Mattice Brings Coffee & Couture to Oak Hill
There’s a new reason to visit the quaint Catskills hamlet of Oak Hill, just 25 minutes from Hudson, which is already home to the botanical shop Hort & Pott, I.U. Tripp antiques, the Dewitt guest house, and the treehouse-like Yellow Deli. Oak Hill’s new destination is called Mattice (pronounced "ma-TEEs," like the artist, Henri Matisse). We talked to owner Chris Gordon about what makes his boutique so unique and worth visiting from afar.
Brooklyn DoubleWide: First, can we talk about your coffee?
Chris Gordon: We start with an incredibly rich, dark Brazilian Cerrado coffee from No. Six Depot in the Berkshires. They roast for us weekly. Then we add fresh-ground cardamom, dark French sugar crystals, creamline milk, and a splash of Vietnamese sweetened condensed milk. But you can have the coffee black if you want it that way! Each cup comes with an almond biscotti made in a 19th century bakery in Tuscany.
BKDW: It seems like you've put so much thought into every detail here. What's your vision for Mattice?
CG: If someone travels to Oak Hill, I think we ought to reward them with something surprising and unconventional. So the vision is to present things that are exceptional by a global standard, so that it’s worth the detour, and so you’ll come back.
BKDW: You've described Mattice to me as a "boutique department store." I love how you've set up the space, with each room as its own little department. What are some specialty items that visitors can expect to find here?
CG: Modern, couture dresses made from rare, historic textiles alongside wearable antique clothing – including some pieces that were worn in early films. Soap and toothpaste made from irises by nuns in Florence in a 1200-year-old company (really!); origami-inspired cushions made in Kyoto; paper from German and Belgian stationary companies which date back to the 1600s; and tabletop items made by early-20th century European glass blowers and master Japanese potters.
BKDW: And what's happening in your food section?
CG: We have rare foods from all over the world- from as far away as Italy, France, Belgium, Greenland and even Siberia, and on the weekends, we have bread and pastries from See & Be Kitchen.
BKDW: Can you tell me a little about Smalls, too?
CG: The idea behind Smalls is to scale down adult styles for kids. I can’t stand how people make children into undignified pastel blobs. I love to see a child in a tweed overcoat. We have a line of new clothing, knits, and accessories accompanied by some really special vintage items that inspired the looks.
The original concept comes from a double-meaning: in the antiques world there is a genre called “Smalls” which are all small items as opposed to larger accessories or furniture. Usually they can fit in the palm of your hand, and you have dealers who only handle in Smalls. So it made sense as a name for the kids’ clothing department, especially since our clothing styles look like miniaturized adult items, like salesman samples.
BKDW: What do you see in the future for Oak Hill?
CG: I can't say too much yet, but you can expect to see new shops like mine and a new highly rated restaurant opening in the near future!
Mattice is located at 7891 NY Route 81, Main Street, Oak Hill, NY; 646-388-0556. Follow them @mattice.boutique on Instagram and on Facebook and call ahead for official opening hours or to make an appointment to visit.
