Alyssa Rosenheck's The New Southern Entrepreneur Spotlight with Allison Casper Adams, Director of Oxford Exchange Tampa Florida

The New Southern | Entrepreneur Spotlight: Allison Casper Adams, Director of Oxford Exchange

August 28, 2017 in The New Southern, TNS Spotlight

Fun fact: Allison Casper Adams is a third generation McDonald’s franchisee. Her grandfather, Fritz Casper, opened Tampa’s first McDonald’s in the 1950s, now Allison and her brother, Blake Casper, operate 53 branches in the area. Clearly, the entrepreneurial spirit is a family affair, as the duo didn’t stop there.

In 2012, the siblings bought an underutilized building across the street from the University of Tampa campus that once served as horse stables in the 1890s, and sat vacant for the last few decades. A painstaking renovation ensued, with Adams keeping watch over the historic elements that remained intact and introducing new features that would seamlessly meld into the overall design vision of Oxford Exchange. Now, it’s a menagerie of marble and leather, brass and brick, and has a variety of uses: a coffee shop, a restaurant, a co-working space, a bookstore, and an event venue. “We hoped to create a unique place where people could gather,” says Adams. “Every detail has a purpose and every object has a story.

Forward-thinking and innovative, Adams is a great example of a strong female force in the entrepreneurial world. She’s the New Southern. Here, we sat down with the Tampa Bay businesswoman to get her thoughts on what it means to be Southern right now.

Alyssa Rosenheck: Why open Oxford Exchange?

Allison Casper Adams: I have always been fascinated with design, and Oxford Exchange gives me a great canvas to experiment with. I’ve always been inspired by travel and I consciously curate my personal spaces with objects that have meaning to my family and I, regardless of their style. Oxford Exchange and Oxford Design Studio are a direct reflection of that mindset. I’m humbled to think that we’ve influenced others with our approach.

AR: Any tips for female entrepreneurs wanting to follow in your footsteps?

ACA: With Oxford Exchange, it was a sharp learning curve. I had absolutely no retail experience when we started, so there were no rules. It only took me a few weeks to realize that I have a lot to learn. However, I think that led to part of its charm. Our Director of Retail, Jess Anderson, is incredibly organized and keeps me in line. With that said, my advice would be to surround yourself with passionate people and don’t be afraid to make mistakes.

AR: How do you make sure you’re setting yourself apart in the marketplace?

ACA: I am constantly traveling and looking for interesting pieces that can start a conversation. The Shop at Oxford Exchange is a mix of styles from all over the world and we aren’t afraid to try something new.

AR: What’s the key to making a house a home?

ACA: Your home should tell the story of who you are. Art that you love, photos, found objects from travels, and lots of books.

AR: Who is one of your favorite artists and/or makers?

ACA: John Derian is one of my favorite tastemakers. I love the history associated with his handmade pieces, and his shop in New York City is always a source of inspiration.

AR: Fill in the blank, “my momma always said…”

ACA: Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

AR: Oxford Exchange is chockful of wonderful housewarming gifts. What’s your usual go-to?

ACA: Books. For a new home, I like to offer a beautiful coffee table book on design or travel. For a hostess, a cookbook or even a favorite book I recently read.

AR: What’s your dream project?

ACA: An Oxford Exchange Hotel in Tampa

AR: What’s on your nightstand right now?

ACA: Books are always on my nightstand. My current reads are Radical Candor by Kim Scott and The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See.

AR: Do you have a favorite color palette?

ACA: White, navy, and grey is timeless. The range of colors you can pair it with is endless.

Alyssa Rosenheck's The New Southern Shop Spotlight with Amanda McClements, Owner of Salt & Sundry and Little Leaf, Washington DC North Carolina

The New Southern | Shop Spotlight: Amanda McClements, Owner of Salt & Sundry and Little Leaf

August 21, 2017 in The New Southern, TNS Spotlight

Amanda McClements is the product of two “free-spirited, food-loving parents from North Carolina,” she says, and that upbringing “inspired my passion for hospitality and eclectic style.” After writing about travel and food for ten years, she started “dreaming up a place that brought together beautiful goods—a place that would inspire people to entertain and create beautiful spaces.”

