B. Barton & Company: the power of a good eye
Everyone has a friend with a really good eye. You know, that friend who can come out of a yard sale with some fantastic overlooked textile, who everyone calls to ask what paint color to choose for their kitchen reno, and who knows what's on-trend before it trends. They are the renaissance people. They march to the beat of their own drummers. They are unassuming magnets, and everyone else gets drawn in. When these types of folks create something, it is in a league of its own. They get it all right.
A perfect example of this truth is the wonder that is B. Barton & Company in downtown Hudson. Owner Barry Barton has harnessed his gift of having an excellent eye by creating an incredible shop in a category all its own.
The entrance is postcard quality. One look and you’d think that you're in one of the Portlands or away at some hip weekend getaway spot. That's part of the excitement of this space; it's the epitome of potential that these incredible mill towns scattered across Massachusetts have. Hudson is a leader of the pack in revival, and B. Barton & Company fits like a glove.
Step inside and soak it in slowly, for this isn't merely shopping; it is a full-on experience. Antique brass dragons greet visitors with the swaying smoke of incense washing their open mouths. Warm light shines down from vintage pendants in styles ranging from industrial caged glass to hammered copper in beautiful tones of amber.
A phrenology head sits in front of a gallery wall of eclectic mixed framed beauties: old class photos, a pen and ink drawing of cabins at a quiet lake-side, and portraits of striking women. Perfectly worn Turkish rugs are spread across the floor. Quiet melodies sung by the likes of Bebel Gilberto waft through the air.
It's a perfectly mastered mix of old, new, and repurposed. Barry loves scouting out goods for his shop, "I go to estate sales weekly. Many people go hunting for the very valuable. I want something that is my aesthetic or that I can make into something else. Things that are cool, quirky and weird that others may think there is no market for, I see and think, oh this is perfect for my store. I love that process!"
Forgotten objects turn into stunning decor with his sharp eye. Barry explains, "These angel wing mirrors were once windows from a church!" A collection of old factory parts are given new life. "These were hung upside down on rails and would hold items that would move around the factory. Aren't they cool? They would make great holders for pull doors!"
The new gifts in the shop blend in seamlessly, modern choices with a timeless vibe, such as charming match cloches and glass jars full of earthy palo santo to burn, super special candles from Paddywax Apothecary, and tote bags that give a nod to the horse farms of our daily drives in the area.
Male and female mounted hartebeest heads flank the interior entrance of the shop watching the window displays below. "I loooove my taxidermy. I've sold huge buffalo heads, wild boars with big fangs wearing top hats, and standing raccoons," he reveals.
Talk Hudson with Barry and he lights up with ardor. His enthusiasm for all that has been unfolding for the town is contagious. B. Barton & Company was one of the earlier settlers of the town’s resurgence, being the trailblazer of cool in retail. Just chatting about the finds in his shop, the energy starts building in the room, "I'm getting excited just talking about these things! I love it," he smiles.
A visit to B. Barton & Company is the perfect stop on an afternoon strolling about Hudson. Visit once, and it'll become a swing-by on the regular, guaranteed.
B. Barton & Company
website
where: 87 Main Street, Hudson
follow ‘em: @bbartonco
ps: He also has space at Eastleigh Farm with more goods for sale, ask him about it!
