BALSAMO by Susanna Salk for 1stdibs

“Two minutes into seeing the inside of the building, it was love at first site,” says Ray Attanasio of the former 1837 erected Baptist church in Pine Plains, New York  that he and his partner, Steve Abeles, transformed into their antiques shop, Balsamo. “ Prior to our purchasing it, the building sat for years, empty and dilapidated, but one morning, something told us to check it out – get inside and take a look,” says Abeles. “We followed our inner voice, dove in and never looked back.”

The Manhattan-based pair had a home in the area and had always been passionate about antiquing on their down time. “We were those typical weekenders who never sat still. Our favorite pastimes were gardening and driving through the countryside, visiting every antique shop in four states,” says Attanasio, who had worked several years in retail, culminating as Senior Vice-president of Men’s Merchandising at J. Crew before making the leap to running Balsamo. He had met Abeles when they worked at Bloomingdales (where Abeles was a buyer), both of them yearning for a life beyond fashion. “Our philosophy has always been: “Take a chance; what’s the worst that can happen?” says Abeles. When they both turned forty, they knew it was time to change course, albeit an intimidating one. With their backgrounds in corporate fashion, the groundwork was laid for running their own business. “We both have innate merchandising skills which we transferred to selling antiques,” says Attanasio.

Two weeks after seeing the church, it was theirs.  Attanasio remembers,“There was no electricity. No plumbing. Part of the roof was missing. Floors completely buckled. It was a real mess.” But the couple was undaunted. They had the store completely renovated in six months and in September of 1997, Balsamo Antiques (named after Attanasio’s mother’s maiden name that “just sounded right”), had its debut. But they didn’t quit their day jobs just yet. For the next seven years, every vacation time was spent shopping in Europe for antiques and working at Balsamo on weekends. After the first year, Abeles quit his corporate job and began working at the shop full time while also laying the ground work for Atttanasio to join full time after he got tired of commuting to Abercrombie and Fitch in Ohio. 
And while they left those merchant-retail lives behind, they brought with them the skills honed to their new roles as antique purveyors. “We merchandise here just like we used to do at Bloomingdales,” says Attanasio. “The shop is divided up into many vignettes with each telling a different story but relating to each other by color, theme or fabrication.”

In the center of the space is an old wooden room that used to be an outdoor porch, which the men have now transformed into the focal point of the store and change its contents seasonally. “We try for the ‘wow-factor’ when someone enters,” says Abeles. “Our shop is a destination for customers since the town of Pine Plains is so out of the way. So we want to make sure Balsalmo is worth their trip.”

European furnishings, architectural, and English garden elements all share an edge and a touch of unexpected whimsy. 19th century French and Belgian antiques add to the mixture as do pieces of Industrial from the 1940’s. “We make many trips to France, Belgium, England, and Holland,” says Attansaio. “We always strive to find the most different and interesting items.  Some of the more unique items are difficult to sell, but they lend a dramatic look to the collection.” Two-ton granite and18th century fountains make the point as do the huge, cast iron windows from a chateau. “Sometimes we are crazy in what we buy, but it’s a passion to find the unusual,” says Abeles. “Fountains are hard to come by and we have a steady list of client requests for them.” Attanasio smiles and adds, “If it’s heavy, we buy it.”

Balsamo has spawned its own interior design business which has proved synergistic with the shop. “We approach our interior design projects in a similar way as our clients count on us to provide the unexpected,” says Attanasio. “They want the same eclectic feel in the projects we do for them, while incorporating their individual taste and style.” Whether it’s 10-foot industrial dining table or a Napoleon III settee, Balsamo is about being inspired. Attanasio and Abeles get their regular doses from their constant travels abroad. “We love the Belgian aesthetic such as Axel Vervoordt,” says Abeles. “Walking the streets and looking in store fronts – not just looking at merchandise – but appreciating the color of walls or the way things are lighted and what the floors are made of…it all inspires us.”