“We offer everything you need to feel at home, including the warm welcome… The stores themselves, and the rooms they help to furnish, are entirely realized spaces full of heart and soul. As one longtime client put it, ‘What Hammertown sells is important, but I’d argue that what it stands for is even more essential: hospitality, community, authenticity.’”
— Hammertown website
Hammertown—the iconic lifestyle store and interior design service with locations in Pine Plains, Rhinebeck, and Great Barrington—has been a go-to resource for Berkshire home decorators and professional designers for many years. Hammertown Barn first opened on Route 199 in the historic hamlet of Pine Plains, N.Y., in 1985. It was established by Joan Osofsky soon after her family moved from New Jersey to the Hudson Valley so her husband could help his brothers launch Ronnybrook Farm’s on-site processing and direct-to-consumer sales (which paved the way for selling to New York City markets). Looking to supplement the family income, Osofsky switched gears, trading her role as a schoolteacher for her design and decorating passion.
The original store began simply, as a barn offering “country furnishings” (gifts and antiques) along with “crafts classes.” There were a lot of dried flowers in those early days, Osofsky admits. As she honed her skills as a merchandiser and stylist, her business evolved from a creative outlet to a thriving business. In the 1990s, she launched her first line of upholstered furniture—a $25,000 leap of faith that opened new business opportunities and helped establish her signature “collected” design.
Architect Dennis Wedlic puts it this way: “Everyone who knows Hammertown knows that Joan Osofsky pioneered and institutionalized the ‘collected’ look—a mash-up of styles based on the homeowners’ unique aesthetic and the timeless attributes of good design: comfort, character, harmony, and good proportions.”
The first Berkshire outpost opened in 2002. As Osofksy shared back then: “Great Barrington felt like a natural step. Many of our customers lived there, and when a space opened on Route 7 across from the Price Chopper plaza, it felt like an opportunity we couldn’t pass up. Expanding into GB would strengthen Hammertown and secure the Mitchell Gold brand, which had become central to our identity and our financial growth.” Hammertown moved its store to its current downtown address (15 Bridge Street) in the summer of 2016, relocating into the former Foster’s hardware location.
Hammertown’s influence extends far beyond the stores and local customers. With a vast online presence, the brand is now recognized throughout the Northeast as ‘the’ home decor destination, known for everything from unique furniture and decor to linens, lighting, and tableware. “From gifting to gathering, we’ve curated the pieces that help your home feel warm, inviting, and comfortable for everyone who walks through the door,” the website promises. Osofsky’s two books—“Love Where You Live” and “Entertaining in the Country” (both published by Rizzoli)—exemplify the personal and diverse lens through which the Hammertown Design vision is shaped, offering readers artistic vision and practical advice.
In addition to new items, Hammertown’s ethos centers on blending the old with the new to create layered, storied interiors. From vintage farm tables and furnishings to smaller ceramics, textiles, and other decorative items, Hammertown has consistently provided its clients with ways to incorporate heritage pieces into the modern family home.
Having retired in 2024, Osofsky passed the Hammertown baton to her daughter, Dana Simpson, who also oversees the Design Services team. “We specialize in creating homes and work spaces that are both functional and beautiful, all while helping [our clients] discover their unique design voice,” she explains.
Building local community is another lasting hallmark of Hammertown. “Friends come to the store to shop together, or arrive alone and meet new friends. The comfortable, inviting spaces are conducive to lingering,” the website notes. If you’ve frequented the annual “Hammertown Tent Sales” (held on Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends in Pine Plains), you’ve no doubt witnessed the thrill of the hunt—a shared and surprisingly noncompetitive experience where shoppers talk up and guide others to unique finds. Support for the broader community is woven into these events with proceeds from ‘early bird’ ticket sales benefiting local and regional causes.
In a recent social media post—subtitled “A Fond Farewell & A Thoughtful Step Forward”—Simpson announced that the Great Barrington store would be closing on March 22nd. “As we enter our 41st year in business, Hammertown will be consolidating its physical footprint and focusing on our Hudson Valley locations,” she shared. “This chapter has meant so much to us, and we are incredibly grateful to the Berkshire community for allowing us to help furnish your homes and be a creative gathering place for over two decades. We look forward to welcoming you at our Rhinebeck and Pine Plains, N.Y., locations in the nearby Hudson Valley.”
Throughout March, Hammertown Great Barrington will host special events and storewide sales as a thank-you to the community and a formal send-off. In addition, they will be opening their warehouse (14 Clayton Road, Canaan, Conn.) to the public on Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Stay tuned for more details about their final community celebration event, to be announced “soon” on their website and Instagram feed. And remember to check out their Pine Plains (3201 Route 199) and Rhinebeck (6420 Montgomery Street) stores—the drive is relaxing and the treasures rewarding.