In 2012, a space opened up in Washington, D.C.’s Union Market, an eclectic food market in an area of the city whose rise and development has been greatly chronicled. McClements jumped on the chance, and within two years of opening up Salt & Sundry, she was opening a second location near D.C.’s Logan Circle. Now, in addition to that, she owns two outposts of Little Leaf, a plant and paper shop.

McClements thinks of her style as “Southern bohemian,” a laidback and relaxed aesthetic that’s a bit unexpected, she says. Her influences come from music, art, and the beauty of diverse cultures, a mindset that could be the definition of the New Southern. Southern style is no longer reserved for the South, and in the case of McClements, her global perspective “comes through in the goods we stock, like vintage textiles from South America and mud cloth pillows from West Africa.”

Here, get to know the creative force behind D.C.’s beloved brand, and a born-and-raised Southerner whose entrepreneurial mind is helping shape the next generation of creatives.

Alyssa Rosenheck: What innovative trends are you seeing with Southern style across the country?

Amanda McClements: Southern hospitality is legendary, but I’ve loved seeing a move toward more comfortable and casual entertaining. Formality has given way to a more relaxed approach that’s a lot easier to pull off. So while you might still pull out your grandma’s china for a dinner party, you’re mixing it up with modern, laid-back touches to dial the vibe down a bit.

AR: How have you mastered the growth of your brand?

AM: Mastered is a strong word: it’s more like manage. I have an incredible team (about 40 strong now!) and I find few things more rewarding than watching them become empowered and learn to lead. I know I can’t do it alone, so supporting and nurturing the team around me has been key to managing our growth

AR: What advice do you have for female entrepreneurs?

AM: Remember that your experience won't necessarily look like anyone else's. When I got started, I looked to others to tell me how to do things “right”…this is what running a business is like, this is how you manage people, this is how you manage finances. But I've learned that while other people's lessons can certainly inform you, your path will be your own, and you actually have a choice in how you do it.

AR: The place you go to get inspired?

AM: A new city. I love that moment when wheels touch down on the runway of a place I’ve never been. I get a surge of excitement and anticipation

AR: Who are some of your favorite artists/makers?

AM: My father is a carpenter in Durham, North Carolina, and we sell his beautiful farm tables made from reclaimed and locally milled wood. Like a good carpenter’s daughter, I’m smitten with the stories of the old wood and I love imagining the people who walked on the boards, what they wore and cooked, and how they lived. A few other Southern makers I’m a huge fan of are Honeycomb Studio in Atlanta, Settle’s sweet ceramics and Son of a Sailor’s modern jewelry, both in Austin, and Big Spoon’s addictive nut butters out of Durham.

AR: What’s your advice for mixing old with new?

AM: Just do it! I love a layered look where older pieces get a fresh feel from their contemporary neighbors. The uniting thread just needs to be that you love them.

AR: What’s you go-to housewarming gift?

AM: Salt has been a symbolic gift throughout history, bringing luck, health, and flavor. I love to pair one of our artisan sea salts—like Bull’s Bay from Charleston or JQ Dickinson from West Virginia—with a handmade salt cellar.

AR: Tell us something we probably don’t know.

AM: One of the houses I lived in growing up had an outhouse.

AR: What’s the greatest color combination that ever existed?

AM: Black + white. I know they’re not exactly colors, but still. It doesn’t get more crisp and modern than black and white.

AR: What does “The New Southern” mean to you?

AM: There are a lot of misconceptions about the South, and to me, The New Southern means shining a light on a culture that’s diverse, modern, and savvy.

