Weezie’s first retail pop-up is open now through January at 56 East Andrews Drive in Buckhead.
Everyone knows the first rule of real estate: location, location, location! As we decided on the perfect spot for our first Weezie shop, Atlanta’s Buckhead neighborhood—just a stone’s throw from our production headquarters and home to many of Weezie’s best customers—became the clear front runner.
As with most major developments in the life of a brand, timing is key, and the stars aligned to launch The Gift Market in time for Weezie’s busiest season. “Once we found the location, we set out to fill the shop with our best products and other fun items we knew our customers would love for holiday,” says Weezie co-founder and creative director Liz Eichholz.
Thanks to Liz’s magpie eye, the shop is a veritable treasure trove of candles, hand soaps, table linens, glassware, and, yes: towels galore. “I’m a natural consumer, and it was such a joy to discover new brands as I was curating the store,” Liz says. Moreover, the gift market is a natural extension of Weezie’s brand mission to bring joy to other elements of the bathroom and the rest of the house. From Atlanta-based Neighborly greeting cards to Match South’s framed keepsake matchbooks, there’s truly something for everyone...including Liz, who managed to snag a set of pink Italian Murano glassware for her own table.
While many direct-to-consumer brands sidestep the real-life retail experience altogether, the tangibility of Weezie towels is, well, the whole point. “Our product is something you have a different appreciation for when you touch and feel it,” says Weezie co-founder and CEO Lindsey Johnson. “Reviews and descriptions are so important, but much of what makes Weezie special goes beyond the screen.”
To help bring the soul of Weezie to life, Lindsey enlisted her favorite Atlanta decorator, Anna-Wooten Loggins to create a warm, bright and layered space, with core pieces supplied by brand partners Pepper Home, Circa Lighting, Luxholdups and The Inside. The result is an object lesson in collected living, complete with a range of works for sale by artist in residence, Kate Mullin Williford. “Art imbues a room with such energy, and anything can be artful,” Liz says. “At their core, towels are a utilitarian object, but we’ve taken the time to focus on the details that make them beautiful, from piping and embroidery to rounded corners and a hanging loop. Think of them as art for your bathroom!”
Both co-founders say it’s been illuminating to see what brings customers through the front door. Some are familiar with Weezie and can’t wait to try new products in person — for those customers, a visit to the shop “completes the brand experience,” Liz says. Others are meeting Weezie for the first time, perhaps after visiting beloved Buckhead neighbors like Poppy’s of Atlanta, Lucy’s Market or Henri’s Bakery. (A Krewe pop-up in the parking lot bolsters the modern heritage vibe on East Andrews Drive — we’re in great company!)
As a digitally native brand with e-commerce systems firmly in place from the get-go, Weezie was well positioned to weather the pandemic. Still, Liz and Lindsey say that after a year of operating at a bit of remove, it’s been a joy to safely engage with customers in person. The shop’s event schedule (a tablescaping workshop with Darby Fallon Clark and Freshly Set and a pop-up with Emily Hertz of Born on Fifth and Bows & Blue, among others) has drawn a lively crowd of customers to mingle with Navy Hill beverages in hand. Now more than ever, it seems, Weezie’s customers love a little something to look forward to.
For more on The Gift Market by Weezie, visit @weezieatlanta, check out our recent press in House Beautiful and Southern Living and stop by in person at 56 East Andrews Drive in Buckhead, now through January 2022 — can’t wait to see you there!
