Earlier this year, I happened upon one of Cortney Petrillo-Heine’s estate sales during a walk around my neighborhood. A simple sign posted on the lawn listed the hours of the sale, and people — both young and trendy and older and interesting — filed out of the house carrying bags and boxes of all sizes.
Inside, Petrillo-Heine and her team made the event feel like a family affair. It was kind of like shopping at a curated boutique, but with the friendly touch of a garage sale.
Most striking, though, was the sense I got of the woman who had lived there. I found myself wishing I could have had dinner with her. I admired her style, her eclectic collection of art, her clothing, her wallpaper, and the mix of objects she had accumulated. Some were from the ’30s and ’40s and many appeared to be acquired during the ’70s and ’80s.
Once I talked to Petrillo-Heine, I became even more intrigued by her business and the model behind Thee Perfect Sale. She encourages clients to mostly leave things where they are, so that she and her team can sort through them and stage and merchandise the items as they see fit. One of her biggest challenges, she says, is that when people decide to donate items, they often start discarding things they assume are worthless — but that may actually be valuable or in demand. She tries to intervene before that happens.
Her curated sales are an innovative way to honor both the person who lived there and their possessions. Seeing a collection in its original context makes the items more appealing and compelling because you can see how they might work in your own life.
She also told me that she works with real estate agents, so interested clients can begin working with her before their house even goes on the market. (Most estate sale companies book out two months in advance.)
Elsewhere in this issue, we feature stories about the return of physical media at Phidelity Records in Haddon Township, the South Jersey Children’s Book Festival, and a tender sculptural tribute by John Giannotti to Hilary Johnston, a cherished Haddonfield teacher who died of cancer. Giannotti is also the artist behind the town’s well-known sculpture of Haddy the dinosaur.
Enjoy!
