Sources for china/crystal on Long Island (Hempstead, Huntington: sales, houses)

[totallyfrazzled]

Now that Fortunoffs is gone, does anyone know of a comparable local source for china and crystal? They always had a great selection/display of so many different brands and styles.

There used to be a place called Jumble China on Jericho Turnpike across from the Huntington Town House but they went out of business a couple of years ago.

The larger Bed Bath & Beyond stores have a china/bridal registry department but they don't have anywhere near what Fortunoff and Jumble China had; basically they have the 3 or 4 mass market names but none of the lesser known ones like Villeroy & Bosch, Doulton, Haviland, etc.

Fortunoff's always had a set of Flora Danica on display that I'd practically drool over any time I went in there. One of those things that I have/will never in this lifetime be able to afford but wow they are drop dead gorgeous.

http://www.royalcopenhagen.com/Dinne...ra-Danica.aspx

Spode's 'Stafford Flowers' is the only thing that ever remotely came close to Flora Danica but not if you held one up to the other.

http://www.dinnerwareetc.com/staffordflowers.html

(Back in the day there was a fantastic store called Hempstead China that had EVERYTHING.... illogically, one store was in Roosevelt Field mall and the other a standalone biiig store outside the Smith Haven Mall where John Harvard's restaurant now is.)

[AlexisT]

I wouldn't call Villeroy and Boch or Doulton "lesser known"...

BB&B can order for you if you know the specific piece--if they have an account with the supplier it can be ordered. There's a lot they can get that you don't see in store. Send me a DM if there's anything specific you're after--I know a buyer in Fine Gift and China--and I can find out if they can get it.

The department stores still carry china, though I agree, there's really nothing like Fortunoff. Fortunoff Hewlett may be worth checking out, I haven't been there in years (it's owned by another branch of the family and is still operating).

[Elke Mariotti]

Macy's carries Villeroy and Boch (why you would call it "lesser known" I don't understand ).
In fact, Macy's is having a sale on some of the V&B patterns right now.

[Elke Mariotti]

Oh, Macy's also carries Royal Doulton, as does Neiman & Marcus

[nycglamgirl11106]

When I got married I registered at Fortunoff. I was actually thinking about where I would have registered if I had to today. My best options would have been Bloomingdales (Long Island and the city) and Michael C. Fina (which is in Manhattan but has such an amazing selection of fine china which is far superior to any other I have seen, worth the trip to the city IMHO)

[Elke Mariotti]

Originally Posted by nycglamgirl11106

When I got married I registered at Fortunoff. I was actually thinking about where I would have registered if I had to today. My best options would have been Bloomingdales (Long Island and the city) and Michael C. Fina (which is in Manhattan but has such an amazing selection of fine china which is far superior to any other I have seen, worth the trip to the city IMHO)

Totally forgot about Michael C. Fina - awesome store! I agree, definitely worth a trip - look at their website, they seem to have all the "better" brands!
Not too much in the way of sales though

[totallyfrazzled]

You can tell that I haven't bought china in a while, I guess, because the last time I did so, Villeroy & Bosch wasn't a mainstream brand, LOL! Glad to hear that it's become more popular though.

Three houses ago I had a kitchen tile frieze that matched a V&B china pattern. I forget the name of the pattern but it had a black background and different jungle animals (leopard, parrots, etc) on it. Loved the china but couldn't afford it so I used the tile across the top of the backsplash instead!

[atypicalLIer]

I have never owned fine china and had to dissuade people from purchasing it for me when I was engaged. A close family member bought me some insane set of crystal stemware -- there's 5 different stems per place setting. She wouldn't accept, "Thank you, but I have no place for these," as an answer. While beautiful, twenty plus years later and they are still in the same fancy gift boxes they came in to prevent them from getting totally dusty in the attic. Perhaps my dd will appreciate them in another decade or so.