We did it. We really did it (insert squeal)! After nearly ten years of planning, dreaming and manifesting, we opened the doors of our dream business - Linen & Clove (L&C), a home decor and lifestyle shoppe in Verona, Wisconsin.
From the second we walked through the doors of the very outdated, incredibly dilapidated space that is now L&C, we knew it was going to be perfect for what we envisioned in a retail space. We saw the potential, signed on the dotted line, and both became a part of the great resignation - Kim from Education and Dani from Human Resources. We then rolled up our sleeves and spent the next four months gutting the building, rebuilding walls, painting, sanding wood, hanging trim, laying flooring, and building built-in bookshelves, merchandising tables and a check-out counter. And shopping; oh so much shopping! We stocked up on a carefully curated collection of art, kitchenware, vases, baskets, trays, rugs, pillows, throws, books, photo frames, lamps, seasonal decor, and Linen & Clove branded items including coffee, a signature candle (fig & almond and oh so amazing), and a Linen & Clove custom furniture line.
And then we partied! A couple of days before the Grand Opening weekend, we hosted a Launch Party to celebrate all of the people who graciously supported us on our journey. We sipped a delicious signature cocktail and wine provided by our friends at Toot & Kates, nibbled hors d'oeuvres including delicious cream puffs and mini scones provided by Craig’s Cakes, laughed, shopped and partied the night away.
We opened the doors officially on October 1st and were overwhelmed by the love and support from Verona and the greater Madison-area. Hundreds of people stopped by, excited about a new retail space, a place to pick up a few items to spruce up your home, a place to order a custom couch or chair in the fabric of your dreams, a place to order a custom piece of wood furniture (because you’ve been eyeing up a beautiful piece online but just aren’t willing to dish out that kind of cash or you just haven’t found the perfect piece/size/color to complete your space), or a place to pick up a little gift for someone special.
We are often asked how we came up with the name Linen & Clove. When we started brainstorming names, we came up with a list of what “home” means to us as well as what we envisioned as the longer term vision for our business. We quickly landed on ‘linen’ as it is a strong, traditional cloth that has been used for practical purposes - to make beautiful, breathable, long-lasting textiles, of which we wanted to carry in-store immediately (tea towels, napkins, table runners), and grow into in the short-term (duvet covers, bed sheets, bags) and potentially expand into in the future (apparel). We want our business to represent timelessness, but most of all strength - the strength we see in so many women we know!
But home is so much more than the stuff contained within the walls. Home evokes all of the senses; home is a feeling, a look, a sound, a smell. We both have fond memories of childhood where smell played an important role - grandma’s apple pie baking in the oven, dad’s coffee brewing every morning, the cool crisp air through the newly opened windows in spring that can only be described as “clean” smelling. We decided that the emotions that the warm smells of fall evoke - cloves and cinnamon and allspice - represented the warmth that we aspired to bring to our business.
Strength + the feeling of home = Linen & Clove.
The first week was everything that we envisioned…and more. We are humbled by the support, energized by the excitement the customers bring, and honored to be in community with every person who walks through the door. We hope to see you all at our holiday launch beginning November 2nd and it will be so. so. so good! Think stunning evergreen garlands, luxurious ribbons, adorable shelf sitters, gorgeous ornaments and so much more. And gifts - we have a plethora of unique gifts:
- Charcuterie boards with bowls, cheese knives, cloches, jams from Italy, picks, spoons
- Olive oil & balsamic vinegar from Italy
- Shower steamers, goat milk soap, goat milk lotion
- Jewelry
- Books
- Cocktail essentials - glassware, cocktail picks, cocktail mixes, bourbon cherries, ice buckets, mixing spoons, jiggers, whiskey rocks, cocktail sugars, cocktail shakers
- Art
- Candles
- Journals
- Linen & Clove coffee & coffee mugs
- Pillows & Throws
- Picture frames
- Purses & Backpacks
We hope to see those of you who have already stopped in again and can’t wait to meet those of you who haven’t. We are grateful for all of you! And our husbands because this dream wouldn't have been possible without them.
