Experience a unique place to shop, eat, and celebrate

By Sue Baldani

In 2006, Michele Bessey used her creativity to turn a small space in a Maplewood building into a showcase for unique gifts. “A store didn’t even exist in that building,” she says. “It was just apartments, but I had seen the possibility there. I called it Perch Home because it was perched up on the corner.”

She loved being a part of the community and developing relationships with her customers. But, in 2023, she unexpectedly lost her lease. “I thought I could either retire or I could create the best version that I ever imagined for my store.”

Michele chose the latter, and took over the space of a former Indian restaurant that was right across the street. It was just a big, empty, dark black box, but it was the only place in town that had an outdoor patio area. Michele’s mind churned with possibilities. Six months later, the new and improved Perch Home opened its doors.

“We installed a big window so all this light came in and expanded our store upstairs,” she says. “It was a labor of love.”

In addition to curated gifts, this space allowed her to offer so much more. “My big thing is experiential retail,” she says. “I want to make customers feel like you do when you’re on vacation and you discover that cool shop.”

She added a café where everything is made by an in-house chef. Brunch is served Wednesday through Sunday, and menu items includes a Peaches and Cream Parfait, Farmer’s Omelet, Chicken Salad Croissant, and Café Crème Pancakes. For lunch, customers can enjoy a fresh salad with Buttermilk Biscuits slathered with house-made jams and honey butter. Children love the French Toast Sticks and Animal Toast.

The coffer bar is also a huge hit. “We serve Kobrick coffee which is roasted in Jersey City. We try to incorporate some of the things we sell in the kitchen area into our food, like the olive oil and honey, plus tea and coffee.” There’s also mocktails and creamy gelato available.

On that once empty patio now sits a lovely garden area. A vintage camper bar is available to serve non-alcoholic drinks, and private parties can be held there, or in the café or upstairs flex space.

“It’s so great because now I can celebrate with my customers all the way through,” says Michele. “They can come in, buy a baby gift, and also have their baby shower with us.” Perch is known for beautiful gift wrapping too.

There’s also now plenty of room for her corporate gifting business, which is geared towards supporting other small, local businesses. “Our whole thing is meaningful gift giving,” she says. “If we get an order for 5,000 gift boxes, ordering one item from one vendor can change that business dramatically. We include the vendor’s story in the box as well.”

Michele and her assistant manager, Mackenzie Troncone, choose each item in the store with care. “The two of us have a rule that if we both don’t say yes, we don’t get it. It has to be ‘perchy.’”

They are definitely doing everything right. Perch Home recently won the 2025 Retailer Excellence Award (REA) for Best Store Redesign. “It was amazing to be recognized by others in the industry,” she says. “It made me feel good.”

Written for Vicinity Magazine in New Jersey.