Home Cape House Hunt Take 10 Subscribe Sign In Subscribe Sign In STORIES MOST RECENT STORIES opinion Stop Holtec's plan to dump radioactive water into Cape Cod Bay news Keating: Holtec has decided to dump radioactive water into bay nletter Cape Air founder Dan Wolf leaving CEO role FOR SUBSCRIBERS A taste of old Cape Cod: Cuffy's expansion promises to be a retail destination DENISE COFFEY | Cape Cod Times View |7 Photos Cuffy's in West Dennis Fall Colors Cuffy's in West Dennis Fall Colors DENNIS — Dominick "Cuffy" Albano wants to add a touch of Disney-like magic to his T-shirt business: a retail destination. And that vision is taking shape next to his anchor store in West Dennis. Albano is recreating the storied past of old Cape Cod with a two-story building meant to look like several separate buildings where he will sell T-shirts, sweatshirts, home decor, candy and other sundry items. His construction plans call for an old-fashioned life-saving station, a dock wrapped around a built-in bay, and boats floating in the water. There will be bridges crossing the water, benches for people to sit on, shop windows showcasing Cuffy's considerable goods — as well as imagination. Historic Coast Guard boathouse: Returns to Chatham as shellfish grow-out Curious Cape Cod: A strange seaside ruin in Truro Cuffy's expansion in their West Dennis store will include all sorts of whimsical touches to make it a destination as well as a sales outlet. … Show more RON SCHLOERB/CAPE COD TIMES Currently, a chain-link fence separates parked cars from construction workers building what promises to be a 20,000 square-foot expansion of Cuffy’s on Route 28. Creating a Cape Cod experience Albano, who owns Cuffy's, said his intention is to create a Cape Cod experience for his customers. The objective is to let people go back into a period of early 1900s Cape Cod, to step into a celebration of the Cape. “It will be like you snapped your fingers and went back in time,” Albano said. Get the Opinion Daily newsletter in your inbox. Opinions and letters to the editor Delivery: Daily Your Email Architectural elements from the early 1900s will help. It will look as if there are many different stores once the building is completed, but all the stores will be Cuffy stores. One store’s interior will be reminiscent of a seaside hotel, another's an old-fashioned general store. Customers could find themselves in a confectionary where employees are making fudge. Plans call for building a replica of a lifesaving station that existed in the 1800s. A water view with your Cape Cod dinner: Readers recommend 10 (and more!) places to go Albano wants to go beyond selling T-shirts and sweatshirts. “The goal is to tell a story, and enable guests to step outside of their reality a bit and be part of the show,” he said. The project has been Albano’s vision for more than 20 years, and Walt Disney has been his inspiration in many ways. The people helping him realize this dream are ex-Disney and ex-Universal people, he said. Dominick "Cuffy" Albano's longtime vision for his store has been a destination with an old-fashioned life-saving station, a dock wrapped around a built-in bay, and boats … Show more RON SCHLOERB/CAPE COD TIMES “They understand storytelling through environmental and place setting,” he said. “They know how to design a concept that can deliver an emotional experience.” He imagines groups of people, young and old, family members and friends, coming to the store together. They’ll make Cuffy’s a part of their vacations, a part of the memories they create on the Cape. Selling 'ideas when we sell things' “We sell ideas when we sell things,” he said. “We’re giving guests an experience by being part of their memories of the Cape.” It will be a place young and old can enjoy together, Albano said. It will be mostly retail, but with food elements, entertainment, arts and crafts, and things for people to do. His goal is to become a destination spot. Albano started selling T-shirts from the back of his car in 1980. His first store was in Dennis. Bridgewater resident Keith Marceau has been coming to Cuffy’s for years. He remembers when Cuffy started out. “You could buy five T-shirts for $12,” he said. The shirts were cheap, but of good quality. By 2006 there were eight Cuffy’s stores on the Cape. When the recession of 2008 hit, Cuffy’s, like so many other businesses, suffered. Albano closed six of eight stores by 2011. Today there are Cuffy's of Cape Cod stores in Dennis, Chatham, Orleans and Provincetown. “There have been plenty of dark days,” he said. But he never lost sight of his dream to build his vision of a Cape Cod experience. Pandemic-related shortages: Cape Cod businesses struggle to find T-shirts, hats By his own accounts, it’s been tough to sell his vision in a seasonal market in West Dennis. Banks have balked at his plans. He would not say when he expects the project to be finished because of the many variables involved. “What I'm trying to do is very different,” he admitted. “It’s been a challenge.” Loyal customers over the decades But customers keep coming. On Thursday they streamed in through the doors. Once inside they were greeted by two huge sand sculptures on either side of the entryway. Tables were stacked with folded sweatshirts in every hue. There were boxes of saltwater taffy, mugs and tea towels, kids' games and home décor. A touch of the past is in every piece of merchandise. From the designs on simple wooden signs to the artwork on the bowls and coffee mugs, there was a hint of old Cape Cod. Jigsaw puzzles sport old maps of Nantucket and kids around an ice cream truck. Even the artwork on the walls above the voluminous racks of clothing features beach scenes from the early 1900s. Wooden tennis rackets, croquet mallets and a ship’s wheel stood atop display tables. There is a vibrant, storied past built into the displays. Jessica Cooney of South Winsor, Ct. and Gene Arganese of Trumbull, Ct. examine a fall color shirt at Cuffy's in West Dennis. RON SCHLOERB/CAPE COD TIMES “The hardest part of what we do is develop product every year,” Albano said. “We design and develop from scratch.” That means choosing the quality and color of the yarn, the logo and silhouette designs that go on the shirts, the artwork on the boxes and bags of product, such as candy, toys and soda. Cuffy’s employs a small group of designers who work with staff to put it all together. “It’s our product out there,” Albano said. “This is the only place you can find it.” Alison Conroy was headed into the store Thursday with the intention of spending about $200 on clothing and other sundry items. She’s been shopping at Cuffy’s for more than 30 years, she said. “As long as it’s been in business,” Conroy said. The quality of the clothing, the wide range of colors and the fact that there was always something for children to do impressed her. She returns to the store often from off-Cape. “The colors jumped out at you,” she said. “And you'd walk in and they’d be doing face painting, and things for the kids.” The new construction with its water feature and boardwalk looked impressive. “This thing looks frigging amazing,” she said. Then she followed her children inside. Contact Denise Coffey at dcoffey@capecodonline.com. Follow her on Twitter: @DeniseCoffeyCCT. 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