#storefrontstories

Behind every storefront, there’s a story.

Think about the local shops and restaurants you love the – the places and people that have become part of your daily life. Like the barista who knows you by name. The restaurant where you celebrate every family birthday. The boutique owner who always has time to chat and gives your dog treats. These businesses are what make Highland Village feel like home, and the sense of connection they bring feels more valuable than ever.

As this dynamic village continues to grow, we’re highlighting our HV family through a fun series, #storefrontstories. Through photos and Q&A, we’re showcasing and celebrating the people behind the businesses you love, who have persevered through uncertain times and continue to make Highland Village so special.

Watch the stories unfold below and on Instagram.

 

RE Wellness

LEIGH GAULT | OWNER

Q. What are you most excited about when it comes to being a part of HV?

L. We were made for beauty—it feeds our souls and shapes our outlook. Coming to work every day in the Highland Village courtyard with its beautiful flowers and fantastic fountains plays a role in healing. Seeing people delighting in good food and conversation is a daily reminder of the importance of relationships in our lives. I’m excited to be a part of this community.

Q. If you could dine with any person (living or not) who would it be, and which HV eatery would you treat them to?

L. In what seems today to be a general climate of tribalism and polarization, I would be interested to fellowship with Martin Luther King, Jr. and explore love, gentleness, and curiosity as a counterculture. I would treat him to any one of the excellent restaurants in Highland Village. So many great choices!

Q. What quote do you live by?

L. “Watch your thoughts, they become words. Watch your words, they become actions. Watch your actions, they become habits. Watch your habits, they become your character. Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.” – Lao Tzu

Q. How do you enjoy spending your time when you are not busy running your business?

L. I have many loves. My husband and our 6 girls are amazing, but I love to read, garden, hike, exercise, practice yoga, and have deep conversations with old and new friends alike.

Q. Sharing is caring. What books, podcasts or shows are you currently enjoying or highly recommend?

L. I share a complete list of podcasts on the Team page on www.re-wellness.com and have a list of books on our Resource page. But currently I’m enjoying Louise Penny’s criminal fiction and listening to The Root Cause Medicine podcast.

Q. Staycation or Vacation? And if you’re staying, what are you doing? And if you’re vacating, where are you going?

L. I am going to Colorado to hike in Rocky Mountain National Park or explore some mountain. My family usually keeps up. 😊

Q. What’s one interesting fact about you or your business that you want your customers to know?

L. The ‘RE’ in ‘RE Wellness’ is a prefix. When you add it to a word, it transforms the meaning of the word; it gives it a ‘redo’ on that word—everyone wants a redo on something! I want to offer the opportunity for people to have a redo on their health wherever they are on their journey. REthink. REdiscover. REclaim. REvitalize. RE Wellness.

 

Red Square

ALLIE SILGUERO| OWNER (ALSO PICTURED JILL MATHENY | OWNER)

Q. What do you love most about your work and being part of HV?

A. What I love the most about my work is the people! I love spending time with customers and helping with their fashion needs! When we tell our customers come in for some retail therapy we mean it! I love when customers come in and just feel at home with us. We can talk, laugh, even cry together! The connections we create with each customer is so unique!

Q. What’s one positive thing that came out of the shutdown?

A. I think the most positive thing that has come out of this is the appreciation and love I have for our customers. They have supported us through all of this. Whether it was purchasing a gift card, shopping via social media, or just checking in and saying hi. There are no words that can describe the gratitude I have for them. You don’t really know what you have until it’s gone. So thankful it wasn’t for too long. 😉

Q. What are you most excited to do now that things are getting back to their normal groove?

A. Now that we’re back in the swing of things I’m excited for the newness we are bringing to Red Square. Sometimes you have to sit back and take a break to really see where you can grow. We have definitely grown and are excited to bring new styles and fashions in for the Fall season.

Q. What’s one interesting fact about you or your business that you want your customers to know?

A. I have found an adventurous side I never knew I had. We recently took a family trip and white water rafted down the Ocoee River. Fun fact: we floated down the course that was used for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. I consider myself as good as an Olympian now. 

 

J.McLaughlin

CHRISTINA DUVALL| MANAGER

Q. What do you love most about your work and being part of HV?

A. I love getting to meet wonderful clients every day and I am able to help each pick that perfect J.McLaughlin piece or pieces to fulfill their desire.

Q. What’s one positive thing that came out of the shutdown?

A. The gift of quality time spent with friends and family.

Q. What are you most excited to do now that things are getting back to their normal groove?

A. I am most excited to visit with returning clients and see new ones.

Q. What’s one interesting fact about you or your business that you want your customers to know?

A. I love to be outside working in my yard and tending to my beautiful flower gardens in my free time!

 

KENDRA SCOTT

DAWN WEDDINGTON| MANAGER

Q. What do you love most about your work and being part of HV?

A. I absolutely LOVE playing dress up with our customers! Making people feel good and feel beautiful both inside and out is a simple joy that we often neglect. I like meeting and getting to know people from all walks of life. Everyone has a story and every story is worth hearing. We also have a very strong philanthropic pillar that I am so proud of. We love to give and impact our community in a positive way. It is a very profound thing and I am glad to be a part of it!

Q. What’s one positive thing that came out of the shutdown?

A. Personally, I was able to reconnect with myself and my passions. I learned how to do things I have always wanted to do. I spent more time outside than I had in a really long time. I love being outside so that was a great pleasure!  ​Professionally, I was able to reanalyze and restructure goals for myself in all areas of my career. Our team here at Kendra Scott has become more connected than ever! We were all truly blessed in the midst of it all. Taking time to slow down is a rare treat! I plan to “slow and grow” more often now!

