New Orleans’ Hidden Gems

Nestled around a square in New Orleans’ historic Garden District, and extending about three blocks, rests a quiet community of independent retailers. This might not be front and center to the hustle and bustle of the French Quarter, but it is certainly a culturally rich environment that may be most representative of the of New Orleans’ retail scene.

While researching the type of retail I was interested in experiencing while in New Orleans, I had a difficult time finding much outside the touristy French Quarter, where souvenir shops are filled floor-to-ceiling with the typical T-shirts and coffee mugs; praline shops on almost every corner; and large malls lining the river walk. When you ask people where to find the best retail stores, you get the standard response: Check out the famous antique shops and boutiques lining Royal Street.

Ace Hotel, New Orleans / Photography: Rebekah L. Matheny, Columbus, Ohio

OFF THE BEATEN PATH

As I stood in line at Stumptown coffee in the newly opened Ace Hotel, I asked an employee behind the counter where she went to shop. Where should a tourist go if they wanted to experience the real retail scene of NOLA? A hip millennial mom herself, I knew she would have a pulse on the type of independent retailers we are striving to experience. Her favorite place was a shop called Little Flea, made up of local artisans – not the typical ones you see around the square in the Quarter art shops, but rather, the kind you’d see at Brooklyn, N.Y.’s Artists & Flea. And the best part, she explained, was that it’s a pop-up shop – where artists often rotate – spilling into this quaint square across the street on the weekends, becoming an even larger artists’ flea. This localized approach was the launching point for my NOLA retail expedition.

Stumptown, New Orleans / Photography: Rebekah L. Matheny, Columbus, Ohio

Beginning my quest, I discovered exactly what she described. Inside the shop, an eclectic mix of stained glass and original canvas paintings hung along the exposed brick walls, where jewelry and ceramics were artistically displayed on vintage yet modern furniture. One-of-a-kind garments and men’s hats added to the diversity of artist-made products. Though the space is small and minimal, the exposed original brickwork paired with a glistening, new white tiled cashwrap and backdrop gold wall to reflect the vintage elements for which New Orleans is so well known.

Little Flea, New Orleans / Photography: Rebekah L. Matheny, Columbus, Ohio

What pleased me most was the personal connection the store achieved between the artwork itself and the customers and the artists. It truly presents itself as a makers’ space, and not just a store. The sound of an artist welding and sanding a project behind the gold wall added to the acoustic ambience. Even more impressive, the artist on staff that day happened to spend time in my own hometown, Marietta, Ohio, and as we talked, I got to know the story behind why and how she made the necklace I was looking at, and she personally explained that she will repair anything for the life of the piece – now that’s authentic retail storytelling and transparency at its finest!

ALL IN THE FAMILY

If you want to take the maker movement into your own hands, a small fabric shop, opened a year ago by mother and daughter duo, sits just around the corner. Called Chateau Sew & Sew, the shop owners worked with a local architectural salvage contractor to turn reclaimed wood into a newly constructed background for the antique-furniture-turned-cashwrap. The space is formed by the original plaster walls, which are unevenly torn away to expose the brick behind, revealing  flood damage from Hurricane Katrina, adding another layer of New Orlean’s history to the space. A central cutting table also features reclaimed architectural elements to make seating, contributing to the handmade essence of the shop. Custom wood and steel displays house a selection of fabrics, filling shelf after shelf with an exceptional focus on children’s textile prints, while other displays, including a repurposed fireplace mantle, display children’s toys, bibs and blankets. The children’s focus all makes sense when I hear a cry from the back room coming from the 2-week-old daughter/granddaughter of the owners, making this a true family store.

Chateau Sew & Sew, New Orleans / Photography: Rebekah L. Matheny, Columbus, Ohio

Right next door to Sew & Sew, a collaborative shop brings together Tchoup Industries, DVRA and Disko Obscura to form another shop with a makers’ space in the back. Once again, an industrial reclaimed aesthetic is present, utilizing much of the construction debris left from aftermath of Katrina, this small store creates a palette within the space that accurately reflects the craftsmanship and artistry of each of its handmade bags, some of which are even hand-painted. Tropical prints and an alligator head brings the swamp aesthetic of the area inside.

SOUTHERN FLAIR

Just down the street between Free People and Gordon Bros.’ hat shop, two more boutiques stand out. Century Girl Vintage boutique is not your typical vintage store – it’s the kind that’s seen all throughout New Orleans and it’s a reflection of the effervescent personality of owner Leah Blake.

Century Girl Vintage, New Orleans / Photography: Rebekah L. Matheny, Columbus, Ohio

Stepping into the store feels more like stepping back into an era of New Orleans when Mint Juleps were sipped on a garden patio while donning the finest Southern garb. This curated collection of the finest vintage pieces, including some from Oscar de la Renta, are presented on gilded mirrors, while shoes and jewelry are displayed on antique furniture from a bygone era.

Subtle in its design, the store’s “shotgun”-style layout reflects the simple homes original to the area, while two large columns and crown molding reflect the character of the more opulent Garden District residences. The whitewash of the space allows for uncluttered display of the brightly colored, ornately patterned beaded garments, much like a museum. The southern charm from inside spills onto the street like a garden patio inviting you to sit under the shade, setting this little shop apart along the street edge.

HOMETOWN HERITAGE

A few shops down, Grandmother’s Buttons, a store that grew a life of its own as its founder, Susan Davis, who started out by making jewelry from her grandmother’s button collection in 1985, selling at craft shows then later in major department stores around the world. Its first shop opened in St. Francisville, La., in 1994, in an old bank, with the design studio upstairs and featuring a button museum downstairs within the shop. Opening their second store in New Orleans, this little accessory and home goods boutique feels like a smaller, non-commercialized version of Anthropologie.

Grandmother's Buttons, New Orleans / Photography: Rebekah L. Matheny, Columbus, Ohio

Quirky elements like vintage paintings adorned with buttons and antique merchandise tables protrude from the wall, embracing the bohemian, vintage vibe of New Orleans. And any NOLA boutique wouldn’t be complete without displays made from vintage and antique furniture, from old drawer rings from an old farmhouse kitchen’s shelving, there’s even a nod to the original button museum with a small display of historical fleur-de-lis buttons in a shadowbox table. It’s the details that tell the story within this boutique and sets it apart from a chain stores that may embody the same vintage like home atmosphere but lack the personal quality.

Grandmother's Buttons, New Orleans / Photography: Rebekah L. Matheny, Columbus, Ohio

Although a far cry from Williamsburg, Brooklyn, N.Y., this small stretch of independent boutiques are a breath of fresh air – both figuratively and literally – as the fragrance from the flowering trees and the refreshing indie retail of the neighborhood offer much-needed relief from Bourbon Street. People really do make the place, especially with the rise of the makers movement, and these boutiques infused with active makers spaces make them that much more special. Hopefully this is just the start of what retail will become in the Crescent City.

Rebekah L. Matheny is the assistant professor of interior design at The Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio), where she teaches courses in interior finish materials, lighting design and design studios that integrate a retail brand strategy process. Matheny’s research investigates the sensory perception of interior finish materials and their application in retail design to create an emotional connection between the customer and the brand. Follow Rebekah and her journey with materials on Instagram @rebekahmathenydesign and to start a dialogue about the Sensory experience of Materials visit her web site interiormaterialsmatter.com.