Easthampton’s Sonnet & Sparrow set to expand with sister store

EASTHAMPTON — The owners of Sonnet & Sparrow curated thrift store will open a sister store dedicated to lightly used furniture and homeware, called The Flying Squirrel, near their Cottage Street location this spring.  

The new space will allow the store’s owners to expand their furniture and homeware offerings, said co-owner Cynthia West,  which are currently sold on a limited basis at Sonnet & Sparrow due to “significant space constraints.”

“This will allow us to divide the offering and provide more space for more inventory,” West said. She and her daughter, McKenzie, opened Sonnet & Sparrow in May 2019, selling a variety of “found and gathered” clothes, accessories, functional goods, and other lifestyle items.

The Flying Squirrel will open at 82 ½ Cottage St. in April, neighboring Sonnet & Sparrow at 84 ½ Cottage St. Both stores are located within the former Majestic Theater building.

While economic hardships brought about by the pandemic have led many businesses to shutter or scale back, West said that Sonnet & Sparrow received “overwhelming support from local customers throughout the COVID-19 crisis, and this has given us the confidence to expand.”

She attributes the store’s success to a customer base that strongly believes in Sonnet & Sparrow’s values, which are based in thrifting as part of a sustainable lifestyle.

“We wouldn’t be able to do this without a strong following of individuals who believe in our vision to change the way we view found goods,” West said, “and, at the same time, change our personal footprints.”

Co-owner McKenzie West described this mission as offering high-quality alternatives to traditional retail shopping.

“It’s important to us that our customers see that buying ‘used’ is not only a delightful way to create their own personal aesthetic, but a tangible way to change the world,” McKenzie said in a statement announcing the new sister store. “If enough of us buy gently used items – whether clothing or furniture – we enact significant change and take responsibility for our own footprint.”

The owners chose the store’s name “to maintain our woodland theme,” Cynthia West said, and because they appreciate flying squirrels as unique, lively animals.

The Flying Squirrel’s slated location currently houses Groom Barbershop, which will be moving to the Bak Plaza at a yet-to-be-announced date, according to Groom's Facebook page.

Sonnet & Sparrow is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m on Friday and Saturday, and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m., with expanded hours during the summer. The Flying Squirrel will operate on the same schedule.