Black Cat Vintage Brings a New Chapter of One-of-a-Kind Fashion to Bellmore

What was once Third Wave, an edgy boutique in the heart of Bellmore, is beginning a new chapter. Reopening as Black Cat Vintage, the women-owned shop will officially open its doors on July 18, bringing distinctive vintage finds, statement pieces and timeless fashion to the community with a fresh identity.

For owner Shiree D'Alessandro, who runs the boutique alongside her family, the opening of Black Cat Vintage is more than a rebrand. It represents years of building a business rooted in a lifelong love of vintage fashion and carefully selected pieces that tell a story.

D'Alessandro's passion for vintage began early, inspired by her mother and childhood trips spent thrifting together.

"I have always loved vintage because my mom loved vintage," D'Alessandro said. "We would go thrifting all the time when I was a little girl, so it's ingrained in me."

That love of vintage has since been passed down to her own daughters, making fashion a connection between generations. It is a sentiment that also shapes the way the family views the pieces inside Black Cat Vintage, not simply as clothing to wear for one season, but as treasures that can be kept, remembered and eventually passed along.

Beyond the thrill of finding something unique, D'Alessandro was drawn to the affordability and sustainability of secondhand fashion. She appreciates the opportunity to reuse clothing, reduce waste and give pieces another life, values she is excited to share through the boutique.

The journey to Black Cat Vintage began with D'Alessandro's own creative work. Through her business, Flipped by Shiee, she transformed vintage materials into new, one-of-a-kind designs. Old scarves became details on jeans, while shirts and other pieces were reworked into matching sets and entirely new garments.

That creativity helped shape the original version of Third Wave, which initially focused heavily on reworked vintage band T-shirts paired with complementary skirts and other clothing. After closing during the COVID-19 pandemic, the boutique returned with a different approach, but D'Alessandro eventually realized her true vision had always been a fully vintage store.

"I felt like my vision would always be a true vintage store, 100 percent," she said.

That realization led her to close, rethink the concept and return with Black Cat Vintage.

The boutique's home in Bellmore was a natural choice. D'Alessandro and her family, who live nearby in Merrick, said they have developed strong relationships with customers and other members of the community over the years. Many longtime shoppers have remained loyal since the business's earliest days.

"There's a sense of community here," D'Alessandro said. "We made so many friends and met the most amazing people."

Inside Black Cat Vintage, shoppers can expect a carefully curated collection spanning decades. The store has a particular focus on 1990s and Y2K fashion, while also carrying pieces from the 1950s, 1980s and other eras.

Customers will find everything from sparkling statement pieces and ball gowns to tutus, shoes, handbags and accessories. The shop also carries sought-after brands including Coach, Betsey Johnson, Guess and Juicy Couture, names that have found renewed popularity as shoppers rediscover the styles of past decades.

For D'Alessandro, the appeal is in finding what she calls the "holy grail" pieces, special items that stand apart from fast-moving trends and can remain part of someone's wardrobe for years.

"If you're looking for some holy grail vintage pieces, some kind of things that you will perhaps keep forever and pass off onto your kids, you should come to Black Cat Vintage," D'Alessandro said.

That idea of passing fashion from one generation to the next is especially meaningful to the family. Just as D'Alessandro's mother introduced her to vintage shopping, the pieces customers discover today may one day carry their own stories into another generation.

Size inclusivity is also a priority. The family makes a point of sourcing clothing across a broad range of sizes, something they believe sets Black Cat Vintage apart from many other vintage shops.

The experience, however, goes beyond the clothing. Community events will remain central to the boutique. Under Third Wave, the family hosted holiday celebrations, raffles and Pride events. Black Cat Vintage plans to continue creating experiences that bring people together, with ideas ranging from craft gatherings and movie nights to seasonal celebrations and private shopping parties.

For its grand opening, the shop is planning a celebration featuring dirty sodas, temporary tattoos, glitter tattoos, hair tinsel, music, raffles and other activities.

