Audie McDougall in her new shop, called Someday (Photo by Sarah Walor)
As the name painted across the storefront at 20 E. Broad St. suggests, Someday is the manifestation of owner Audie McDougall’s long-held dream: “It was something we talked about forever — with my family, my husband — that someday we’ll have this shop where we can be whatever we want to be, where our creative friends can do their work, where customers feel welcome, where I can guide my own ship.”
From a shopper’s view, that “someday” could be today, if they’re in the market for the new and vintage homewares and gifts offered in this recently opened retail space in downtown Richmond’s Arts District. McDougall’s store offers home organization pieces, textiles, pillows and more in a space lined with new and vintage rugs (also for sale). McDougall, who says she favors a French-leaning aesthetic that includes moody oil paintings and antiques, has had a few years to practice blending styles with her husband, James Kohler, a co-owner at local restaurant Brenner Pass who is “very into Midcentury Modern.” The store is a mix of those vibes, which she calls “cozy modern.”
McDougall was among the first employees at local purveyor of fine men’s clothes Ledbury, where she managed their retail division for five years. Growing up in an old farmhouse in Montpelier with a mother who “wouldn’t buy anything new” honed her appreciation for vintage goods and eclectic decor. “I like things that are weathered, worn, things with a story,” she says.
Providing a comfortable space for visitors to shop was a primary goal for McDougall’s space. She says that visitors will notice that the shop is “big enough to browse the space on their own,” or simply hang out and read a book or check their phone. “Retail is moving more toward experience,” she says.
Plant Yourself at The Living Room
Photo by Jay Paul
The Living Room, a new plant boutique at 20 E. Main St., is just that, according to co-owner Aaron Brown — a room for living, creating and relaxing.
The perimeter is filled with plants for purchase — fiddle-leaf figs, other ficus and crotons, to name a few — while two white leather couches face each other on a fuzzy rug in the center of the shop. A plush pink bench is tucked into what Brown calls a reading nook in the shop’s window. In addition to selling plants, he and co-owner Jacob Fonseca wanted to create a comfortable space where people can spend time. “We didn’t know we were interior designers, but it turned out pretty well,” says Brown with a laugh. A self-watering living plant wall, built by Brown after months of research, provides a backdrop for inspiration and Instagram photo ops.
The Living Room also doubles as an event space, where Brown says they’ll host pop-up shops, collabs with artists, podcasts, yoga and more.
