There’s a new and very sweet shop in town

MILLBROOK — Tucked away between Barbosa’s Restaurant and the parking lot on Merritt Avenue, at 149 Church St., one can now find Samantha’s Sweet Shoppe, offering dairy treats, candy and small stationery items. There are also options for those seeking non-dairy or vegan treats.

Fresh and welcoming, with a bit of nostalgia, Samantha’s Sweet Shoppe brings back memories of childhood, something owner Samantha Martin had in mind when creating her new business. From her birthplace of Hong Kong, to the village of Millbrook, there are many years and stories in between. But the fact that Samantha and her husband, Andre Neyrey, are here attests to the fact that people who visit Millbrook often fall in love with it. 

Suffering a health crisis about four years ago, Martin decided that she needed to leave Manhattan, where they lived and worked, to invest in a place that was more peaceful and conducive to supporting her health. After many weekends of long drives and searching, they stopped one day in Millbrook, and she says she knew, in that instant, that this is where the pair belonged.

They acquired a house, which they turned into a home, Goat Hill Manor, which they share with 10 pigmy goats, three miniature horses and three Dachshunds. Neyrey gave up his business as a restaurant consultant in the city, building a new career in the Hudson Valley. Martin, a publicist, maintains her offices in Hong Kong and New York; much of her work can be done remotely.

The idea for the Sweet Shoppe came about when Martin remarked to her husband that there should be a place where families could go in Millbrook to enjoy a treat together, a place to build memories and reminisce, with penny-like candy and fondly remembered treats. During winter, the store will offer hot chocolate, coffee and other wintertime treats. 

Said Martin, “there’s a child in all of us.”

She’s hoping to reach out to that child, and give back to the community that she has come to love. A portion of the profits will regularly go to Lucky Orphans Horse Farm and Angels of Light. For more information, call 845-793-3903 or go to  www.samanthassweetshoppe.com.