Amanda McClements, Salt & Sundry Photo: Taylor Kampa Olson

Alyssa Rosenheck's The New Southern Shop Spotlight with Amanda McClements, Owner of Salt & Sundry and Little Leaf, Washington DC North Carolina. PhotoCred ©AlyssaRosenheck

Alyssa Rosenheck's The New Southern Shop Spotlight with Mollie Creason, Owner of Web-based Art Collective Well and Wonder Louisville Kentucky

The New Southern | Shop Spotlight: Mollie Creason, Owner of Well + Wonder

August 14, 2017 in The New Southern

Mollie Creason is a born and raised Southerner, the kind that believes the mark of a good home is one that’s filled with “your grandmother’s antique dresser alongside a contemporary mixed-media painting, because it creates layers, and most definitely tells a story.” In other words, she’s the perfect example of the New Southern.

Furthermore, Creason is making waves in her native Louisville, Kentucky, as a young art broker and entrepreneur. She launched Well + Wonder in 2015, an online collective of carefully curated art from a talented group of emerging Southern artists. “From the beginning, it has been my motivation to present artwork to customers who may be intimidated by buying art. My overall goal is to make art and up-and-coming Southern talent accessible to clients. My artists are young and talented from all over the South, which creates an aesthetic that numerous people are drawn to, not just Southerners,” Creason explains.

We sat down with the ultimate champion of Southern design to get her take on trends, travel, and the importance of being truthful.

Alyssa Rosenheck: Have you always lived in your hometown?

Mollie Creason: I was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, by my parents who engrained traveling and collecting art in me at an early age. During my college years, I studied art history and English literature at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. I loved it there, so I decided to spend several more years in the city before moving back home to Kentucky. Once I settled down, I married my husband, Scott, and I now have two young children (William, 5, and Francie, 2,) who keep us very busy.

AR: What makes a house a home?

MC: A home needs to feel lived in. In addition, a home needs objects and treasures that cannot be purchased in a store, as well as have value. My home is filled with family heirlooms (and “hand me downs”) and art that I have collected from traveling and visiting artists across the South, but more importantly, it is a gathering spot for our family and friends.

AR: In your line of work, what trends are you seeing in Southern style?

MC: I see clients who are not afraid to mix traditional with modern

Sallie Robbins, Downy III — Sallie Robbins, *Downy III*

Hannah Betzel, Pillow Talk — Hannah Betzel, *Pillow Talk*

Sallie Robbins, Whisp — Sallie Robbins, *Whisp*

Amanda Norman, Palm to Palm V — Amanda Norman, *Palm to Palm V*

AR: What do you attribute Well + Wonder’s growth and success to?

MC: I believe our growth has happened organically, which has played a huge role in our success as a company. We have grown by presenting our talented artists, traveling new places, and telling our story to everyone we meet along the way. Because of these opportunities and experiences, we have really gotten to know our customers, as well as learned how to meet their demands.

AR: What advice do you have for young, female entrepreneurs?

MC: Jump in! I dove in and began the process of starting my own business while I was six months pregnant with my second child. You really cannot wait for the perfect time, but take the risk because I promise it is so worth the reward

Chambers Austelle Studio. Photo: © Leslie Ryann Mckellar — Chambers Austelle Studio. Photo: © Leslie Ryann Mckellar

Jenn Thatcher, City on a Hill — Jenn Thatcher, *City on a Hill*

AR: Where do you go to get inspired?

MC: Everywhere! To me, there is nothing more inspiring than travel. I love the beach, but I also have to get to the mountains. My husband and I are in the middle of planning for our next big overseas adventure—the south of France.

AR: What advice have you gotten along the way that made all the difference?

MC: Be honest and be authentic. As cheesy as it sounds, staying true to you, both personally and professionally, will take you farther than you’d ever expect.

AR: What’s your favorite housewarming gift?