As Black Cat Vintage prepares to open its doors, the boutique is honoring the journey that brought it here while embracing its new identity. For D'Alessandro and her family, the goal is to create a place where vintage fashion, individuality and community come together, and where the right piece might become someone's treasure for generations.

Long Island Farms Grow the Food. Why Aren't Local Stores Buying It?

By: Katrina O’Brien

Just miles from Long Island farms growing fresh strawberries, corn, tomatoes, greens, and other seasonal produce, shoppers fill their carts with fruits and vegetables trucked in from California, Florida, and beyond.

It has been a growing epidemic that has become increasingly difficult for local farmers to ignore. Despite operating in one of New York’s most productive agricultural regions, many say getting their products onto supermarket shelves remains a challenge.

Instead, growers often rely on farm stands, direct-to-consumer sales, and seasonal markets. Some say the lack of local distribution leaves perfectly good produce without a buyer, forcing farmers to discount, donate, or even discard crops at the end of the season.

The disconnect has frustrated farmers and local food advocates for years and raises a simple question: Why is locally grown food so difficult to find in local supermarkets?

For Teddy Bolkas, owner of Thera Farms in Brentwood, the answer comes down to economics and convenience rather than a lack of interest in local food.

“It’s much easier for supermarkets to go through brokers than it is to contact farmers individually,” Bolkas said. “You call one broker and you get everything from pineapples to potatoes.”

Because Long Island farms operate seasonally and often specialize in a limited number of crops, supermarkets can meet their year-round needs more efficiently through large distributors. Bolkas said the arrangement makes business sense even if it leaves local growers at a disadvantage.

“It’s much cheaper to grow cabbage in Arizona and have a truck here than it is to grow cabbage in Riverhead,” he said. “Labor laws, labor wages, utilities,  everything is just more expensive here. We’re kind of priced out of the market.”

The challenges facing local farmers have also changed over time. Bolkas said that years ago, a farm stand selling vegetables alone could survive. Today, many farms must offer experiences such as u-pick operations, events, and prepared foods to attract customers.

For consumers, however, Bolkas believes supporting local agriculture comes down to a simple choice.

“If you want Long Island farms, if you want Long Island farmers, if you want the farm stands to still be around, you have to vote for us,” he said. “Every dollar you spend at a farm stand lets people know that you really want us around.”

Local farm stand shopper Olivia Gordon said she chooses local produce because of the connection it provides to the food she eats.

“Each year I see the importance of consuming local and knowing where your food comes from,” Gordon said. “The investment is worth it, the quality is unmatched. It makes you question what’s in the grocery store.”

The preference for locally grown food extends beyond consumers and into Long Island’s culinary industry.

Many chefs have increasingly turned to farm-to-table sourcing, citing freshness, quality and a growing demand from clients who want to know where their food comes from. For chefs who prioritize local ingredients, working directly with farms offers access to produce harvested at peak ripeness, often just hours before it reaches the plate.

Ryan Carroll, a Long Island chef who sources ingredients directly from farms across the North and South Forks, said the difference between locally grown produce and supermarket products is immediately noticeable.

“Most people don’t know what real vegetables taste like because they eat the cardboard arugula from the grocery stores,” Carroll said. “There’s a huge disconnect from people knowing what real vegetables taste like.”

Carroll said many chefs and consumers want to support local agriculture but often lack access to information about nearby farms and available products. He believes one solution is improving local food distribution infrastructure.

“We don’t have hubs for the farmers for distribution,” Carroll said. “We need that East End hub running as soon as possible because we need aggregation, distribution and a way to help farmers market their products in a higher quantity.”

For farmers like Bolkas, the challenge isn’t growing food it’s getting that food to the people who want it.

And for consumers and chefs who increasingly value freshness, transparency and local sourcing, the demand is already there.

The question remains whether Long Island can build the infrastructure needed to bridge the gap between its farms and its tables.