NORTHAMPTON — Stepping into The Shiny Black Door is akin to entering a curiosity cabinet — a treasure trove brimming with unique items, each with their own story.

It’s a shop that begs customers to stay a while and browse its eclectic selection, from the rare manuscripts and fine jewelry propped on its shelves, to the work of renowned artists and photographers that lines its walls.

The Shiny Black Door, which opened on the second floor of Thornes Marketplace in November, is a collaboration between acclaimed author Augusten Burroughs, his husband and prominent literary agent Christopher Schelling, and their longtime friend Shari Sirkin, an entrepreneurial innovator. Each member of the trio brings their own creative stylings and expertise to the store, filling it with the one-of-a-kind items that they’ve collected over the years.

For Burroughs, a Northampton native, opening a shop within the iconic Thornes is a full-circle moment. While he lived in the city, he would often find himself gazing into the windows of Thornes late at night, getting lost in the elaborate displays beyond the glass.

“They were so elaborate,” Burroughs said. “Just layer upon layer upon layer.”

Combining those formative memories of Thornes with his interior design knowledge, Burroughs has now gotten to replicate that intricate layering both throughout his store and in his very own window displays. The central location and rows of windows at The Shiny Black Door lend themselves perfectly to the varied, ever-evolving configurations of items that Burroughs displays there. Each display is steeped in creativity, such as the stacks of copper pots resting on a bed of pennies, or the carefully arranged sets of fine jewelry that give the feeling of peering into a vintage jewelry box.

While the store’s displays change as items sell, what drew Burroughs to pitch Thornes to his colleagues as the ideal location for a new venture was its consistency within the community.

“I’ve never had stability of any kind and I’ve never had continuity,” said Burroughs, who is used to moving frequently. “When I come back to Thornes, it smells the same, the floors are the same, Paul and Elizabeth’s is still there.”

Both Burroughs and Schelling gushed about the “fascinating people” they’ve met since opening their store, and the support they’ve gotten from other business owners in the building.

“It’s a little bubble of good intentions,” Burroughs said of Thornes and the broader Pioneer Valley.

Lifelong art collectors

Burroughs and Schelling are both lifelong art collectors who accumulated many an entrancing piece while living in New York. Both have always had an eye for thought-provoking works, and Burroughs has years of experience collecting jewelry while Schelling has acquired rare manuscripts and editions of books through his publishing connections.

When the pair found a home in Connecticut to settle into, it was Sirkin who showed them around. Not only did she display a keen eye for detail, but she brought along years of entrepreneurial experience and an inclination toward glass and ceramic art. The relationship between the three creatives only bloomed from there.

The Shiny Black Door is like a physical manifestation of these three creative spirits, filled with items that are distinct in their own right but form a rich, cohesive aesthetic experience for those who stop in to browse.

“It’s not the type of store where you can just walk quickly down the aisle and walk out,” said Schelling, who noted that the rich histories behind each item create an almost museum-like experience. But, Schelling added, the store is far more “accessible” than a museum, allowing customers to touch and explore the items within.

“We’re open to our items finding us through different avenues,” said Schelling. “And you see it with the customers as well — we always say the items are finding them, they don’t find the items.”

Customers aren’t only encouraged to take their time surveying the many goods available, but to ask questions. Whether they seek interior design advice, or a detailed account of an item’s or artist’s origins, the owners of The Shiny Black Door are always eager to share their knowledge and get to know members of the community.

Every item in the store carries its own history, and was handpicked with care and passion.

“We’re setting these items free so other people can love them like we have,” said Schelling.

Schelling and Burroughs also pride themselves on the range of goods available in the store. Whether customers are looking to splurge on some new heirloom pieces or hope to add some whimsy to their homes without breaking the bank, there’s something waiting there for them. All shoppers at The Shiny Black Door can experience the thrill of discovering exceptional treasures and knowing that they aren’t bringing home a mass produced commodity.

“There’s nothing greener than vintage,” said Burroughs. “There’s so much existing already in the world.”

The store is named not only for the many shiny things it contains, but also for the unique, black doors that the space came with.

The world behind those shiny black doors is open to anyone who wishes to step inside, and as Burroughs likes to say, “it’s not the store for everyone, it’s the store for everyone else.”

Alexa Lewis can be reached at alewis@gazettenet.com.