South Orange Storage and Flexible Warehousing will be closing its doors after 97 years. The moving and storage business is located at 219 Valley St. It will be having a sale running throughout the summer, Wednesdays through Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The construction of South Orange Storage began in 1926 by Rimback Storage and completed in 1929. It was one of three purpose-built storage buildings, constructed specifically for the storage industry. For nearly a century, it has served the South Orange community and has become a recognizable local landmark.
Monica Cioppettini said the warehouse was purchased by her grandparents in 1959. In 1986, her father, Nick Cioppettini, took over ownership and has continued operating it ever since.
“As we prepare to close our doors at the end of the summer, we’re opening the building to the public for one final warehouse sale,” said Monica Cioppettini. “The property has been sold and is scheduled to be redeveloped as part of a future electrical infrastructure project. While change is inevitable, it marks the end of an era for both our family business and one of South Orange’s historic warehouse buildings.”
Cioppettini said her grandparents built their livelihood here and her father dedicated nearly four decades to carrying that legacy forward. “While it’s bittersweet to see this chapter come to an end, we’re grateful the community gets one last chance to experience a building that’s been part of South Orange for nearly a hundred years,” she said.
For the past month, Cioppettini has been helping her family with the move. She grew up in Summit and moved to Savannah, Georgia, 10 years ago for work. She teaches at Savannah College of Art and Design and has headed back recently.
Monica Cioppettini has been coming to the building since she was a baby and has a lot of good memories in it. “All good things come to an end and we understand,” she said.
Her sister, Nina, has been working with their father for a long time and Monica sees her as more of “the staple” to the business.
With the building officially sold and with plans of demolition, everything has to get out by early September. There are five floors filled with furniture, antiques, artwork, rugs, glassware, vintage collectibles, office furniture, household goods and countless unexpected treasures accumulated over the decades.
“We’re also continuing to uncover and put out new inventory every day, so no two visits are the same,” said Cioppettini. “People come in expecting an estate sale, but it’s really more like a treasure hunt through nearly a century of history. Even after all these years, we’re still uncovering things we’ve never seen before. Every day brings new surprises, which is what makes this sale so special.”
Cioppettini says the response from the community has been incredible. “We truly can’t thank everyone enough for coming out and supporting us during this final chapter,” she said. “We have been so busy and many of the customers are locals to Essex County!”
Photos Courtesy of Monica Cioppettini
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