Greater Sayville coverage is funded in part by The Shed, your scratch kitchen for brunch and dinner daily at 21 Main St. in West Sayville.
The owner of the Thornhill’s building gave GreaterSayville.com a sneak peak this weekend of all the exciting changes inside the iconic space at 2 Main St.
A months long renovation project has yielded a glistening space that seamlessly blends the old and the new.
There’s the rustic looking exposed wood ceiling and the nostalgic steel radiator, right alongside new freshly painted white walls and modern-looking lamps hanging from the ceiling. And tying it all together is a new tiled floor with a throwback design.
“This is what I wanted — a beautiful white box,” said building owner Matthew La Piana, 45, the architect and lead contractor on the project that has transformed a building that has sat dormant for years.
La Piana, who owns Building Restoration Consultants Unlimited, and his wife Lauri, who owns Lighthouse Court Reporting Inc., will share the office space upstairs. Acting on input from the community, the La Pianas are looking to rent the first floor — what was home to Thornill’s for well over half a century — to either a boutique toy store or a vintage book store.
Whoever moves in, the beloved neon Thornhill’s sign is staying, Matthew La Piana said. As an alternative, La Piana designed a spot inside the building, high near the ceiling, for a signage that would creatively brand the new tenant’s business.
La Piana said he is looking for $4,500 a month — “all utilities included” — for the bottom floor and basement.
Until he inks a long-term rental deal, La Piana said he’d consider offers for a short-term pop-up store. “It could be a rent-free situation where we just split the profits,” he said. “I’m open to ideas. Talk to me.”
In the mean time, La Piana said he’s tempted to bring in some couches and turn his “beautiful white box” into “a living room,” where he can hang out and get to know folks in the community.
Check out the photos below and see what La Piana has done with the place. Be sure to click on boxes 2 and 3 to see all 15.