The town of Hamilton, N.Y. is home to a diverse range of shops, stores and restaurants, each offering something distinct to the town. One of those stores is Swank. Situated on the corner of Broad Street and Lebanon Street, Swank is a familiar favorite for Colgate University students and Hamilton residents alike.
Swank is a curated home goods store owned and run by husband and wife duo Alexis and Erika Perez. Their store offers a combination of both vintage and modern items hand-selected by the couple or their team. Alexis and Erika initially opened Swank in 2007, but have expanded and developed the store since then, moving into the store’s current location in 2010.
Sophomore Lucy Pew explained what pulled her to Swank.
“It’s a home goods, accessories and decorations kind of store,” Pew said. “The window displays and the general vibe of the store drew me in because it looked really cute. It looked like a good place to have decorations and things like that for my dorm room.”
Sophomore Annie Reilly had a similar experience.
“I first went in because the window displays are super nice, and I thought it looked fun. I had also passed it a bunch because it’s right on the corner of town,” Reilly said.
Swank’s merchandise is ever-changing as the store’s owners and team are always on the lookout for new goods and pieces to showcase in their storefront. Swank offerings include jewelry, candles, pillows, pottery, lamps, throws, artwork and a gourmet food section. The poster section in the store, in particular, has inspired many Colgate students’ love for the store.
Sophomore Nell Droege described her shopping experience.
“[Swank has] this adorable poster section that I think is great for dorm walls. They have posters with flowers and all kinds of other things, and they are all super colorful,” Droege said.
Pew emphasized the appeal of the store’s poster section for college students specifically.
“I love all of their posters. They all look very nice and chic, and they are reasonably priced. I don’t think there are many other stores like it that have cute and modern posters that you would want to put in a dorm room to make it feel more elevated,” Pew said.
While the store is a great spot for students looking for dorm room accessories and decorations, the store’s style is not just college-centric. Swank’s pieces are beautiful and versatile, making them just as fitting for your dorm room as they would be for future apartments or homes.
“[Swank] definitely has some Colgate things, but where other stores in the town are completely about Colgate or Hamilton, Swank has a little more variety of stuff in appearance,” Reilly explained.
Overall, Swank offers a chic and dynamic collection of items for its customers to choose from, making it the perfect spot for college students to find the finishing touches that make their dorm room feel like their own.
“It feels like somewhere you would shop to make something a home,” Pew said.
Swank also offers another surprise special attraction for its Colgate visitors.
“[Swank] also has a wall on the staircase where a bunch of Colgate students who shopped at the store have signed their names,” Droege said.
The next time you’re making a stop in town or looking for that final something for your dorm room, pay a visit to Swank and its wall of Colgate signatures so you can leave your mark on Swank as it leaves its mark on you and your room.
