Written by Lluvia Moreno —
NORTH FORK — There has been a lot of buzz around town about the Grand Opening of several businesses on Friday, Apr. 1, including A Bit of Everything, owned by North Fork resident Christina DeGracia.
A Bit of Everything offers just what the name suggests, from items such as camping gear and sporting goods, to handmade locally sourced jewelry.
Most of the items in the shop are being sold on consignment, with a large percentage of them coming from local vendors. Due to this unique nature of the merchandise, some things may not be restocked or be there the next time you see it, so make sure to buy it if you like it.
The store’s offerings don’t stop there. Christina has combined her love of DJing and event planning into the store as well, and continues to offer those services. She also hopes to open up the store as a community space for craft workshops or get-togethers.
As vice president of the North Fork Chamber of Commerce, Christina has been very invested in improving the town in any way possible. With a background in retail that began when she was 16 years old, the idea of opening her own shop seemed like a perfect way to help bring in more traffic to downtown. Her new storefront caters to the tourists that pass through North Fork as well as to seasoned locals, so this shop really offers “a bit of everything.”
There are many things Christina hopes to accomplish with the new store. From providing a stop for the many travelers on their way to and from the mountains, to helping the community showcase their talents, she hopes the shop can fulfill many purposes. Along with all of the items offered in store, she will be offering personal shopping services, and is looking to expand the store out into the online world.
By far the most important thing is the atmosphere of the space. In hearkening back to one of her previous jobs in retail, Christina says that “people would come into the store looking for something or just looking to kill time, and leave with something that left them feeling happy.” She says that even those customers who didn’t end up purchasing any items seemed to feel more at peace when they left. That feeling is what she is striving for in A Bit of Everything.
As for her choice to open the store here in North Fork, there was no hesitation.
“I didn’t want to open a store in Oakhurst because I wanted to have a job where I could bring my children.” She would like people to feel that they can bring their children to the shop as well, and have it be a family-friendly space.
When asked if she would ever expand to other locations further away, Christina replied, “There was a time when I left North Fork and North Fork brought me back. North Fork is my family, and I wanted to have a store for North Fork.”
Christina would like to give special thanks to Mark Ahrens and Jim Quilter and everyone who helped with A Bit of Everything.
Be sure to swing by the Grand Opening on Apr. 1, to check out the store, watch some fire dancing and have a great time!
