Old Wedding Chapel Still A Sweet Spot for Downtown Trenton

At the site of the former Riverside Wedding Chapel on West Jefferson, renovation and repair work is ongoing. The Victorian structure, more than a hundred years old, is being prepared for its new role as a shop by the waterfront.

“The downtown needed something,” said Brian Raboczkay, who purchased the property. “I was looking for something that suits the house.”

What he came up with was the Riverside Treasure Shoppe.

Raboczkay anticipates selling old-time candy, gourmet coffee and fancy East-Coast-made chocolates, as well as other items such as candles.

In addition, he hopes to also use the shop to work with local artists by dealing with art consignments.

“We don’t want to bring anyone in until we’re ready,” Raboczkay said, adding that he “wants variety” in the items displayed, from pottery and glasswork to paintings, crafts and possibly photography. “We’ve gotta be selective.”

Raboczkay added that the process of selecting goods to sell will likely be an organic one and as the shop grows, the ideas will grow as well.

The local residents have also offered helpful input as well, he said, bringing him ideas such as cold drinks for people going to the nearby waterfront and a bike rack for the cyclists who traverse Trenton’s downtown.

With the building in such disrepair to begin with, Raboczkay and his supporting friends and family have been working to bring the new home of the shop to life. So far they have had to repair the water main line, put in new floors and redo the exterior and the floors, along with  other smaller tasks.

He also hopes to work on the building’s backyard as well. He decided against the idea of putting up a gazebo and benches because he felt the house should come first before they make any concrete plans for the yard.

As a result of these renovations, the shop’s opening did not make the Trenton Street Fair as originally planned by Raboczkay, though he hopes to have the doors open for business around July 14-21.

As he directed some of the repair work on the house being carried out by contractors, though, Raboczkay seemed quite confident that soon they can bring a bit of artistic culture and a nice shot in the arm to the Trenton downtown.