Village Lamp Shop, Rochester

The sunny yellow clapboards of a 135-year-old farmhouse announce the bright wares of the Village Lamp Shop, a family enterprise that has sold and repaired lighting elements since the days of the oil lamp. The Beuthien family sparked their business in the dawn of the 20th century, lighting candles and lamps for the observation of religious rituals. Now in its third generation, the lampsmiths specialize in filling homes with mid-century, retro, and antique fixtures restored to their original brilliance, as well as custom fabrication of everything from base to wavelength. Their handiness manifests in a line of cylinder lamps made on-site with '50s-inspired prints. The family's appreciation for kitsch and wry sense of humor comes to light through the store's mascot, Lou, a stereotypical 1950's partier who displays his spirit by crowning himself in a lampshade and singing Buddy Holly tunes off-key.