Walking into the Menage Gallery on Main Street in the heart of downtown Gloucester is like walking into a carnival.
At the door, you're greeted by a carved wooden California sea otter; once inside, your senses are dazzled by a collection of furniture, coffee tables and corner pieces.
Then there's the stylized lighting, pottery, jewelry, glass work, mirrors, lamps, tables, framed photos and more carved animals, such as the piece titled Daily Catch — a cat standing on its hind legs with a fish dangling from its mouth.
"This place is totally different," said owner Ed Soucy. "People love it here. They can see all these different things and great stuff here."
His manager, Heather Demarkis, added, "It's not the norm, I'll tell you that. But we have a great time because great people come through the door and we have a lot of fun."
Soucy said the place is called Menage because "that means multiples." The multiples not only include the goods but also refer to the number of craftsmen who contribute to the offbeat inventory.
"I want people to know we're here and we've got some really good things for their homes," Soucy said. He added that he will also create furniture on an individual basis for anyone who desires such an object.
Soucy, 67, who sports a full white beard and speaks with a deep, booming voice that would be the envy of any public-address announcer, is the main craftsman — and makes most of the furniture.
"I started at age 7, when I made a doghouse in my stepfather's garage in Schenectady (N.Y.)," he said. "I've been playing around with furniture ever since."
Soucy, who's owned Menage for some 20 years, said one of his favorite things to do is to take "a piece of wood nobody else wants and make something out of it."
He works with unique woods — black walnut, zebra wood, flamed birch and maples — "all of which have a charisma to them."
Soucy and Demarkis are also great believers in the community.
"Gloucester is a great little city," Soucy said. "It just needs a lot of understanding and input by some serious people to get the business going.
"People here should think about the city where they live and how gorgeous it is."
"We want people to know there's a wonderful downtown here and you get a personal touch (from the merchants)," Demarkis added. "You will deal with an owner in almost any store you step into in Gloucester."
