On the more relaxed coastline of Long Island’s east end, Greenport’s Sound View hotel has come to epitomize the charming hospitality available on the North Fork. When the latest iteration opened in 2016, under the guidance of hotelier Erik Warner, design-forward refurbishments brought the property (which originally debuted in 1953) up to—and beyond—the standards of present-day travelers. From its quarter-mile stretch of beach to the welcoming restaurant and piano bar, it’s always been more than a place to sleep. And now, the boutique property adds a bright, beachside design shop called At Dawn to its list of alluring attributes.
“My properties revolve around stories, starting with the design, and they’re made to capture and articulate the feel of the destination,” Warner tells us, regarding the aesthetic alignment between the new atelier and the boutique hotel. “I give credit and thanks to the team at Post Company [formerly known as Studio Tack] for capturing my vision, by originally helping me define a design aesthetic combining what Greenport and this property mean to me. Greenport is a place rich with history, where you can visualize what life was, decades back, with a walk down the docks of the historic village.”
He adds, though, “The future has inspired the design of At Dawn, which has a very modern feel, setting it apart from the rest of the property. I brought on Dawn Franchino, who created the retail concepts for all of the Bunkhouse properties, and has an excellent understanding of context and connection. I’m happy to have collaborated with people like Dawn and Marleigh Culver, whose creativity has impacted the experience of the space.”
Franchino directed the selection of wares one finds within At Dawn—much of which is unique to the destination. There’s also a focus on sustainable and ethically sourced goods. “The shop has a special collaboration with artist and designer Marleigh Culver on custom pieces, including a series of notecards, a Baggu tote bag and a coloring book,” Warner says. “She also designed the shop’s custom packaging.” These bags and Culver’s puzzles are what Warner is most excited about people discovering.
“For summer, there is a new line of sunglasses from NYC-based Carla Colour available in fun shapes and colors. Another favorite are the swim pieces from NYC-based Nu Swim, which are made with fabric from recycled ocean waste and regenerated nylon,” he continues. “Found My Animal collars, leashes and bowls will all be available for purchase as well. About a third of the brands carried are New York-based and another third are from the tri-state area or the east coast.”
The store’s name is two-fold. Although it channels Warner’s vision of a walk down the docks during sunrise in Greenport, it’s also an homage to Franchino herself. Warner also worked with Kelly DeWitt of KKDW and Maria Thompson of Sugar Shed on the space.
“Our collaboration worked perfectly, as we all had the same intentions on what we wanted our visitors to feel,” he says. “All of us being equally passionate about art and design allowed for a seamless project that ended up exactly how we wanted it to.”
In many way, At Dawn—much like Sound View as a whole—channels the spirit of Greenport. It does so, Warner concludes, “by emphasizing the longstanding serenity of the town, which is felt through the space.” As for At Dawn, it’s a thoughtful touch amidst the already charming property.
Images of At Dawn courtesy of Joe Krauss