hillsdale, new york
where New York meets the Berkshires
From left: Hillsdale General Store, Rodger’s Book Barn.
Heading east on Route 23
from the Taconic through Hillsdale towards Great Barrington is a well-worn path for many visitors to the Berkshires. Nowadays, though, the traffic goes both ways, as Hillsdale has become a destination that Berkshire residents and visitors alike are drawn to. The formerly sleepy farming town is now a secondhome magnet with a vibrant artistic and commercial culture. Passiflora hung out a lonely shingle in 2009, billing itself as “an eclectic mix of all things contemporary, quirky, and chic” (primarily housewares and personal care products, with an emphasis on local artisans); it’s still going strong. Interior designer Matthew White renovated an 1855 commercial building on the village square into what is now the Hillsdale General Store, with an emphasis on stylish, functional housewares. The same building is also home to Cross Roads Food Shop, a farm-to-table restaurant that serves a great breakfast. They’re serving breakfast all day, and lunch beginning at 11:30 a.m. with seating both inside and out. White then went a step further, starting up HGS Chef, which sells cookware and offers cooking classes (on Zoom for the moment) with top chefs, in another made-over building across the street. Right next door, Tiny Hearts Farm, which organically farms 15 acres in Copake, sells flowers. A great recent arrival on the scene is the Roe Jan Brewing Company on Anthony Street, not far from the town center: fresh beers and a menu with steaks from a wood-fired grill and tasty salads, along with wines and cocktails. They’re serving indoors and out, all at respectable distances.
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The Hillsdale House, right in the center of things, was revitalized after a makeover and is open for both takeout and indoor/outdoor dining. The Village Scoop, created by the owners of Passiflora, serves non-alcoholic cocktails as well as exceptional artisanal ice cream. But, if your hair has gone to hell during the pandemic, you can still get a haircut in Hillsdale, too, at least if the pole outside Trudy’s Beauty Shop is spinning; basic women’s or men’s haircuts $20, beards extra. And whatever your home needs may be, there’s a Herrington in Hillsdale who can help. For your construction and renovation supplies, visit Ed Herrington, Inc., just west of the intersection of Routes 7 and 23, and their Hillsdale Tile Design Center just east of it. Then, when construction is done, C. Herrington Home + Design, right at the intersection, with a beautiful retail shop and professional design services, can turn that house into the home of your dreams. Not all the action is in the village. Rodger’s Book Barn, off the beaten track but well worth the ramble, has 50,000 “old and unusual” books on its well-organized shelves. Mirror Mirror, located on Route 23 between the Route 22 junction and the town center, offers both vintage clothing and housewares. And Sideshow Clothing Company has moved from Hudson, N.Y., to the space right next to Mirror Mirror, buying and selling vintage clothing both in the shop and online. There’s more action, of the alpine kind, at Catamount Mountain Resort on Route 23. Straddling the New York/ Massachusetts line, this family-oriented mid-sized ski area offers the most varied terrain in southern New England.
