Sutton – The façade of this old stone building still has rings used to tie the reins of horses.
Inside, there are arches from the days when part of the building was used as a Catholic church.
Since its completion in the 1800s, the building on the hill overlooking Manchog Village and the Black Rock River has served many uses, from the aforementioned church to municipal offices and a grocery store.
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Today, it is the new home of home design retailer District V House.
Owner Janice Burke was born and raised in Worcester’s 5th Ward and spent most of her adult life as an interior designer. She decided to start a home improvement retail website, combining her love of design with “all things home”.
“I looked around Worcester” to find the right spot, Burke said. After some research, she found what she was looking for – plenty of space, parking, “a really nice location”.
History of the location
According to the Sutton Historical Society, the Manchog Company store building at 356 Manjog Road was built around 1868 by the BB & R. Knight Company, the world’s largest private cotton manufacturer as reported by the New York Times. 20th Century).
The building housed a general store and market at various times, a village library, a post office, in addition to being used as a meeting and polling station.
All of the granite granite used in Manchaug’s construction was mined in the Manchaug area near the Whitins and Putnam Hill roads.
The Community Hall on the second floor holds 300 people and hosts plays, musicals, dances and other community gatherings.
This community hall served as St. Anne’s Church from April 1924 to June 1953 after a fire on Wednesday, April 16 destroyed the 10-acre “apartment” that included the church, rectory, convent and parish school; It made a quarter of the town’s population homeless. The village did not receive a new church building until after the death of their priest in 1951.
A shop remained in the building until after World War II. George Plant was the last manager. Plante’s descendants still live in Manchuria, and the family’s ancestors were the first French-Canadians to arrive in Manchuria.
The new home of the “house”
The space was recently the home of an interior designer and her husband, who lived on the top floor and had a shop on the ground floor. During renovations last winter, a pipe on the top floor burst, causing some damage to the floors below, Burke said.
It might have been a setback, but it gave Burke a chance to “get off the dirty carpet.”
While some spaces are still in the works, including Burke’s offices, the main space offers clients the opportunity to peruse Burke’s “curated” offerings from 15 local and regional suppliers.
“Vendors offer vintage, vintage, handcrafted art. Their styles are complementary rather than competitive, ranging from brand new to seasoned ones,” Burke said. “One of the big reasons I want to have suppliers here is that it helps bring enthusiasm organically to real-life small businesses.
“Starting small is still in its infancy. The economic development of small business co-ops has been a huge catalyst for their growth into their own store or business. The slogan I’ve kept in mind throughout this process is ‘We’re just a drop in the bucket. Together we are an ocean’.
“I really believe in supporting each other in this process and we’ll go further. All but one of my suppliers are women. We all have some kind of kismet story that ties us together, I Grateful and excited for all of these ways we will grow together and individually,” Burke said.
In one room, there was a vendor selling Sutton-themed towels and cutting boards. In another location, there are objects from all over the world, including French furniture, Belgian feathers and zebra skins from Africa.
“This is my United Nations,” she said.
Next to the reception, Stow’s botanical business The Botanary offers plants for sale, complete with instructional labels on how to keep them alive and thriving.
Burke says she plans to open a DIY section (she’s waiting for supplies); home delivery is also in the works.
Burke opened the store on July 16, her 40th birthday.
“This store is a lifelong dream come true. It’s the culmination of my life,” Burke said. “I’ve always been passionate about all things home and opening this store has been the most exciting and wonderful experience of my career.
“My new neighbors and new town welcome me with open arms and I’m excited to not only share my store with you, but to create an experience when you come to visit. I’m eccentric, but what I and my suppliers have created is absolutely It’s amazing to walk in the door,” she added.
Some of the magic has flowed outdoors. While clearing the back of the building, Burke and her family discovered a patio (where the stables were) and a fountain.
The space has been transformed into an English garden (her father is still trying to get the fountain to flow); Burke says she has hosted several social events.
Burke plans to have both feet at Sutton’s community events, especially the Chain of Lights in December; she’s already signed up to be a tram stop.
She is also looking forward to meeting her new neighbours, including Vaillancourt Folk Art across the street, who “give me the most gracious support and welcome”.
District V House is located at 356 Manchaug Road, Sutton, across the street from the post office. Hours of operation are 10am-5pm Thursday-Saturday and 11am-4pm Sunday. For information, call 774-314-0022, visit https://districtvdesign.com/, their Facebook page, or via Instagram.
