Written by Isabella Aranda Garcia & Gia Miller
Mary Zipkin understands “stuff.” Big stuff, small stuff, shiny stuff, fragile stuff—they’re all part of Zipkin’s world. And for the past four years, she’s granted us the opportunity to peer inside. At The Knack Shoppe in Pound Ridge, Zipkin, who also works as a home stager and estate sale manager, sells what we like to call “previously-loved” items to their new owners. In her upscale consignment store, you’ll find once-cherished furniture and home decor, jewelry and shoes, and everything in between.
The shop(pe) is always “purely joyful and beautiful,” and Zipkin says her main goal isn’t money; it’s repurposing. She hopes to play a role in reducing our “vast overconsumption and overly wasteful habits.” Her clients, who she says are also her customers, want their items to go to a good home to be used (and loved) again.
Did you know?
Even The Knack Shoppe has to purge sometimes. When they do, items go to the Community Center of Northern Westchester and Habitat for Humanity.
Runner-up: Penny Pincher Boutique, Bedford Hills
This article was published in the January/February 2025 edition of Connect to Northern Westchester.
To view all 2025 Connect to the Best winners, click here.
Gia Miller is an award-winning journalist and the editor-in-chief/co-publisher of Connect to Northern Westchester. She has a magazine journalism degree (yes, that's a real thing) from the University of Georgia and has written for countless national publications, ranging from SELF to The Washington Post. Gia desperately wishes schools still taught grammar. Also, she wants everyone to know they can delete the word "that" from about 90% of their sentences, and there's no such thing as "first annual." When she's not running her media empire, Gia enjoys spending quality time with friends and family, laughing at her crazy dog and listening to a good podcast. She thanks multiple alarms, fermented grapes and her amazing husband for helping her get through each day. Her love languages are food and humor.
Isabella Aranda is a designer, writer and social media specialist with an M.A. in emerging media from the New Media Institute at the Grady College of Journalism & Mass Communication. Driven by curiosity and inspired by timeless modern design, she blends creativity and strategy to craft compelling narratives that engage diverse audiences.
Her expertise spans digital marketing, content creation and UX design, with notable achievements such as co-creating the Georgia On Your Mind podcast and leading digital campaigns that significantly boosted engagement. A Venezuelan immigrant, Isabella brings a multicultural perspective to her work, enhancing her ability to connect with and inspire others.
