Photo by Jesse Chambers.
Trove Design Shop_Karen Gathany
Birmingham graphic designer Karen Gathany, the owner and founder of Trove Design Shop, located at 5532 First Ave. N. in the Woodlawn commercial district. An art- and design-focused gift and housewares shop, Trove features ceramics, handmade jewelry, cards, art, books and décor.
Woodlawn’s growing roster of small, independent retailers has a new member.
Trove Design Shop, founded by Birmingham graphic designer Karen Gathany, held its grand opening in June.
The gift and home goods boutique — in the heart of the commercial district at 5532 First Ave. N. — features ceramics, jewelry, cards, books and décor, and many of the items are handmade or even made to order.
“I love visiting unique little shops when I travel, and I felt like Birmingham was missing a well-curated, artsy shop like this,” Gathany said.
Trove features numerous Birmingham makers, including Civil Stoneware, i.may studio, Big Wave Paper and Harper James Design, and local artists such as Ashley Wingo, who works in mixed-media.
Gathany likes her location in Woodlawn, which she told Iron City Ink is “an up-and-coming area.” The neighborhood has more affordable rents than downtown and lots of free parking, according to Gathany.
In addition, the popular Woodlawn Cycle Cafe, where Gathany enjoys buying coffee each morning, is located nearby, as well as other small retailers, such as Club Duquette, Great Bear Wax and Public Office.
Those establishments help make Woodlawn “a good little retail neighborhood,” Gathany said.
Gathany shares the storefront, which measures about 1,100 square feet, with Melissa Jane Clevenger, a licensed massage therapist, who operates a private studio behind the shop. Clevenger, available by appointment, provides Swedish and deep tissue massage.
The exposed brick walls and high ceilings in the 1901-vintage building were appealing to Gathany.
“I wanted a space with character,” she said. “I found the perfect space for my shop here.”
Woodlawn’s business future is bright, according to Gathany. “I know there will be more businesses opening this year and next year.”
The community benefits from being “close enough to downtown to be convenient” and very close to Crestwood, she said.
A Huntsville native, Gathany completed the Co.Starters entrepreneurship program at Create Birmingham and operated Trove as a pop-up in a shipping container at Railroad Park during the holidays in 2018.
And Gathany, who is the only retailer in Alabama or the Southeast to carry some of her products, loves her work.
“Being able to support artists and makers and let them do their thing and bring their products to a new market in Birmingham is exciting,” she said.
