How I Built This: Catskill Outpost
Sal Fabbella’s Catskills pride runs three generations deep. In the 50s, his grandparents arrived in Brooklyn from a rural town in Sicily. They quickly began spending time north of the city in the rolling hills of the Western Catskills in search of a place that reminded them of the vineyards and fields of home. Eventually, they ended up buying a place in Stamford, NY.
“I have a connection to this town because everyone knew my grandfather — he made wine and ricotta cheese and gave it to people,” says Fabbella. He grew up in Brooklyn and spent summers and weekends with his grandparents, but it wasn’t until he was an adult that he left the city for good, moving into a farmhouse that his grandfather once owned. He never looked back. “I hike, kayak, fish, hunt, forage — every day I’m connected to the outdoors,” he says. “I’m living my dream.”
A successful graphic and web designer, Fabbella began making silkscreened merch celebrating the Upstate life he loved so much. He sold Catskills-themed tees and accessories at small local markets and, in 2016, he opened Catskill Outpost as an online store. He credits the brand’s immediate success to its easy-going attitude. “We made things that were fun, cool, and didn’t take themselves too seriously,” he says. Shortly after the pandemic hit in 2020, Fabbella was driving through Stamford and saw a woman hanging a “for rent” sign outside a small storefront. True to form, they soon became fast friends, and made a handshake deal for him to take over the space.
The store is a community hub, where Fabbella proudly displays locally-made candles, ceramics, and other products alongside his ever-popular Catskill Outpost merch. It’s a frequent stop for families with local multigenerational roots, like Fabbella’s, as well as weekenders. “They all appreciate that we’re makers,” he says. “We design and silkscreen every garment that comes out of here ourselves, and most everything else is made by locals or independent brands.”
Fabbella has since opened a second location in Stamford and introduced product collaborations with design icons like Jim Zivic. In a nod to his Brooklyn roots, Fabbella carried a collection of rowing oars adorned with bright abstract designs from streetwear legend Dave Ortiz. He also plans to introduce experiential offerings like guided hikes, as well as bike rentals, in partnership with Big Lug Outfitters.
“A lot of new faces have come up here and injected some life into this area with new ideas, new stores,” says Fabbella, of the apparent Catskills renaissance of the last ten years. “Stamford is a beautiful town and has a great mix of locals and weekenders. It’s one of the things I love most about it. Somehow it just works.”
Find @catskilloutpost in Stamford, New York. www.catskilloutpost.com
By Tess Falotico-LaFaye
Images by Danté DiGiovanni
Volume 9
