Step back in time as you step into The Moss Rose.  Reproduction home décor blended with American antiques, English jewelry, books and paper goods give you a sense of a simpler era.  Colin and Karen Mehaffey call themselves “purveyors” which is simply a nineteenth century term for “merchant”.  Victorian business owners were purveyors, offering a variety of wares.  Located in the heart of Northville’s Victorian downtown, The Moss Rose is a culmination of Colin & Karen’s life-long love affair with American history. 

Step back in time listening to nineteenth century music while you browse carefully selected antique tables, chairs, framed needlepoints and pictures.  Only items that can be placed in your home and used today, those that do not require refinishing or repair, are personally chosen on the numerous trips throughout Michigan, Ohio and the east coast.  Also provided is any available history of the items.  With each purchase at The Moss Rose you are not just getting an antique, but a little bit of history.  Fill your home with items reminiscent of an era past with quilts, woven linens, Williamsburg brass and English pewter.  Pillows from North Carolina and Shaker boxes from Massachusetts are eclectically mixed with Civil War artifacts.  Boyd’s Bears finely dressed in patriotic colors add a bit of whimsical.

Colin combines his love of Americana with his natural artistic talent when he gives new life to a block of wood as he creates “McNicks”.  One-of-a-kind collectible Victorian St. Nicks are meticulously hand carved and painted. Tiny buttons, stitched seams, and hand-painted stars adorn long elegant robes on McNicks portraying St. Nick, Uncle Sam and St. Patrick. Colin can be seen daily carving his McNicks, relief carvings, signs and Celtic crosses of his Irish heritage.  Ask Colin about commissioning a McNick for someone special.

The Moss Rose also has a sister company, Moss Rose Books. Their little publishing house was started to reprint books and pamphlets of the era 1850-1865. Their first work, The Book of Parlour Games (1854), was published in 2003 and will be the basis of parlor games played during Northville’s Annual Victorian Festival.

Step back in time during Northville’s Victorian Festival.  Colin & Karen are working with the Northville Chamber of Commerce providing fresh ideas for the Annual Victorian Festival. The 17th Michigan Co. E Infantry, a Civil War reenacting unit, will provide a “recruiting scenario” on the green next to the Northville Library.  A Civil War era brass band will perform at the festival and parlor games will be offered throughout the weekend.  The Moss Rose will have sales on select goods, offer refreshments, and don period dress for part of the weekend.

How did The Moss Rose get its name?  Victorians loved botany and the study and growth of flowers and plants. As with many things Victorian, they identified each flower or plant with a particular emotion, and called it "the language" of flowers. You could purchase little books of the language, which would list flowers and plants from A-Z, with their symbolic meanings, often accompanied by poetry and famous phrases. The Moss Rose means "confessions of love", and to Colin and Karen that summed up everything. With a love for each other and working together, and their love for American history, how could they have named it anything else?