Michael Moy, though not originally from Greene County, has long had an affinity for the region. He and his partner Joe Sniado spent over 10 years building their dream property in Durham – High Rock Lodge. After moving to the region fulltime in 2014, and opening the Joe’s Garage Event Venue shortly after, Mike and Joe wanted to bring their love of the area and its elements into an experience for the community. At the recently opened brick-and-mortar storefront for High Rock Home at Joe’s Garage, at 443 Main St in Catskill, visitors can find all sorts of wonderful décor and fun Greene County knickknacks to transform their homes.
Since both Mike and Joe started out as busy with frenetic careers in the New York metropolitan area (Mike as a marketing & design executive serving clients like L’Oreal, and Joe the Chief Information Officer for financial titan Standard and Poor’s), they always wanted a peaceful place to retire. That’s why they retreated to their second home in Durham, NY on most weekends. By then, Mike and Joe had built High Rock Lodge in the Greene County town of Durham. Construction on the house began in 2010 and took two years to complete, but the finished product was what kept the two in town.
The 117-acre property that became known as High Rock Lodge sits above a dramatic bend in the Catskill Creek. Both Mike and Joe were drawn to the property’s creek frontage, 1840s stone trestle bridge, and unusual history. Knowing they would grow old in the house, the couple required ample entertainment space on the first floor, with guest rooms above. They also wanted an indoor pool, and for the house to pay homage to the area’s historic background.
The house quickly became decorated with a mixture of modern and rustic furniture, a style Mike likes to refer to as “Modirondack.” Its interior wall colors were inspired by the creek, and its brown-and-red exterior allows the house to blend in with the surrounding landscape. Mike didn’t “want the creek looming over the home…but the final design does make it so you need to look for the house when you’re on the creek.”
Their love for their home within the wonderous nature of Greene County proved to be an important factor for the pair. Having opened the Joe’s Garage Event Venue on Main Street shortly after their new home’s construction was finished, they had the business itch. Since its opening in 2016, the repurposed auto shop garage had seen countless weddings, parties, and Greene County events within its doors. But Mike and Joe knew that their existing space could fill another void within Greene County – home décor. And so, Joe’s Garage became High Rock Home!
Since the opening this past spring, High Rock Home has become the newest shop for Greene County residents and visitors to pick up the perfect new items for their home. Mike and Joe do their best to keep their spacious and inviting store stocked with all sorts of interesting and cute items to add to any home’s character. Whether it’s gorgeous silk floral stems freshly imported from the UK or just an adorable new stuffed critter for kids, it’s not hard to find inside. Mike feels especially pleased with the customer reactions, too. “People of all ages seem to find something to love here…it can be a simple trinket or a new statement piece…we appreciate the enthusiasm regardless!”
Greene County thrives off the admiration and love that visitors new and old have for the area. Proud residents such as Mike and Joe only prove how much our County has to give and inspire others – and we’re happy to see them return that love one-hundredfold.
If you want to learn more about how to Make It In Greene, check out our free helpful business guides and contact the Invest In Greene team by email or phone at 518-719-3290.
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Topics: Success Stories
