Happylife Productions: Where Rock 'n' Roll Art Meets Woodstock's Historic Tinker Street |
A Woodstock institution since 1984, the gallery and shop showcases music art, Grateful Dead designs, and work from legendary artists on one of New York's most storied streets |
At 59 Tinker Street in Woodstock, Happylife Productions has been a fixture of the village creative scene for over four decades. Founded by Mike DuBois and his wife Kelly Sinclair, the shop-and-gallery space occupies a building with its own remarkable history — it once housed Bob Dylan's living quarters in the 1960s and later served as the Tinker Street Café from 1988 to 1998. Today it blends decades of music poster artistry with curated retail that reflects Woodstock's artistic DNA.
From New Paltz Band Posters to a Woodstock Institution
DuBois launched Happylife Productions in 1984 while producing graphics and posters for local bands in New Paltz, according to a 2026 profile in Inside and Out Upstate New York. He gradually expanded into creating visual art for some of rock music's most iconic acts — including the Grateful Dead, the Allman Brothers Band, Neil Young, Hot Tuna, Tom Petty, Fleetwood Mac, Black Sabbath, and the Jerry Garcia Band. That musical art pedigree shapes what the shop sells today: limited-edition prints, handcrafted silkscreens, jewelry, incense, clothing, and gifts, much of it tied to the artist community that made Ulster County famous.
The current Tinker Street location opened in March 2022 when DuBois moved from across the street into the former Center for Photography at Woodstock space, purchasing the historic building along with Bearsville Theater complex owner Lizzie Vann for just under $1 million. The shop spans approximately 1,300 square feet across two levels. On the ground floor, an outdoor patio area was planned for live musical events during warmer months, carrying forward the building's musical heritage.
More Than a Gift Shop
The gallery section features signed prints, photographs, and original works from renowned artists in the music world and beyond. According to visitor reviews on the shop's Facebook gallery page, it draws visitors looking for something beyond typical tourist merchandise — pieces that have actual cultural and historical significance tied to the Hudson Valley's music legacy. A café, Casbah Café operated by Judy Steele and Cody Riston from Rock Da Casbah in Saugerties, also shares the building with its own entrance, bringing back the food and drink energy that defined the original Tinker Street Café.
For anyone visiting Woodstock who wants to explore more than just the Village Green, Happylife Productions offers a window into the artistic underground that has sustained Ulster County's creative identity for generations. Whether you're hunting for a rare Grateful Dead print, a piece by Mike DuBois himself, or simply browsing the curated selection of locally made goods and music-inspired design, the shop rewards lingering. It stands as one of Woodstock's best-kept secrets — equal parts gallery, museum, and gift store, rooted firmly in the spirit of the place.
Location: 59 Tinker Street, Woodstock, NY 12498 |
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