By Jason Klaiber
Staff Writer
The Station 603 will be holding a grand opening on Nov. 15 from 12 to 7 p.m.
In previous centuries, the building sitting at 603 Seneca St. in Manlius operated as a stop on the 43-mile-long Chenango railway line.
Though the once-thriving train service shut down for good in the mid-1960s, long-time local residents Janice Abdo-Rott and her husband John worked to restore the property in recent years without letting go of its history.
With the original windows, wooden surfaces and beams intact, the site assumed the name The Station 603.
In 2018, it became home to a boutique selling household decor, garden items and gifts.
The second floor of the building houses the offices for Creative Landscapes, a service for custom landscape design, installation and maintenance.
Outside, where the former train platform used to sit, a plant nursery has been carved out and developed, containing a variety of perennials, annuals and shrubbery.
In addition to serving as a Village of Manlius trustee, Abdo-Rott acts as the common link operating these three distinct parts of the property all at once.
“If you’re a businessperson, you can multi-task,” she said.
A landscape designer by trade, she said she has attended trade shows in places like Atlanta and New York City to gather unique items for the boutique. For her, scouting out these items is something of a fun challenge.
On display shelves and tables designed by Abdo-Rott and built by her husband, customers at The Station 603 will find such things as candlesticks, jewelry, ceramics, handbags and picture frames.
“I just try to pick interesting things that people would like for their home,” Abdo-Rott said.
Abdo-Rott cleaned, rewired and hung up antique chandeliers in her shop, matching with the historic backdrop of the defunct railway station. She also set up 20th century cast iron and concrete urns throughout the nursery.
“It’s lovely to keep something that’s so historical and repurpose it in a nice way,” Abdo-Rott said. “The building is a great source of conversation and interest.”
