enzh-CNiwhiptrues
Menu
Unique Gift Shops - Natural Foods In LIC, NY
Treasures From Shady Park by Victor Paul Marasso

Unique Gift Shops - Natural Foods In LIC, NY

Natural Food Stores & Gift Shops - Long Island City, NY. Treasures Of The Heart From Shady Park - LIC. Even though considerable time has passed since Superstorm Sandy devasted our area, many small businesses, homeowners and neighbors are still in recovery mode.

The financial and emotional toll of Superstorm Sandy was enormous. Some of our friends and neighbors will never get back the homes, health or peace of mind that they once took for granted.

Long Island City did not escape Sandy's wrath and was hard hit by the storm. But that did not stop the neighborhood. An up-and-coming, hip and trendy community, LIC also knows a thing or two about coming back from adversity.

Shady Park was an oasis of trees amidst the traffic and buildings in LIC. It was a tiny haven of tranquility. That is, until the winds of Sandy struck, knocking down most of Shady Park's trees.

SLOVAC CZECH VARIETIES - QUEENS

But the people who call Long Island City home are very resourceful and resilient. Thanks to a local store owner and craftsman named Milan, some of the beautiful linden trees of Shady Park still live on. The wood from their trunks has been carefully carved into the shapes of different animals and can be seen and enjoyed at Milana's store, Slovak-Czech Varieties.
Owned by Milan and his lovely wife, Jarka, Slovak-Czech Varieties has been a part of the LIC scene for over 11 years.

They are located at 10-59 Jackson Avenue, only a couple of blocks from the Vernon-Jackson #7 train station. Their phone number is (718) 752-2093.

The Slovak-Czech Experience

On a recent Friday afternoon, we stopped by Slovak-Czech Varieties to learn more about Milan's handcrafted Wooden Heart Treasures and the other products on display. Very genial and attentive to the customer's needs, Milan has an old-world European charm about him. Upon entering the shop, the pleasant aroma in the air and overall ambience take you into another world. The shelves are stocked with colorful goods, mostly from the Slovak and Czech Republics, but there are some Polish and other Eastern European products on sale here as well.

SLOVAC CZECH VARIETIES - QUEENS

Milan has everything from Bechamel Mix and Czech pastry mix to sausages, coffee/tea/cocoa, soups, spices, condiments, cakes and candy. And, if you love chocolate, Milan offers a great deal on the lineup of world-famous "Lindt" Chocolate.

For the home cooks reading this and, really, just anyone who wants to try something new for dinner, a visit to Slovak-Czech Varieties is a must. They have flavorful spices, soup mixes, foods and other ingredients that will help you whip up an Eastern European style meal. Milan and Jarka won't mind giving you some culinary tips and sharing their favorite comfort food recipes that will become your go-to meals in a short time.

Slovak-Czech Varieties growth has been slow but steady. When they first opened the store, husband and wife sold only food. But they gradually expanded their product line to encompass drinks, groceries and an entire wall devoted to imported dolls and toys. Years ago, there had been a couple of similar stores in Manhattan, but they went out of business. In fact, Milan pointed out to us that over 40 percent of business comes from Internet orders.

SLOVAC CZECH VARIETIES - QUEENS

Slovak-Czech Varieties has many loyal customers, from California to Texas to Long Island city. Milan and Jarka have lived in LIC for many years and felt really bad when Sandy cut a path of destruction through their beloved Shady Park. Always close to nature, Milan wanted to do something that would salvage the park's fallen trees. An expert craftsman, he started wood carving back when he was a teenager in Slovakia. Milan wanted to honor Shady Park and all that it meant to the local children and adults by carving some very special figurines out of the sturdy linden wood. In the days following Sandy, Milan managed to get a hold of some of the massive tree trunks.

See The Deal!

Over the winter, he dried the wood and cut the lindens into pieces. Afterward, he laminated the wood and, using his imagination and artistic skill, began to carve the blank wooden canvases into the shapes of different animals. The next step in the process was to smooth the wood animals' surface and paint a bright red heart on each and every one.

In the shop we gazed upon several long shelves holding these delightful wooden heart treasures and could not believe the attention to detail. One can easily see that this is indeed a labor of love. These little wooden wonders were all crafted using an electric scroll saw. The animals represented on the shelves include bunny rabbits, cats and dogs, frogs, swans, horses and giraffes. And lest we not forget, the cute squirrels who lived in Shady Park.

SLOVAC CZECH VARIETIES - QUEENS

There's also an elephant, butterfly and angel with a heart. Milan has even crafted small wood cars with wheels that actually move. Any child would be happy to recieve one of these Wooden Heart Treasures as a gift.

If you are seeking to give something to a friend or relative that's a bit out of the ordinary, then look no further. These cars and animals are gifts with personality, from Milan and Jarka's heart to yours. They will also custom-create any shape and lamination you prefer, so don't hesitate to ask.

SLOVAC CZECH VARIETIES - QUEENS

Surrounded by all those jars of pickles, beets, sauerkraut and refrigerator cases stocked with sausages, ham and the Czech-Slovak dumpling version of a ravioli or pierogy, you will be looking forward to a delicious dinner.

By the way, Slovak-Czech Varieties sells fresh-baked bread every Saturday.

You may email Milan and Jarka at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or "czech" out their website at "www.slovczechvar.com"

Facebook Twitter Google+ Pinterest

Related items

setQuery( 'UPDATE #__k2_items' . ' SET hits = hits + 1' . ' WHERE id = '.(int) $articleId ); $db->query(); } ?>
email this page