Ours is a true love story about family and fabric. In 1949, Len (known to all as “Alex”) and Greta Alexander began selling the “ends,” or remnants, of large bolts of home textile fabrics and dress goods that came through a shipping terminal in Paterson, NJ. They opened their business, Terminal Mill Ends, in the “country” – then “faraway” Union.
The store became an institution on Stuyvesant Avenue in Union for almost 70 years. It was full of fabrics and notions, and the atmosphere was warm and welcoming. Early on, Greta and Alex began to offer custom-made window treatments and reupholstery services. Their youngest daughter, Nina Alexander Spinelli, joined the business in 1978 with a focus on interior design and eventually the home décor business became the store’s main focus.
Today, we are the Decorating Store at Terminal Mill Ends – a nod to the past in our name, with eyes solidly on the future. Under the leadership of Nina’s husband, Ernie Spinelli, the retail location moved to Springfield in 2017 with a fresh look and expanded offerings in home décor – furniture, carpet, rugs and accessories. But the legacy of the Alexander family remains – the warm and helpful atmosphere created all those years ago.
Family and fabric – still together after all these years!