Photo by Julianne Tripp
Robert Bland isn’t trying to be typical. Born in Ashland, the 36-year-old has spent more than a decade traveling the world as a professional chef as well as holding a litany of retail jobs. But when he returned to Richmond to open a new store, he found a way to blend all of his professional experience under one umbrella.
Accoutre is a home goods store that also looks to curate an aesthetic and personality within your home that big box stores may overlook. “I want to bring beautiful pieces to the table, but they must have a utilitarian purpose,” Bland says.
Bland opened Accoutre in November at 1710 Altamont Ave. inside Sound of Music Studios. It’s part of a developing retail scene in Scott’s Addition, an area that’s awash in breweries, bars and bistros. He says he hopes "retail diversity" increases with time, and that he wants his store to stand out from the “adult Disneyland of booze” in the neighborhood.
While plans to expand are on his mind, Bland says he’s happy in Scott’s Addition for the time being.
The store name is derived from the French word accoutrement, which roughly translates as “to outfit.” Bland says he wants to cater to those who are deliberate with what’s in their kitchen. He describes his mission statement as “form and function for the well-appointed home.”
Here are a few of Robert Bland's favorite local items for the home:
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Incense Burner, $40 and Square Trade Goods Co. Incense, $18 at Yesterday’s Heroes: “I think it’s setting up an ephemeral presence to your home, inviting all your senses to be engaged.”
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Extra Large Air Plant, $35 at Strawberry Fields Flowers and Finds: “[It’s] nice to have living things in your home. They’re very calming, and they help to clean the air. [It’s] always nice to add an extra touch of something beautiful.”
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Dayberry broom, $24.95 at Roaring Pines: “They’re very pretty brooms if you consider a broom to be pretty — and a clean house is a nurturing environment.”
