Newton's Trendsetterz Ahead of its Tyme

Vera Zelkina has a way of making lemonade out of lemons. The owner of the new Trensetterz store said losing her Florida home during hurricane Wilma was “probably the best thing that could have happened to us.” She and her family moved back to her native New Jersey and settled in Newton. “We were walking, and we saw the ‘For Sale’ sign at Ahead of Our Tyme,” she explained. She loved the feel of the store and jumped at the chance to make the business her own. Zelkina and her husband Dave Johnson purchased the business with their landlord from its owner Yvette Davidson. The Spring Street mainstay has been a haven for interesting artifacts, hippie clothing, incense and jewelry for many years. Zelkina wants to keep the feel of the former store while “trending it up a bit” and making it “more of a new-age, eclectic import store.” Zelkina promised, “It won’t be like the mall or a department store. We are still going for a unique look.” She has already added natural soaps as well as high-fashion jeans and shirts. Trendsetterz carries imports from Africa and Asia. She plans to add items from Mexico, where she and her husband love to travel, and Russian artifacts that reflect her own heritage. The store will also serve as a gallery for the work of local and regional artists. Sussex County Community College students and other local artists can consign their pieces to the store. One of the first consignees is eighth-grader Ariana Pagelione of Newton. Her leather bracelets are already for sale, and soon she will be offering belts. Shoppers at Trendsetterz will hear the work of local musicians while they browse—and be able to purchase it. Lori Malvey, a local musician whose work is for sale, appreciates this unique opportunity to market herself to a local audience, a welcome alternative to “the typical pop music route,” she noted. “I was impressed that Vera was so forward thinking.” Trendsetterz is also in the business of making artists, not just selling their work. The store will soon offer classes on jewelry making, beading, drawing, sculpting and other art forms. Eventually Zelkina wants to offer scholarships to local art students. “It shouldn’t be just a store. I have enough space that I can do pretty much do anything here. There is a little bit of everything,” the ambitious owner explained. Zelkina’s experience as an accountant will help her manage the new business. She has already lowered prices on jewelry and plans to keep her prices reasonable for shoppers of all ages. “A lot of it is for the kids because they really have nowhere to go, and they can have a place to come hang out,” Zelkina said. She hopes the store will also contribute to making Spring Street a tourist destination. “It would be nice to bring more tourists to Newton. We have a lot of history.” Zelkina sees a lot of potential for her store in Newton and beyond. “Trendsetterz has such a unique niche. It would even fit in Greenwich Village, and it would look like it belonged there.” Trendsetterz is located at 131 to 133 Spring Street. The store is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.. Parking is available on Spring Street and directly behind the store in the lot facing Trinity Street. Call (973) 383-3400 or email trendsetterz@earthlink.net for more information. The store will soon be online at www.trendsetterz.net.