MC: A watercolor painting of the family’s new home by Nashville artist Amanda Norman. Or, if I am short on time, a bottle of bubbly

AR: Design book you’ll always have on your shelf?

MC: Beautiful by Mark D. Sikes. His style is stunning and timeless, and I am all about blue and white.

AR: The greatest color combination that ever existed?

MC: I adore anything and everything with a pop of red

Alyssa Rosenheck's The New Southern Designer Spotlight with James Saavedra of Austin, Texas PhotoCredit © AlyssaRosenheck

The New Southern | Designer Spotlight: James Saavedra

August 07, 2017 in The New Southern, TNS Spotlight

Biologically, James Saavedra is a fish out of water in the South, he hails from California and has only adopted Austin, Texas, as his new home base, but his aesthetic, which he calls “modern heritage,” is what the New Southern is all about. “Hand crafted, heirloom quality manifested in simple forms,” he explains, adding that authenticity and ease are at the core of his interior design philosophy.

“I love using contrast, seductive textures that beckon you to experience a space, and deceptively simple detailing that requires precision,” and of Southern style, he says, “it’s always had a foothold in graciousness and hospitality.” And most importantly, Saavedra explains, quality has always been a trademark of Southern design. “Objects and elements that will last generations, and crafted in a manner that used to be the norm,” these are the hallmarks of his craft; “I build upon this Southern foundation using simple, but highly crafted forms and intentional details. It’s the maker’s movement, he says, “a return to quality, artisanal goods produced with time and attention then interpreted in a modern way.”

Reverting back to the core of his practice—authenticity and ease—Saavedra emphasizes “holding back rather than adding on.” So where does this “California native who finds himself in the South” go for inspiration? Here, inside the mind of a New Southern designer.

Alyssa Rosenheck: How do you unwind?

James Saavedra: Cooking is my greatest stress relief and source of thoughtfulness. I’ve come to recognize that it’s the driving force in how I create. Creating things is my passion.

AR: Where should one shop in Austin?

JS: Austin is growing and while we have less than other metropolitan design hubs, we constantly have something new popping up. You’ll always make a great choice with Supply Showroom, Alexander Marchant, Nannie Inez, and Wild Flower Organics.

AR: The perfect shade of white and black?

JS: Simply White by Benjamin Moore has just the right amount of “barely there” warmth, while Farrow Ball Pitch Black #256 is a rich, velvety, and saturated black.

AR: What’s the key to making a house a home?

JS: Ease and authenticity is always achieved through thoughtfulness—for those who experience it every day and those who will gather to share moments and create memories within the home.

AR: What does a home need more of and less of?

JS: Homes need more hand-crafted belongings that tell a story and hold the energy of the artisans who created them. We should seek the beauty in their imperfections. A home always needs less trends. It instantly kills authenticity.

AR: Have you gotten any life advice that turned your day around?

JS: Everyone is doing the best that they can. Quiet makes sense out of the chaos.

AR: What about design advice?

JS: Design your ultimate vision first, then adjust as needed. It’s easier to pare down a great design than it is to add to it in the middle.

AR: Did you get any business advice when starting your firm?

JS: Two things stick out to me: Learn your craft but never think you’re finished learning, and charge what your talent is worth and pay others what they’re worth. No one does their best work for a bargain.

AR: What’s your advice for mixing old with new?

JS: Go with your gut and lead with what you love. Balance the two so that one becomes a foil to highlight characteristics of the other.

AR: Fill in the blank, “my momma always said…”

JS: Never show up empty handed.

AR: Speaking of, what’s your favorite housewarming gift?

JS: The best gifts consider the recipient, but in general I love the nuanced fragrances of Tatine candles, great letterpress, or John Kelly French Grey sea salt chocolates.

AR: What’s the greatest color combination that ever existed?

JS: Bone and bronze.

AR: Tell us something we probably don’t know.

JS: If I could be doing just one thing for the rest of time, it would be making things with my own hands.