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Partly Cloudy Sea Cliff Museum is gathering Mini Mart history
For nearly six decades, Mini Mart has been a fixture of Sea Cliff’s yearly calendar, an arts and crafts exposition that is a quintessential part of the village’s unique character.
Now the Sea Cliff Village Museum, under the guidance of director Courtney Chambers, and with the enthusiastic support of Kristine Janusas, a museum board member and the president of Friends of the Museum, is embarking on a mission to collect artifacts from Mini Mart, hoping to gather pieces of art, clothing and memorabilia from throughout the event’s history.
The idea to preserve Mini Mart history grew out of a deep-seated love of the event and a desire to capture its essence for future generations. Janusas, a Sea Cliff native with roots stretching back four generations, fondly recalled childhood memories of the event.
“Mini Mart is like a holiday in my book,” she said. “So all those years during Covid, when it was canceled, oh, I was so upset.”
Chambers echoed those sentiments, emphasizing the significance of Mini Mart as a cornerstone of Sea Cliff's cultural heritage. She added that the event has undergone several changes over the years, and that it’s important to capture the development of an event that is so essential to the village’s character.
“Mini Mart really grew out an art festival that predated Mini Mart by a few years,” Chambers explained. “We’re trying to concentrate on Sea Cliff’s more recent history as an artists’ town and community festivals that people are maybe more familiar with, but maybe don’t know how long they’ve actually been around.”
The museum’s efforts to collect artifacts aim to capture the evolution of Mini Mart over the years. From crepe-paper flowers and personalized leather bracelets to more recent crafts and culinary delights, the event has evolved with the times, reflecting the community’s changing tastes and trends.
“We’re not just looking for physical artifacts,” Chambers said. “We’re also interested in capturing the memories and stories associated with Mini Mart. It’s about preserving the intangible essence of this beloved event.”
To kick-start the collection process, the museum has invited Sea Cliff residents to contribute any artifacts or memorabilia they may have from past Mini Marts, dating back to the first one in 1969. While the response has been promising, with donations of T-shirts, maps and old photographs of the event, Chambers acknowledged that there is still much work to do to spread the word, and to reach out to local businesses and organizations that have contributed to the event’s success over the years.
Despite the challenges, Chambers and Janusas said they were optimistic about the initiative. Plans are already in the works to incorporate the collected artifacts into future museum exhibits, with a tentative timeline set to coincide with the next Mini Mart, in October.
“We want to create a comprehensive exhibit that not only showcases the physical artifacts, but also tells the story of Mini Mart through the eyes of the community,” Janusas said. “It’s about preserving our collective memory and celebrating the enduring legacy of this beloved event.”
As the museum embarks on this journey to preserve Mini Mart history, the entire community is invited to join in the effort. Whether it’s a vintage T-shirt from the 1970s or a cherished memory from a recent Mini Mart, every contribution will add to Sea Cliff's cultural heritage.
Anyone who has an artifact or photos that they would like to donate, or who would like to learn more about the museum and the work that it does, can visit seacliffmuseum.org, or call (516) 801-3401.
