Enter the Void, JC
There has been much anticipation for the opening of Into the Void, the brand-new antique store and coffee shop in The Village. The excitement was on full display at the recent grand opening of the shop which is located at 117 Brunswick. The crowd overflowed into the street, co-owner Andy Schulz explained; “We went through cases and cases of beer and Negronis in three hours.” Schulz and partner Greg Yannalfo are both New Jersey natives who appreciate the warm welcome from our community; “It is everything we hoped for and why we picked Jersey City. The people who come in the shop. Set designers, retirees, engineers, and all sorts of people working from home. It’s this incredible influx of people looking for something new, cool, and different.”
The process of combining antique finds with café culture into one business was an organic one for the partners. They met years ago through the coffee business (Andy used to run a café in Brooklyn and Greg was in Sales) and remained fast friends. The antique business was in Andy’s blood (“I come from a long line of antique store owners, pickers, artists and fun people”) and when Greg reached out to Andy about opening a café, the synergy was perfect. The coffee and espresso drinks are prepared with a rotating source of beans from top roasters in the country and the accompanying pastries are from Balthazar. Fun addition to the treats: on Saturdays, donuts are on the morning menu from Emily Do Good Donuts, who will rotate her flavors too.
Back to antiques. Andy has a special affinity for “weird, one-of-a-kind ceramics” and old and odd religious art. That said the antiques they offer include a broader range of finds; “Our business model is based on scarcity and agreeing with me,” Andy jokes. “It’s about finding super interesting pieces that are one of a kind and hard to find, offered at very affordable prices for what they are worth.”
Art plays a big part here as well as furniture and decorative stuff. Into the Void has a dedicated wall devoted to art pieces from local artists from the Tri State region. The wall of work will be rotating so be sure to look out for gallery openings in the future.
117 Brunswick St. @intothevoidantiques