. The front is filled with table décor, kids’ accessories and more, while the back boasts a small market and accoutrements for cooking and entertaining.
575-9657 |@adorn.goods
Centreville Café
“A businesswoman with a passion for cooking,” new café owner and chef Elizabeth Moro says she’s on a mission to make this longtime community hub into everyone’s go-to gathering place. Freshening up the menu, food market and décor (a family table now sits at the center of the front room, beckoning neighbors to share a meal), Moro’s even outfitted the upstairs for private events like baby showers and birthday soirées. Stop in for a fresh cup of La Colombe, home-baked quiche or whatever else is in season when you visit.
777-4911 | @centrevillecafe
Fabulous Finds
Susan Trezise believes we should be conscious of the value of things that already exist, “preserving, repurposing and reusing what we have.” An art buff–turned–antiques enthusiast and collector, Tresize sold her “mostly traditional” wares—mainly from the 1950s and older, found at auctions, Sotheby’s and random road trips—in a shop above the café for many years before moving her operation to her beautiful Centreville property.
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Wild Thyme
When Laurie de Grazia’s kids were little, she craved a grown-up hobby. So she went to work for the florist who had arranged her wedding flowers and soon found a calling in “floral service.” Thirty years ago, she opened Wild Thyme in a charming brick building on Kennett Pike. Both high-end and quirky, the shop wouldn’t dare carry a mum or carnation. But you will find standout dahlias, garden roses, peonies and more, all beautifully arranged for your occasion. There’s also an eclectic collection of home goods and gifts, from posh stuffed animals to painted ceramics by local art teacher and potter Abby Patterson.
656-4454 |@wildthymeshop
A Marblehead Flyfisher Inc.
For 18 years, Centreville has been the “perfect venue for teaching fly-casting on the grass,” says owner Terry Peach. “Being close to Pennsylvania trout streams and the Brandywine River for spring shad runs and smallmouth bass fishing in Delaware is a huge plus.” Touted by locals as the East Coast’s premier fly shop, they specialize in trout, saltwater, warm water, spey and destination angling. You’ll also find a wide array of gear, from Sage and Ross rods to Skagit and Scandi shooting heads.
654-6515 | @amarbleheadflyfisher
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Crystal’s Vintage and Costume Jewelry
If your fashion motto is “more is more,” you’ve come to the right place. Featuring every kind of costume accessory—from classic hoop earrings and delicate scarves to oversize handbags and bedazzled headbands—Crystal Young’s got you covered for any and all occasions. Our favorite find: a collection of colorful beaded statement necklaces.
655-7450
Found
Since 1999, Karen Helme has offered interior design services through her eponymous firm. After years of jointly operating an antique shop above Centreville Café, she “found” a new home next door in 2009. “The Shoppes at Centreville Barns is a really special little spot,” Helme says, where she and co-worker Henry—a handsome 5-year-old golden retriever—house period antiques, vintage furniture and the occasional new item. There’s a reason for the traditional bent: “Classic pieces stand the test of time. A mahogany chest of drawers, for example, whether made in 1780 or 1980, will go with you to each new home.”
777-3463 |@foundantiquesde
Grooves & Tubes
Carrying everything from rhythm and blues to classic rock and Christmas tunes, this groovy record shop has been buying and selling old LPs and equipment here for “12 years and counting,” says owner Gerald Young (Crystal’s husband). Need something repaired? They also service record and CD players, tape decks, speakers and much more.
652-3140
Linda Harris Reynolds — Fine Art Studios
For 32 years, award-winning portrait artist Linda Harris Reynolds has painted some of Delaware’s finest in her Centreville barn studio. (Recent works include Delaware’s First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney, to be hung at the Governor’s Mansion in Dover.) Blending classical realism and impressionism serves to enhance her subject’s personality. The Centreville Art Students’ League, established by Reynolds, is a private atelier teaching classical portrait and figure painting classes seasonally.
655-6970
Michael Gunselman Antiques
Nestled in the old barn, this joint venture between Gunselman and Richard Worth combines traditional antique furnishings and décor with early American toys. In the market for an ornate French apothecary cabinet? How about a Belgian zinc picture frame, cast-iron street lamps or a collection of 20th-century toy cars or trains? Here, you’ll find it all—and a lot more.
750-0154 | @michaelgunselmanantiques
Salon 926
This might be a small town, but Salon 926 brings cutting-edge training and big-city style to your personalized cut and color. Stylists specialize in both dry and razor cuts for bespoke face-framing and ideal movement of the hair, as well as balayage, creative coloring and retexturizing. Tweezing, tinting and men’s grooming services are also on the menu.
426-9926 | salon926@verizon.net| @salon926
Shish Interiors
For Sally Hunsinger, interior design has long been a passion. “Over time, it morphed into a business,” she says. Opening Shish in Wilmington in 2013, she showcased her talents alongside beautiful furnishings and décor. (“When my daughter was 2, we got her a fish and she said, ‘I always wanted a shish’…and I always wanted one too!”) In 2018 she relocated to Centreville, drawn to its warmth, accessibility and “the great community of merchants and customers.” Her spacious front studio (in March, she moved from a smaller space in the back) features furnishings, home accoutrements and rotating artist works. Her motto: “Design should be personal. My job is to tease how people want to live in their space and then create that atmosphere within their budget.”
540-9843 |@shishinteriors
Yocum Shutters & Blinds
In a tiny town, everyone often knows everyone’s business. Want to turn down the gossip? Since 1950, this shop—located on the first floor of the Chandler–Dixon House—has been helping people stay private with a fine offering of window shades, blinds, custom draperies and more.
888-2000
Related: Centreville Café Gets a Delectable Update With a New Chef and Owner
