New York Hotel offers eclectic shopping, history experience

MORE THAN A CENTURY AGO, THE New York Hotel in Nevada City was a favorite stopping place for actors who were performing across the street at the Nevada Theatre, the state’s oldest.

Nowadays the hotel, first opened in 1853, houses more than a half dozen unique shops and eateries. One of the first retailers was chocolatier Willem De Groot, who has created truffles for the White House.

The historic hotel burned three times during its life. In the ‘80s, it was restored to its old charm by the late Wendell Smith, a well-liked longtime resident.

The New York will be decked out in white lights through the New Year, including during Nevada City’s Victorian Christmas celebration.
“Dad was the first in town to decorate with white Christmas lights,” recalls his daughter, LaVonne Mullin. LaVonne and her sister, Wendy Steudeman, co-own the building.

The white lights now are a tradition all along Broad Street, making the town magical. As part of the Victorian tradition, visitors can expect to see a horse- drawn carriage ride past the hotel.

The hotel’s shops include the Magic Carpet, a unique collection of antique and Oriental rugs; The Truffle Shop; Mary Mary, a clothes, toys and gift store for babies and children; Being Green, with Eco gifts and organic bedding; the Pink Lily, a new women’s clothing and lingerie store; and Hot Dog Heaven in the parking lot.

A hot dog cart, or tent, has been a tradition at the hotel for decades. The dogs are Caspers, a famous brand.

The New York Hotel is no ordinary “mall,” but it was among the first buildings in the area to offer a collection of shops under one roof—a design that is well suited to the winter months.

The historic building also has been a hotel and dining room called the Deer Creek Inn, as well as a variety store in the ‘60s and ‘70s.
“Dad liked the downtowns,” says LaVonne. “He liked rehabilitating things instead of tearing them down.”

The New York Hotel Shops 408 Broad St., Nevada City
www.newyorkhotelshops.com