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Hammer & Stain has risen from the ashes.
Nearly a year after a fire tore through downtown Sayville and damaged its original Main Street studio, the DIY woodworking business has officially opened a second location — this time in the heart of the Station Yards complex in Ronkonkoma.
Owner Sandra Bernius said the milestone represents both recovery and growth for her small business.
“We are deeply grateful to our loyal customers and the community for their support during this challenging time in Sayville and our construction in Ronkonkoma,” Bernius said.
“The sense of community at Station Yards enhances the experience we can provide our guests, and we look forward to welcoming new and familiar faces to both studios,” she added.
How it happened
Back in 2019, Bernius transformed a former puppy shop on Main Street in Sayville into the region’s first DIY wood-crafting studio, as previously reported by Greater Long Island.
Guests there built everything from porch benches to holiday décor to cornhole boards, while learning new skills in a social, craft-and-sip environment.
That all changed on October 25, 2024, when an afternoon fire ripped through several Sayville storefronts, leaving the workshop heavily damaged.
Even amid repair efforts on the South Shore, Bernius and her team pressed ahead with construction on a second location at Station Yards — TRITEC’s mixed-use community beside the Ronkonkoma train station.
The Sayville shop continues to operate on a modified schedule as the team completes its rebuild.
A community celebration
Hammer & Stain’s ribbon-cutting at Station Yards Tuesday drew local business and civic leaders from Brookhaven and Islip, along with state, county and town elected leaders, and members of several chambers of commerce.
They gathered to mark the business’s opening, and comeback.
“The evening’s theme, echoed by all in attendance, was clear: small business is the lifeblood of Long Island,” a TRITEC announcement reads. “Speakers praised the resilience of the Hammer & Stain team for overcoming adversity.
“The event underscored the spirit of cooperation and support from the people of Brookhaven and Islip, along with the elected officials who represent them — all united in encouraging Sandra and her team’s future success.”
The Ronkonkoma studio is now open for full-time hours.
Head on over
Hammer & Stain’s new studio at Station Yards offers a hands-on DIY workshop experience where guests can personalize home-décor crafts, attend group workshops, host private parties and enjoy walk-in craft hours for adults and kids, according to the announcement.
The studio also features a retail section for custom orders, handmade gifts and laser engraving.
The Ronkonkoma studio is now open for full-time hours at 9 Hawkins Ave., Unit 3102.
Top: Suffolk County Comptroller John Kennedy, Suffolk County Legislator Leslie Kennedy, owner Sandra Bernius and her family, Ronkonkoma Chamber of Commerce Past President Kevin Hyms, Holbrook Chamber of Commerce President Rick Ammirati, Ronkonkoma Chamber Vice President Michele Kitterle, Richard Lutz from Islip Councilman John Lorenzo’s office, and Chris Collucio, President of the MacArthur Business Alliance. (Credit: TRITEC courtesy photo)
