The Maple Tree, newly located at 2087 Route 9, Seaville, is the best place in Upper Township to find homemade candles, locally-made home goods, accent pieces, and a curated selection of local woodwork.
Rosie McCoy, the owner, has worked tirelessly to make her shop the best it can be; the new shop is nearly double the size of her old location, and she has put the space to good use by filling it with high-quality local products. But Maple Tree is more than just a store, it is a place where women can gather to share stories, find community, and create art.
“It’s a new store, but it’s like a reunion,” Rosie said. Her new location has a spacious studio where classes are held several times a week. In August alone, the Maple Tree has hosted classes in candle making, floral design, macrame, and weaving.
Through this studio, Rosie has curated a space where people come together to create art and to enjoy each other’s presence. “It’s about the fellowship. It’s not about selling the candles,” she said. “People come in here when they’re at their happiest and their saddest, and I get to be a part of that. And it’s an honor. It’s like a gathering place.”
The front entrance – adorned with floral displays and a cheery handmade sign – welcomes guests into the front shop where wooden home décor, homemade candles, and ambient lighting make clear Rosie’s preference for rural stylings.
Rosie has worked hard to make the store’s interior beautiful; real farm furniture is implemented into the layout, and the store overall feels like the inside of a beautiful farmhouse.
The selection of goods rotates seasonally. She said that farm-inspired décor is common in the fall while the summer and spring seasons bring breezy coastal set pieces. Many pieces around the shop – including the large wooden checkout counter – were made by Rosie’s late husband and her son.
A new coffee bar, partially her son’s idea, in the back of the store has over 20 blends and flavors of fresh-roasted coffee. A pleasant scent always greets guests who enter; she carefully chooses candles to create a powerful, but not overwhelming, mood when someone walks in the door.
Rosie believes strongly in locally-made products. She wants her store to be part of the local business ecosystem, which means that most of her goods are not imported and come from other local tradespeople. Many of Rosie’s products, including the coffee itself and the biscuits at the coffee bar, are from local businesses.
On the whole, re-opening has been an incredible journey for Rosie. She sorted out all the logistics herself and learned a whole host of new skills to prepare for the grand re-opening. Much of the decorating came together with the help of her family. Her youngest daughter created the cute displays that accentuate the store, and her son worked hard on the outside floral arrangements. Many of the store’s wooden furniture pieces and decorations are made by her son.
Rosie posts new hand-made pieces to her Facebook so guests can know what to expect when they come in. The re-opening process has been a joy for Rosie, even if at times it felt overwhelming. She said, “I had to hire contractors, figure out how everything was going to shake out, I did it all myself. This was a total renovation, 2400 square feet, with three completely different spaces. The gift shop, the coffee garden, and the studio. I think my husband would be very proud of me.”
Rosie lost her husband – a 9/11 first responder and former NJ State Police Sgt. – a few short years ago and closed her old Maple Tree location in Seaville to process his death. Her new location, on 2087 Route 9, Seaville, is bigger and more intricate than the one before; it serves as a place where women can gather to share stories, find community, and create art.
Rosie is deeply proud of what Maple Tree has become. She has created a space where like-minded people gather to enjoy life together. “I get messages from women saying that I inspire them, it makes me cry,” Rosie said. She hopes that her story will show other women that they can move on; Rosie overcame her grief to open a location better than any she has owned before.
“I do it to honor him. I’m lucky, I get to carry on, and I don’t want to ever waste a day.”The Maple Tree is open every day and can be found on Facebook at facebook.com/themapletreegifts
facebook.com/themapletreegifts
(609) 486-6029
2087 Route 9, Seaville
