* Current Storylanders Jeff Damron, Christian Hope, and Renata Molnar completed components of this expansion prior to joining the Storyland Studios team.
Situation
Like many themed destinations, Cuffy’s of Cape Cod had humble beginnings. Dominick Ablano dreamed of creating a shopping and family entertainment attraction in the Cape. He started out selling T-shirts from the back of his mom’s car in 1980. Over time, Cuffy’s grew into a premiere stop for travellers and locals alike.
Ablano steadily built and expanded Cuffy’s, which boasted four locations simultaneously. He set his sights on growing his West Dennis, Massachusetts, location, embarking on a 20,000-square-foot retail expansion. The Cuffy’s addition would have a turn-of-the-century theme (Victorian era to 1920), a nostalgic callback to early-twentieth-century New England. Above all, Ablando envisioned it becoming a one-of-a-kind family shopping destination for all ages.
Solution
The twentieth-century Cape Cod-style architecture captures the Cape at its most memorable, characterized by pitched rooflines, white gables, and a host of traditional trappings and colors.
Full of lively personality, the buildings along the instalment line a boardwalk that surrounds a manmade lagoon. In addition to period architectural stylings, Cuffy’s follows parallel stories and themes throughout the experience. Visitors follow the stories of fictional immigrant families putting down roots in New England alongside Ablano’s own story of starting and scaling Cuffy’s.
The goal was to create a family shopping destination that’s one-of-a-kind.
Transformation
Guests at Cuffy’s of Cape Cod enjoy a lively shopping experience on the boardwalk. Shop at the turn-of-the-century-style emporium or beach club, enjoy a treat from the confectionary or the general store, or browse the household goods at the Cottage Kitchen.
Visitors will also find a life-saving station boathouse, where they can learn about this fixture in Cape history. Cuffy’s is off to a fantastic start and has been a rousing success so far. Its guests love being transported back in time. You’ll find them enjoying a game of checkers at the general store, or savoring a snack in one of the many rocking chairs along the boardwalk. Families love engaging in seasonal activities such as crafting, face painting, and building sand sculptures.
Our team is proud to be working alongside some of the brilliant minds who helped bring Cuffy’s to life!