Q. What are you most excited to do now that things are getting back to their normal groove?

A. I will be more intentional with what I say and do; spend real, quality time with people and things I love; and travel with intention and purpose. These were all things I was doing before, but I think I may have taken some parts of them for granted. I am going to add a few more seconds to my hugs, go about the world with my eyes (and heart) wide open, advocate for people and causes out loud and boldly, say and do more often, and finally, continue to build my own personal and professional legacies. I am excited to start again.

Q. What’s one interesting fact about you or your business that you want your customers to know?

A. That’s a tough one because I think there are so many interesting things about me and about Kendra Scott. Let’s see. The most interesting thing I’d want my customers to know about me is that I believe that NO is hardly ever the final answer. I am really THAT optimistic. I don’t believe I am one-dimensional and there is absolutely nothing I can’t learn how to do. As far as Kendra Scott the company, one of the most interesting things about us is that we are truly a family. We consider our customers family as well. Sometimes I know we hear this a lot in retail, but we all really do know, love, and support each other on a deep, personal level. Everyone is so accessible! I love that! Honestly, it is one of the most empowering and captivating things that has drawn me to this company and has allowed me to excel in retail!

THE NAIL LOUNGE

SON NGUYEN| OWNER

PHUOC (BRONCO) HANG, also pictured

Q. What do you love most about your work and being part of HV?

A. Getting to interact and getting to know our clients on a personal level. Being part of the HV family is great because they want us to succeed and they are willing to help us however they can.

Q. What’s one positive thing that came out of the shutdown?

A. It was nice getting to rest a bit and reflect on how much our clients mean to the success of our business. 

Q. What are you most excited to do now that things are getting back to their normal groove?

A. Now that things are open back up we are still committed to giving the best possible customer service to our clients and listen to what they have to say in order to serve our clients better.

Q. What’s one interesting fact about you or your business that you want your customers to know?

A. We are a family owned and operated business and will always treat our guests like members of our family.

 

BROOKS COLLECTION | VAULT

BROOKS POOLE | OWNER

Q. What do you love most about your work and being part of HV?

A. The one-on-one connections that my team and I make with our clients and neighboring businesses is my favorite part of owning Vault and being part of The Village. We learn personal details about customers’ lives when working as closely with them as we do while helping them design and find the perfect pieces for themselves or a loved one. Customers often become like family.  Being a part of HV has opened us up to an even bigger community that we have loved getting to know and to collaborate with.

Q. What’s one positive thing that came out of the shutdown?

A. We were forced to brainstorm, as our sales were previously primarily conducted within our brick-and-mortar presence. We quickly switched to a more social-media-based model, using flash sales and care packages as a way to continue to connect with our customers and keep our business thriving. We were left with some great ideas that will continue to be a part of our daily plan. During the shutdown, we were amazed by the graciousness and support of our client family who poured their support onto us, letting us know they recognized the constraints of the shutdown and that they would support us not only during but also after the shutdown. I keep a book of quotes, and one of my favorite quotes is, “The world will surprise you with its grace, if you let it.”  It was so heartwarming and encouraging to experience and be a part people receiving care packages of candles, books, and gift cards and immediately passing the joy along to their friends and loved ones with other care packages from Vault.

Q. What are you most excited to do now that things are getting back to their normal groove?

A. Seeing our customers face-to-face again! Nothing replaces personal relationships and interactions.  We are ready to see Vault and the Village filled with happy faces again!  Vault and Highland Village are not simply a bunch of shops; it truly is a community.  And the people–businesses, customers, and management of HV–make the Village the lifestyle that it exudes.

Q. What’s one interesting fact about you or your business that you want your customers to know?

A. Most of my clients are shocked when I tell them I also teach accounting and taxation and have done so for about 17 years at the collegiate level.  My “jewelry business” began in Oxford when I was teaching at Ole Miss with a classified ad in the Daily Mississippian newspaper and one bracelet!  Shortly after publishing that ad, I had a storefront on the Oxford Square and now am thrilled call Highland Village home!

 

BUFFALO PEAK OUTFITTERS

BOB McCAIN | OWNER

Q. What do you love most about your work and being part of HV?

A. The thing that is most appealing for me is working with our customers on a daily basis. Being an outdoor specialty retailer means we have the opportunity to provide clothing and gear for people to explore all over the world. Being at Highland Village for 33 years has been a wonderful experience. We are fortunate to have both the great history and tradition the center provides along with a freshness of ideas and visual beauty that is unique.

Q. What’s one positive thing that came out of the shutdown?

A. The biggest positive through this process has been deeper communication with staff, vendors, sales reps, literally everyone that touches our business. Staying in touch with these people has given us a team to rally around.

Q. What are you most excited to do now that things are getting back to their normal groove?

A. Without a doubt, we are excited to see our customers again. I’m sure some people have been forced to rely on online options during this time, but we hope that they will again rely on their locally owned businesses for the product and expertise they have come to love over these many years. That is why we are here, to provide great service and a friendly face.

Q. What’s one interesting fact about you or your business that you want your customers to know?

A. We are a local, family owned business. That isn’t as common as it used to be. My general manager has been here for 25 years. We are deeply rooted in this community and love the relationships we have been able to build over the years because of this.