New garden, gift shop owners want customers to feel at home

When Mark Thompson and Jay Draper opened their garden and gift shop in Forest Park in November, they knew the customer atmosphere they wished to create.

“We want to focus on a really genuine experience,” Thompson said.

The name of the store, Shoppe, was also chosen strategically.

“It’s a deliberately archaic spelling in the hopes of imbuing the shop with old-fashioned charm and quaintness,” Draper said.

In other words, the co-owners, who also live in Forest Park,  want to create “a space where people are comfortable, almost like you’ve come home,” Thompson said.

Shoppe, located in a house adjacent to Silvertron, has a small greenhouse and contains lots of plants, vases, planters and garden tools. There are numerous items for the home, including plant-based cleaners, handmade candles, books, gift items and more.

The owners stock products that are “old-fashioned and well-made,” Thompson said. They also wish to foster a continual sense of novelty for customers.

“Our goal is for it to look different every time you come in,” said Draper, who noted that the store's inventory, particularly the plants in the greenhouse, will shift with the season. “It’s never going to look the same.”